Storytellers: The 100-Year-Old Backstop

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The 100-Year-Old Backstop

BBC Radio Ulster - Storytellers, The 100-Year-Old Backstop

A comedy drama about the commission formed to solve the Northern Ireland border issue.

Comedy drama. Three very different men are tasked with solving Northern Ireland’s border problem once and for all, but how long can that really take?

Following the formation of Northern Ireland in 1921, the Boundary Commission was created to decide on the precise delineation of the border between the Irish Free State and Northern Ireland. The governments of the United Kingdom, the Irish Free State and Northern Ireland were allowed to nominate one member each to the commission. Eventually Justice Richard Feetham of South Africa was appointed by the British Government as Chairman, Eoin MacNeill, Minister for Education, was appointed by the Irish Free State Government and Joseph R. Fisher, a Unionist newspaper editor, author and barrister was appointed by the British government to represent the Northern Ireland government. These three men embarked on a tour along the border, meeting with concerned locals across the province, before facing the seemingly impossible task of redrawing the contentious border which stretched over 300 miles, cutting through communities, roads and even homes.

The Writers

Michael Patrick & Oisín Kearney wrote the play ‘My Left Nut’ which they also adapted as a BBC Three series in 2020. Their recent play ‘The Alternative’ was the winner of Fishamble’s A Play for Ireland initiative. They were also part of BBC Writersroom’s ‘Belfast Voices’ 2019 development scheme.


Richard Feetham ….. Paul Kennedy
Joseph R Fisher ….. Martin Maguire
Eoin MacNeill ….. Patrick FitzSymons
Theresa ….. Abigail McGibbon
Trimble ….. Dan Gordon
O’Neill ….. Francis Mezza
Baldwin ….. Richard Croxford
Healy ….. Seamus O’Hara
Reporter ….. Michael Patrick

Writers ..... Michael Patrick & Oisín Kearney 
Producer ..... Michael Shannon
Executive Editor ….. Andy Martin

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