Harry's Game (1982) Episode 3 - Uncensored Version

Episode 3 of Yorkshire Television's 1982 Mini Series. Fully Uncut Version

[@zulubeatz1]

That was a brilliant drama. It managed to show things through so many characters eyes. Full credit to everyone involved. The ending let it down, as those soldiers would not have fired without clearance. still much better than the mindless petty tripe on TV now.

[@BigBaw]

Good to know that every British soldier who killed a civilian during the troubles had clearance beforehand.

[@CARLIN4737]

Bloody good that....

[@mahmoudshahnazi8374]

This was a fantastic film. Having lived in Britain during the Troubled times in Northern Ireland (1969 -1976), I appreciated the perspective of all involved. Irish people have suffered for so long and it was great to see that everyone's point of view was demonstrated. The assassin Billy played greatly by Derek Thompson was always conflicted and tormented as he was a family man, and Harry played brilliantly by Roy Lonnen was also extremely troubled. The British soldiers to a man hated being stationed there and were despised by the Catholics. The local population had both hate and despair in their eyes equally. Everyone in this movie is somewhat of a victim.

[@rebeccahooper7968]

If only people respected others faiths back then. Look at British Values in the world .All to do with no respect for beliefs

[@garryharriman7349]

Billy did escape. He lived in the South of England as a hospitial charge nurse for decades. I belive he has recently retired and probably with a full NHS pention! It's nice to know he turned his life around!

[@mortgagewizard40]

Also the waiter went with him and ended up as a paramedic

[@John-G]

Don't you realise it's complete fiction?

[@John-G]

​@@mortgagewizard40It's fiction!

[@mortgagewizard40]

@@John-G well observed, its called humour.

[@John-G]

@@mortgagewizard40 Only by you.

[@carlrichmond3508]

Just binged watched all 3 episodes excellent series. So true that the pawns are sacrificed in conflicts while those above live to go on.

[@zulubeatz1]

Same here, just binged it too. Couldn't not find out the conclusion.

[@rumpraisin]

The pawns do the dirty work their superiors order them too.

[@rebeccahooper7968]

Me too. It's catchy

[@liverpoolscottish6430]

*OUTSTANDING* No other words required.

[@Logan-pd1st]

Great stuff. And the moral of the story is...go to another person's home and streets to make trouble, expect that trouble to follow you back (in both men's cases)

[@xxxxxx-tq4mw]

These episodes were very well done and entertaining, worth the time.

[@f0urstr1ng]

Didn’t watch it at the time, seeing it for the first time here. Was brilliant 🙏 thanks.

[@davidprocter3578]

I spent some time in the northern Ireland in the mid to late seventies there was not a telephone box serviceable any where the kids used to blow them up for practice.Strange that any were found working for this film. A couple of other minor discrepancies that glared a bit considering the rest of this production was top notch. If you walked into a bar in Belfast and there were plenty back, then as a stranger the place would go quiet the terrified would leave immediately so as to avoid any potential trouble. The hard men would stiffen their backs and not relax until you left, it was the same in protestant and catholic bars alike. The atmosphere at night out on the streets or down country lanes was alarming and road blocks out in the sticks were puckering to say the least as you never new for sure who it was stopping you. You never walked past parked cars if they could be avoided or into a pub without checking for abandoned bags etc. We used to drink in the only pub for miles around it had the reputation of being the most bombed pub in the north the place was as you might expect empty for the most part still we checked under every chair and bench the toilets behind the curtains pool tables before we even bought a drink it was a big old place every one from the north will know where I mean. Anyone stupid enough to come in with a bag got treated with suspicion and watched like a hawk, if they put their bag down somewhere and then went to drink somewhere else the bag would be dumped in their lap with some sharp words.In spite of all the troubles the crack was great in the north warm people on both sides ready for a pint and a laugh, a great shame that the few spoiled it so badly for the many. The hard men gangsters on both sides in it for the wages of sin more than the politics, funny that the Provos and the Proties could get together to run drugs in the eighties hashish, cocaine and heroin probably their most profitable side line. They did not go around knee capping dealers for being dealers they were knee capping them for not selling their drugs. Like I said gangsters the lot of them.

