True North
Season 1
Returning series of documentaries from BBC Northern Ireland reflecting life in modern-day Northern Ireland.
Where to Watch Season 1
4 Episodes
- The Miraculous Tales of Mickey McGuigan
E1The Miraculous Tales of Mickey McGuiganDo miracles exist? Mickey McGuigan, a 73-year-old Northern Irish farmer-turned-writer, is going to take us on a journey to find out. Miracles may defy logic, but millions around the world believe in them. In Ireland, it's part of the traditional world of folklore and magic that people hang on to. If your cow's got ringworm, you call a man with the 'cure'. He may heal the animal by spitting on it. And if your child won't stop screaming for days, a woman with the 'gift' may silence it with the use of a simple piece of string! You'll meet Father Conlan, a Catholic priest who, though paid as a parish priest, spends all his time healing the sick. There's a six-month waiting list of people desperate to see him. One day, 38 people turned up at his door, unannounced, hoping to be cured. We'll also encounter John Purcell, a romany gypsy, who converted from Catholicism to become a Protestant evangelist. A fire-and-brimstone preacher, who claims to be able to cure anything and hundreds flock to his ministry. Mickey's our guide on this cinematic adventure through a hidden part of rural Northern Ireland, where anything is possible. - A Summer on Rathlin
E3A Summer on RathlinThis true portrayal of life on Rathlin Island reveals a community of just over 100 residents, where young people are valued as the key to survival for future generations. A busy summer on the island sees the first ever Maritime festival, with currachs, ceilidhs and many visitors. The tourist industry is also getting a boost with the building of a new hostel. The island play is in rehearsal and the primary school, with only nine pupils, has a new headmistress this year. There's no secondary school on the island, so as summer draws to a close, the older children prepare to go to boarding school in Belfast.
