Assume Nothing: How to Kill a Government in 14 Days

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As the country grinds to a halt, utterly shocking news breaks. 

Glenn Patterson finds out how in 1974, an extraordinary strike slides Northern Ireland into anarchy in days - and collapses its first power-sharing devolved government. 

Writer Glenn Patterson finds out how, in May 1974, a tiny band of loyalists and unionists over fourteen days stages a strike that paralyses Northern Ireland, and slides it into anarchy. 

Then twelve years old, Glenn lived through these events, taking place in the context of a ‘Troubles’ during which 1000 have already died. 

50 years on, he digs into what really happened, because these events cast a long shadow. The Ulster Workers’ Council stoppage culminated in the overthrow of Northern Ireland’s democratically elected devolved government – then just five months old, and the first power-sharing administration ever in the country’s history. Its formation, which involved controversial formal links to the Irish government, sparks the stoppage.

Decades pass before the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement of 1998 brings another such attempt at power sharing. Now, exploring the legacy of the strike, he tries to uncover what it might mean for us today. 

CREDITS
Access to material relating to the Don Anderson interviews was kindly provided by Don Anderson and the Linen Hall Library, Belfast. Series contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Photo: Belfast Telegraph.

Series written and presented by Glenn Patterson

Producer: Ophelia Byrne

Studio Engineers: Gary Bawden, Michael Davidson, Bill Maul.

Series Actors: Ian Beattie, Richard Clements, Jo Dow, Patrick FitzSymons, Jonathan Harden, Paddy Jenkins, Rhodri Lewis, Patrick McBrearty, Aoibhéann McCann, Charlotte McCurry, Marty Maguire, Seamus O’Hara.

Executive Editor: Andy Martin


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Factual

Glenn Patterson finds out how an extraordinary strike slid Northern Ireland into anarchy.

Glenn Patterson finds out how, in 1974, an extraordinary strike slid Northern Ireland into sheer anarchy in days - and collapsed its first power-sharing devolved government. 

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