Episode Five: The End of the Affair
When Ophelia Byrne goes to find out how the border in Ireland was finalised nearly a century ago, a chance discovery in the archives makes her question the entire process
When Irish Boundary Commission proposals for a new, final border line in Ireland are leaked to the press in late 1925, the British and Irish governments prepare to take drastic action to have the Commissionβs report βburned or buriedβ. Why?
Across five dramatic episodes, Ophelia Byrne follows a line on the map into an improbable world of high statecraft, split communities, broken promises and many thousands of lives changed forever. Through original testimonies, secret letters and classified police reports, she uncovers what really happened when the Irish Boundary Commission set out to redraw the border in Ireland almost a century ago. Then a chance discovery in the archives makes Ophelia begin to question the entire Boundary Commission process and mission. As questions over the future of the border climb up today's political agenda, she realises this could be a story which matters more now than ever before.
Episode Five: The End of the Affair
A political storm is unleashed when proposals for the new partition line are leaked to the press. Looking back on the final chapter of the Boundary Commission story, Ophelia asks what it all means now
Presenter: Ophelia Byrne
Producers: Conor Garrett & Ophelia Byrne
Exec Editor: Andy Martin
Documents reproduced with the kind permission of the Deputy Keeper of the Records, Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. (PRONI).
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Last on
More episodes
Previous
Next
You are at the last episode
Broadcast
- Fri 26 Nov 2021 13:45ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4