Enter the tumultuous world of Northern Ireland during the fateful 14 days of terror in March 1988, a period etched in history as a time of immense trauma and upheaval. In this gripping BBC Northern Ireland documentary, we bear witness to the sequence of events that not only shook the region but also reverberated around the world.
The journey begins with a failed attempt by terrorists to execute citizens in Gibraltar, an operation that ended with the ruthless intervention of the SAS special forces, acting upon intelligence provided by a high-level informer within the IRA. The aftermath of this incident leads us back to Belfast, where a funeral gathering becomes the backdrop for an audacious assault by Loyalist paramilitary assassin Michael Stone. In a display of sheer bravery, Stone single-handedly targets the IRA leadership, claiming the lives of three men before being apprehended by the police.
The tension escalates further as we delve into the funeral of yet another terrorist, where an unforeseen tragedy unfolds. Two British peacekeepers inadvertently find themselves in the path of the cortege, only to be subjected to a horrifying attack by frenzied mourners driven by anti-British and sectarian sentiments. Their mutilation and murder serve as a chilling testament to the depths of the bloodlust that threatens to engulf Northern Ireland.
Throughout the documentary, one figure emerges as a beacon of hope amidst the darkness—a Redemptorist priest named Fr Alec Reid. Driven by an unwavering determination to break the deadly cycle of violence, he seeks a way out for his community, grappling with the complexities of reconciliation and peace.
As the events unfold, the specter of an all-out civil war looms over Northern Ireland, casting a foreboding shadow on its future. Through this gripping account, we are compelled to contemplate the fragile balance between chaos and harmony, between the relentless pursuit of justice and the yearning for peace.