[@DaithiKerr68]

not to mention that they missed out the curfew which prevented movement at certain times, the provo gunman doesnt wear a balaclava, the IRA liaison drives around in the same car all over the place, no change of vehicle, no security car ahead of it, they have secret meetings in rooms with telephones (the paramilitaries never did that) then all the soldiers unable to salute, march or wear their uniforms (especially the head gear) correctly, officers wearing headgear indoors etc etc, it actually really appallingly bad watching this dross written by an Englishman from the comfort of Devon. i was expecting more. but tons of dodgy accents all over (except i have to say the English lead actor did a good job although not belfast or portadown more borders to Donegal.

[@davidprocter3578]

@@DaithiKerr68 Have to say you are correct had plenty of friends over the years from Belfast and Portadown non sounded like chappie in the film, sure you are correct on security as well, but it is rare for tv dramas to get things 100% correct.

[@dowdallerno1]

The provos left the scene 25 years ago. Have you any evidence of the Provos being involved in the drugs trade?

[@davidprocter3578]

@@dowdallerno1 The 1980's were more than twenty five years ago, and there was more than just the provos and prots involved. I have said too much already.

[@crazyrabbits]

The film was shot in Leeds, which doubled for Belfast. There's a certain amount of "suspension of disbelief" that has to be taken with this film, particularly as The Troubles were still ongoing at the time, and it would have been somewhat unrealistic to film in the middle of the city when there were still high tensions brewing.

[@SantiagoBernebeu]

Billy's wife should have known the old saying about 'an eye for an eye'. He made his victim's wife a widow and yet she had the nerve to ask 'why did you have to kill him?' Very gritty and intriging series that I thoroughly enjoyed. Thanks for posting.

[@chelamcguire]

Splendid series. Many thanks.

[@dboyle7545]

Harry's Game was filmed not in Northern Ireland but in Bradford and Leeds. Yorkshire Television shot most of the scenes in a now demolished housing estate.

[@trevorelliott6221]

Some of it was shot in Belfast, I know the streets

[@martinr6298]

that was about the time that the back to backs along Kirkstall Road in Burley were demolished - they just left a couple of pubs,. the Rising sun (still there but derelict) and the Cardigan Arms (also still there). This area was almost next door to the Yorkshire tv studios. All the scenes of the demolished streets were filmed there. They also filmed in Harehills where there are still the same streets of back to backs now. For any OBs YTV techs would come out the back entrance of the studios and turn left (right took them to the city centre) so areas like Burley and Horsforth were often shown in programmes like The Gaffer and the Biederbecke series and of course Emmerdale

[@michaelwhittaker5432]

Think it was Meanwood

[@rebeccahooper7968]

Lol

[@Splayfor]

I like the crossover with my other favourite 80's mini-series, with Sean Caffrey playing Rennie here, and McCroon in Edge of Darkness

[@ronaldmartin7892]

An excellent series. Thank you.

[@simonwoodward438]

Pretty close to the book, brilliant find, really enjoyed watching it again.

[@chrisdix2089]

stick your english flag where the sun dontt shine!

[@stephenholmes1036]

Proper tv, great acting ,brilliant script. Please watch it

[@anthonyalfredyorke1621]

Thanks for the great show, it's funny to see all the now famous cast members as they were when i look at Linda Robson i realise how old iam . PEACE AND LOVE TO EVERYONE ❤❤.

[@millwallholdings]

Yeah Linda quite tasty baqk then Now talks utter chit on that Divorced Bitter old women programme in the afternoon

[@johnf3779]

What a gritty and fantastic series.

[@richardwilliams8953]

Funny how your memory plays tricks on you, I remember watching this when it first came on the TV but it was almost like watching it for the first time!

[@localforeigner9528]

Episodic Film Amnesia. Happens to the best of us. 😂

[@Eltonlaleham]

The blue estate car in this violent series was a mark 2 Ford, Granada and the man driving it was actor Gareth Milne who had appeared in Blake,s Seven classic Dr Who and various other television series and films.

[@Toby_the_Glen]

Cortina not Granada

[@shaungilmartin1505]

Cortina

[@GwynGerrig]

Remember from 1st time round. Ground breaking to do this at time as the Troubles were still cracking on. Breakthrough role for ‘Charlie Fairhead’ :) And introduced the world to Clannad!!

[@roytetwart]

That was a superb mini-series. Very well enacted and a superb production. Thank you for posting!!

