NEW RTÉ RADIO 1 SERIES AND PODCAST “OUR LIVES IN THE NORTH” EXPLORES LIFE NORTH OF THE BORDER

How different is everyday life in the North of this country, compared to the Republic? In Our Lives in the North, journalist Una Kelly looks behind the flags and the politics of Northern Ireland, to explore real life north of the border. Is the NHS still as great as people think? Are houses cheaper? Is the Cost of Living as high? Do paramilitaries still have influence? The series begins with that look at the NHS – born out of idealism – and paints a picture of two different places, but not always in ways we might expect.

The new six-part series will air on RTÉ Radio 1 every Wednesday for 6 weeks from September 4th at 6:30pm. The episodes will also be available as part of RTÉ Podcasts and will be available on the RTÉ radio app (or wherever you get your podcasts). A new episode will be published every Wednesday for 6 weeks from September 4th.

Our Lives in the North is presented and produced by Una Kelly. Alistair McConnell is the Executive Producer.

The first episode in this new series examines the health system. NHS waiting lists in the north are the worst in the UK, with patients waiting for more than half a million hospital appointments. Compared to the south – waiting lists in the north are at least twice as long. The NHS – a health service free for all – is highly prized in terms of British identity. It’s embedded in the psyche of the UK – and that makes it relevant to everyone on this island because healthcare could influence people in any future vote on Irish unity. People feel attached to the NHS – but does that service still exist?

Contributors in the first episode include Dr Gareth Hampton- Daisy Hill Emergency Department, Dr Grace Downey – a junior doctor on strike, Dr Karen Humphries – who left the NHS in the north to work as a consultant in the HSE, Deirdre Heenan – professor of social policy at Ulster University, Claire Scott- pancreatic cancer survivor and Dr Tom Black – a GP in Derry.

Journalist Una Kelly said: “I’m really grateful to the people who shared their personal stories with me for this series, especially when they found themselves in difficult circumstances. It’s always a privilege to be granted that time and trust. I met a range of remarkable youth workers, teaching staff, health workers and others who work hard every day for their communities.” 

The remaining episodes in the series will focus on education, housing, paramilitaries, ethnic minorities and the cost of living. See Notes to Editor below for further information.

Radio billings with contributor details and further information will be available weekly on the Radio section of the RTÉ Press Centre https://presspack.rte.ie/

Notes to Editor:  

The episode on education will examine the religious separation of schools dating back to the partition of the island in 1921. More than a century later, only around 7% of children in NI attend a formally integrated school. Why has the pace of change been slow, and what consequences does this have in a post-conflict society?

The housing episode will focus on record waiting lists for social housing and record homelessness as the north is facing an unprecedented level of need for homes. Housing issues have a long political history in the north; discrimination in housing allocation kicked off the civil rights movement. 60 years later, it still resonates in a society facing a lack of affordable homes and residential segregation.

45% of young people in the north are impacted by paramilitaries, according to government officials. One young man tells his story of how he ended up in drug debt to his local paramilitaries and was faced with the prospect of either paying up, joining the organisation or being badly beaten. At one point he tried to take his own life. His friends have been shot, joined up, or are in prison. He describes an ‘endless cycle’ where the only route out is often ‘death or prison’. But he managed to pull himself out of the situation and is now speaking out to let other young people know there is a way out. He describes how paramilitaries operate in plain sight in his community and exercise coercive control over the people there.

From a tiny base, the number of ethnic minority people in the north has grown five-fold in the past 20 years. After decades of conflict, it’s a sign of a more ‘normal’ society, where people see the north as a peaceful destination to live their lives in safety. Inequality and prejudice still exist – ethnic minorities are under-represented in politics and the needs of the community have sometimes been overlooked in policymaking. The community is still reeling after racially motivated violence flared in the summer. In a society that too often views things through a prism of orange and green, what role might ethnic minority communities play in the future of the north?

The episode on cost of living will explore the common perception that life, and houses, are cheaper north of the border. But as the cost-of-living bites, and wages in the north are often well below those in the Republic, ordinary people are struggling.