True North
Season 13
Returning series of documentaries from BBC Northern Ireland reflecting life in modern-day Northern Ireland.
Where to Watch Season 13
21 Episodes
- The Power of Parkrun
E4The Power of ParkrunIn this uplifting True North documentary, Dame Kelly Holmes explores the rise of parkrun and the mental health benefits of running, in the build-up to the launch of a new run in Northern Ireland. Over the last 14 years, the parkrun phenomenon has transformed Saturday mornings around the world. What started out in London as a simple idea to get mates together for a time trial and a coffee has turned into something much, much bigger. Today, parkrun is one of the largest running events on the planet, pulling in more than 235,000 participants around the globe every weekend. Although it started out as a runners’ event, these days it is about improving health and well-being, inspiring people to take exercise, meet neighbours and volunteer. The organisation is now actively targeting areas of social deprivation in the UK, with its focus shifting toward how running can help transform our mental well-being. This film follows the launch of a new event in one of those areas – Strabane in Northern Ireland - and is presented by one of the UK’s most successful athletes, two-time Olympic gold winner Dame Kelly Holmes, whose passion for parkrun sees her make unannounced appearances at runs all over the UK. Dame Kelly reveals that away from the track she has struggled with mental health issues from a young age, including self-harm, anxiety and depression following the death of her mother two years ago. She uses her own personal experiences to help inspire and coach two people using the new run to kick-start their fitness journey. With five weeks to prepare for the event, will they join the running revolution? - The Last Showmen
E8The Last ShowmenThe Cullen family have been bringing all the fun of the fair to people's doorsteps since 1860. True North looks at this unique way of life and explores whether it is in danger of becoming extinct or if the next generation of Cullens can keep the family tradition alive. - Hell or High WaterE9
Hell or High WaterThe inspirational story of two sisters who face their own mortality. Sixty-year-old Shirley sets out on an epic journey to row 3,000 miles unsupported across the Atlantic Ocean while her sister, Evelyn, battles a rare incurable cancer back home in Northern Ireland. If Shirley succeeds she’ll be the oldest woman – and first Irish woman – to row solo across an ocean. In this story of perseverance and the power of the human spirit, Shirley and Evelyn must confront extreme mental and physical challenges in the name of survival. - Cherrie, Me and HIV
E10Cherrie, Me and HIVActor Matthew Cavan was diagnosed HIV positive ten years ago. Despite the hurtful abuse and negative comments he has received, he is determined to continue talking publicly about his experiences to help other people living with HIV in Northern Ireland. Now Matthew is going on a journey to learn more about the condition that has changed his life, and which has also had a huge impact on his loved ones. He wants to see how much has changed since the AIDS epidemic of the 1980s and to find out how far away a cure may be. He also wants to explode a few myths about HIV and help people understand that with the right medical help and support, men and women with HIV can expect to live a normal, healthy, happy life. We follow Matthew in his quest to better understand the complexities of HIV, as he discovers what the future holds for him, and the estimated one thousand people living with HIV in Northern Ireland today. At the start of the documentary, Matthew goes to visit his parents Terry and Kathryne, and they reflect on the impact of Matthew’s diagnosis on family life. He goes to the Royal Victoria Hospital, to discuss a change in his HIV medication with his consultant Dr Carol Emerson, and meets John O’Doherty, director of The Rainbow Centre in Belfast, to find out why the stigma around HIV is so damaging. Matthew also travels to London to meet Professor Sarah Fidler, one of the world’s leading HIV experts, and he talks to Belfast man Greg Owen, who took on the NHS in a high-profile battle to have miracle drug PrEP made available. He also meets one of Northern Ireland’s most famous faces, broadcaster Wendy Austin, who tells Matthew about her only brother David, who died of AIDS in 1994. Along the way we meet Matthew's absolutely-fabulous drag alter-ego - the irrepressible Cherrie Ontop, who brings colour, sparkle and fun into Matthew’s life and helps him cope with the pressure of living with HIV. Viewers get a front row seat at Cherrie's weekly cabaret performan - Shankill by the Sea
E11Shankill by the SeaAn intimate portrait of caravan life on the Ards Peninsula, telling the personal stories of those who leave their problems behind in the city and flock to their ‘home from home’ by the seaside. In a revealing depiction of working-class Protestant life, this documentary scratches beneath the stereotype of the affectionately nicknamed ‘Shankill by the Sea’ to understand what really draws people to holiday here. - Lagan Dragons
E12Lagan DragonsTrue North: Lagan Dragons tells the personal stories behind the women who paddle their way to health after having had breast cancer. Based in Belfast, the Lagan Dragons are passionate participants in the growing sport of dragon boat racing. The film follows the team’s training and preparation for the annual Dublin Regatta, in a bid to retain their title as champions in the Breast Cancer category. For over 30 years dragon boat racing has been a popular sport among women who have had breast cancer. The repetitive upper body paddling action is believed to help rebuild upper body strength and prevent the reoccurrence of breast cancer. Throughout the film we meet some of the Dragons, including newbie Nina who has recently joined the team after recent surgery. We also meet Joanne as she undergoes scar therapy following her surgery and Sharon as she visits the cancer centre for a regular check-up. - Big Night at the Bingo