[@maureenl.rogers2193]

I liked the script a lot . . . but the dialogue was IMPOSSIBLE to understand, even with closed captioning turned on. Whoever was typing misheard at least 90% of the spoken words. I'm Irish American but hate the way they speak in the country of my forebears, mashing together every syllable into indistinguisable mush. Ugh.

[@TimParker-Chambers]

Apart from the ending, this was an amazing series, thankyou for uploading it 🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@paul-u2y9y]

I never read the book but i'd have kept him alive to do a tv series.

[@JohnLloydDavis]

I thought the end was spot on. Harry knew he may not come out alive. Everyone playing games with each other trying to get the upper hand on all sides and within each organisation. Powerful stuff.

[@brendandivall6017]

I thought the ending was implausible, though I'm not an army man. I can't believe the squaddie would have shot Harry - the squaddie wasn't directly threatened, nor were any civilians, and as well they'd have had time to at least radio HQ, notifying them of the situation and asking for instructions. They had been told to radio if Billy turned up before, they knew that he hadn't been found when the army turned up, so they'd have known he was still wanted. Also, by shooting him they'd have risked revealing their location - and I'm thinking it was an upper floor room or attic, not a sentry point. The soldiers knew Billy was IRA, so why would they then assume Harry was also a provo? And even if they did think Harry was a provo, he'd have been more use captured, potentially providing intel, than dead. If anyone thinks I've got this wrong do correct me....

[@MrBeautifulmountain]

@@brendandivall6017 Spot on.

[@harrydebastardeharris987]

Wintertime Belfast in the 70’s looked so miserable,the UK was bad enough,it’s why I got out overland to Aus.

[@Anglo_Saxon1]

You can take the man out of Great Britain But you can't take Great Britain out of the man. I'd love to visit my cousins in Oz , but I'd have to come home at some point mate!😉

[@kwakagreg]

@@Anglo_Saxon1 don't you believe it. Have only met one who went home and he didn't want to...(job). my parents never wanted to...Mum eventually went home to visit her sister but said she didn't fit in anymore. Said she only saw a clear sky once in the 6 weeks.

[@Anglo_Saxon1]

If I ever get Down Under you never know,I might change my mind!

[@darbysabini4248]

Watched this when I was 14 by 87 I was in Ibiza taking Es good old 1980s eh?

[@yuglesstube]

This is very good

[@johnnunn8688]

You would think someone on the production could get those berets shaped! 😂🤣

[@simonh6371]

Yeah they could have just got an ex-squaddy in to shape them for them. Also to tell the soldiers with SLRs not to have their left hands holding the mag lol leads to stoppages. Finally I'm not sure they would have been wearing kidney pouches in NI, at least not in Belfast? I thought they normally just wore 58 pattern belt with ammo pouches & water bottle, possibly ressy too (for CS). Maybe skeleton order maximum, but no kidney pouches or bum roll.

[@John-G]

@@simonh6371 Well, they wouldn't have got much in the way of good advice from you. Holding the SLR mag doesn't lead to stoppages - it does with SA80 and AR15, but not SLR. Kidney pouches, bum roll, etc, depends entirely on the circumstances and type of patrol but respirators were pretty well mandatory from start to finish.

[@simonh6371]

@@John-G Well for whatever reason we were trained never to hold our SLR by the mag. Those could kick pretty hard depending on gas plug setting. So perhaps it was more about marksmanship principles, having a firm enough position and hold, and releasing and following through the shot without disturbing the position. Perhaps I'm mixing it up with the SMG, which pulled up and to the right, so with those you definitely should never hold it by the mag.

[@John-G]

​@@simonh6371The "gas plug setting"? Seriously? You must have been in the cadets as even the TA (as was) wouldn't post that sort of rubbish. Mixed up with the SMG? You just can't make this level of rubbish up, Walter.

[@simonh6371]

@@John-G Yes SLRs had a gas plug, is that news to you? Behind it was a wheel/dial thingy (don't remember if it has a specific name, I left in 1993, probably before you were born). Actually I think it's the gas regulator. Like I said haven't used one for over 3 decades. If the rifle wasn't cocking semi-automatically for whatever reason then you turned the setting up and it kicked more. Look I'm sick of arguing with you, anyone who served at that time knows you didn't lol. Holding SLRs by the mag, yeah right. You're either a sprog or a walt. Gave my first 4, what are yours??? Out.

