1972

Pop Goes Northern Ireland blends news footage, archive and the musical hits of the time to provide an enthralling and entertaining potted history of Northern Ireland dealing with our difficult past in a way that is entertaining, informative, fresh and accessible to all.

This week Pop Goes Northern Ireland focusses on 1972. A tumultuous year with the watershed events of Bloody Sunday and the imposition of direct rule.

The programme also charts the rise of the Loyalist movement, Vanguard, and the emergence of the UDA as a major paramilitary force. A brief moment of hope engendered by an IRA ceasefire evaporates in the carnage of Bloody Friday and Claudy. Through Operation Motorman, the army brings to an end the infamous "no-go" areas.