Tales of The Troubles

In August 1977, Queen Elizabeth II’s visit to Northern Ireland unfolds against a backdrop of tension and symbolism. As crowds gather and security tightens, the royal presence offers a fleeting glimpse of ceremony amid conflict. This episode explores how the visit was received, what it revealed about the province’s fragile politics, and the quiet contrasts between spectacle and struggle.

In the summer of 1977, Northern Ireland was brought to a standstill as the Ulster Workers’ Council strike—revived under the banner of the United Unionist Action Council—swept across the province. Roads were blocked, power stations disrupted, and the economy ground to a halt, costing millions. This episode traces the political motives behind the strike, the government’s response, and the deep divisions it exposed within loyalism and unionism at a time when the Troubles were far from over.

Amid the lingering tension of Northern Ireland’s Troubles, a growing number of families look beyond the conflict, chasing peace and opportunity on distant shores. This episode traces the emotional crossroads between staying and leaving, exploring how the dream of New Zealand became both escape and exile for those seeking a new beginning.

As Northern Ireland grinds to a halt under the UUAC strike, tensions flare between loyalist organisers, weary citizens, and the British government. This episode traces how the protest tested the limits of unionist unity and exposed deep fractures within the movement — a pivotal moment when political loyalty collided with economic survival.

As the prison protests intensify, defiance hardens behind the walls and on the streets. This episode of Tales of The Troubles traces the growing resolve of republican prisoners and the state’s struggle to contain them—an unfolding confrontation that would test endurance, ideology, and the limits of control in Northern Ireland’s conflict.