E13Big Night at the BingoBingo halls are a hidden world of mysterious rituals and unfamiliar jargon: singles, doubles, checks and sweating. They are also places of tight friendships spanning lifetimes and the women who are regulars there have known each other through thick and thin. Big Night at the Bingo takes us to the Westway bingo hall on the Falls Road in the heart of West Belfast for one of its busiest nights of the year as the prize money is bumped up into four figures. Filmed with unprecedented access, we see the dramas of winning and losing up close as the day unfolds. While the world outside is a place of tough working lives and demanding family commitments, inside the Westway all is calm as numbers are drawn at random for the captive audience. We meet the regular players who come back day after day in hope of that elusive win. Serenely composed Eilish was taught how to play by her granny when she was in her teens. Hard-working Margaret juggles her bingo alongside working in Asda, a college course, school pick-ups and supporting her husband as he deals with health problems. The irrepressible Kate says she never wins – so instead she prepares an impromptu birthday party for her friend. Finally, Eileen is long in the tooth and casts a cold eye on the numbers as they come up – she knows this is all a game of chance in which you can do nothing to affect the outcome: “If it’s for you it’s for you”. But tonight, among the hundreds of players squeezing into the hall, a lucky two will go home with a thousand pounds in cash. - Soul SingersE15
Soul SingersSoul Singers follows the journey of members of the Belfast Community Gospel Choir as they prepare for their annual winter concert. For ten years the Belfast Community Gospel Choir has been spreading joy across Northern Ireland one show at a time, and this documentary exposes what being a part of such a diverse and creative group of singers is like. The first of its kind in the country, BCGC was the brainchild of Marie Lacey, ‘the choir mummy’ who has added her own Northern Irish flair to the choir's soul and gospel music. Throughout the film we meet a few of the choir members, including Bongi, Jill and Jenny. Each has a story to tell, and a reason to sing with Marie and the BCGC. - Born to Riverdance
E16Born to RiverdanceAs hit show Riverdance prepares to celebrate its 25th anniversary with a special gala performance at Dublin’s 3Arena, its cast of Irish dancers from all over the world are locked in intense rehearsals. Billed as one of the biggest nights in Irish dance in living memory, audience expectations have never been higher, and nothing can be left to chance. - When Boxing Ends
E17When Boxing EndsFighters make the ultimate sacrifices to pursue their dream of becoming champions. As their careers come to an end, they face their toughest fight - stepping away from the ring and adjusting to life after boxing. This documentary takes an in-depth look at the successful careers of several of Northern Ireland's world champions - Ryan Burnett, Brian Magee and Eamonn Magee - and how they made the tough step transitioning into retirement. - Restoring Ormiston
E18Restoring OrmistonOrmiston House in East Belfast is one of the city’s most historic buildings. Built in 1867 for a local mill owner, it was once home to distinguished businessmen Edward Harland and Lord Pirrie. But after years of neglect the house had fallen into a state of total disrepair – and was at risk of collapse. In 2014, it was bought by local entrepreneur Pete Boyle and wife Ciara. After decades of decline, the couple were faced with one the one of the most challenging and ambitious private restoration projects this island has ever seen - from dealing with dry rot to restoring Ormiston’s overgrown 13-acre gardens. - Saving the ShipyardE19
Saving the ShipyardWith its yellow cranes framing the Belfast skyline, Harland and Wolff is one of Northern Ireland’s most iconic companies. Famous for building the ill-fated Titanic, the legendary yard dominated global shipbuilding during the twentieth century and at its height employed more than 30,000 people. But like much of the UK’s shipbuilding industry, Harland and Wolff suffered a steady decline in recent years. In the summer of 2019, it entered administration - appearing to spell the end of the company after almost 160 years. While many lamented the end of an era, the workers were convinced it still had a future and seized control of the shipyard. Their plan? To buy enough time for a new buyer to be found – or pressure the government into re-nationalising it. Saving the Shipyard captures the dramatic events of last year as they unfolded, with intimate access to the workers, union reps, administrators and bosses at the heart of the struggle. - Belfast to Baghdad
E20Belfast to BaghdadWhen a group of painters and decorators from Northern Ireland arrived in Baghdad 30 years ago to paint Saddam Hussein’s palace, they found themselves at the centre of an international crisis. Held as human shields it was five months before they managed to get home. Now they come together to share their story for the first time. Using incredible footage shot at the time, photos and mementoes from their trip, and first hand testimony from the men and their families, we see a group of men from Northern Ireland living at the centre of one of the world’s most recent international crises - the Gulf War - Operation Desert Shield. As 35 nations, led by the United States, took a stand against Saddam Hussein and Iraq, these men from Banbridge, Craigavon, Lurgan and Portadown were living on their nerves in the centre of Baghdad. Cut off from their families, their only thoughts were of getting home. Somehow. This extraordinary film tells their story - what they were doing out there, what happened to them, and eventually how they managed to get home. - The First Generation
E21The First GenerationIn this heartwarming programme, Stephen Walker encounters four women and one man born in 1921: Aileen Pollock, Martin Charters, Isobel Lavery, Eileen Sweeney and Mairead Liddy. Through conversations with them, he discovers how they all witnessed great social, economic and political change over the decades. With its stories of childhood, the world of work, the life-changing impact of war and of love and marriage, The First Generation is a timely reminder of the challenges this generation faced across the decades - and what we can learn from their long lives.