[@jackdaniels4368]

Never saw this. Good stuff.

[@BigBaw]

Great stuff! Thank you!👍

[@SchitzyLipservice]

"Do you have a Hawwy McAvoy?" "No, but we do have a Woderwick".

[@RealDukeOfEarl]

Welease Woderwick!

[@ant7936]

No-one came out of that very well, especially the Establishment. And what was Harry? The fall guy. 😢

[@brendandivall6017]

Thanks for uploading the series. Paint by numbers final scene though.

[@chrisholland7367]

I think it was a case of a serious lack of communication to those soldiers in that O.P. It was, after all an operation run by MI5 and not the British Army.

[@Lightduties]

Watched Harry’s Game when it was first aired and have it on dvd. Now, I know it was filmed in Leeds and I’ve only just noticed the Halal butchers at 41.54.

[@johnnunn8688]

Cool series, thanks for showing it.

[@LarryLongtimegone]

Still great stuff after 40 years, but the subtitles are hilarious.

[@brianallen858]

That music was a tourism song ❤❤❤

[@patrickmcdermott6285]

As a provo Billy would have shaved his head with in hours of the shooting so he could not be recognised as the shooter by witnesses !!!

[@jayphogo3567]

Shaving that woolley head would have made him stick out like a sore thumb especially since they knew he was out of town at the time of the murder.

[@zulubeatz1]

Good call. Makes sense. But shaven heads were strange at the time ?

[@brentanllewellyn3898]

Great show.

[@chrislee6688]

Brilliant

[@salve8496]

Ending was a bit silly, why two british soldiers being told to monitor a suspected PIRA member would kill someone in revenge for shooting a provo? Shame as it was otherwise quite grounded and well made until then. Obviously it can't end with Harry walking away, but it probably should've gone down like Billy said, with the whole neighbourhood tearing him to pieces, or maybe some kind of reprisal, the exact same way the series started....

[@jamesmitchell8922]

Perhaps the ending was a little too restrained on the nature of violence. Perhaps it should've ended more bloody and graphic with the British soldiers killing the assassin and then the woman watches a horrific bloodbath.

[@animula6908]

It was criticizing some of the shoot to kill policies of the time. Because they didn’t know who he was.

[@salve8496]

@@animula6908 Yeah but they knew the guy he shot was a provo, and the UDA/UVF were tacit allies of the British army, a UDA/UVF man would've been left alone completely by squaddies.

[@synkkamaan1331]

​@@salve8496 47:15 "Like any other Provo, the scummy bastard." The squaddies thought that Harry was an IRA enforcer, who had just killed one of his own, to stop the British from picking him up. Fog of war, and all that.

[@BogushCh]

The two soldiers were hopelessly thick, determined not to let the provo's killer walk away Scott-free: that's why they shot Harry - right in the back.

[@joeletaxi821]

Of its time. A great series.

[@sidensvans67]

Excellent adaptation of Gerald Seymour´s Book .

[@martinthomson3260]

Excellent show 👍👍

[@13699111]

Excellent !!! What humans are willing to do to other humans

[@jean-lucpicard5510]

I hope liz knows what Jim did during the 80s?

[@JohnCollins]

I'm not convinced he's even Irish to be sure 😃

[@vivienneandersson6019]

Elizabeth

[@jean-lucpicard5510]

@@vivienneandersson6019 No one cares.

[@41divad]

Great drama with minimum v good music

[@johntomlinson6849]

This is interesting - I could have sworn the wonderful Clannad music was also used on the opening title which were of a graphic map of Belfast but that's obviously not the case. I wonder if there was a revised repeat? Channel 4 perhaps?

[@wstr1470]

You'll be glad to know old age hasn't taken your memory. After the mini-series aired it was later recut as a shorter, standalone 130 minute movie. It can be found on KZbin too, with the aforementioned map opening: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jYmtpqKZjtukj8U

[@johntomlinson6849]

@@wstr1470 Thank you so much!!!! I've cancelled my appointment at the memory clinic, or have I now??

[@michaelharrison3602]

This was on a par with the TV production of Tinker taior soldier spy with AlecGuinesss which was so much better than the movie version although that featured great actors like Garry Oldham ,John Hurt, Tom Hardy and Kathy Burke. It just didn't work trying to cram story into 990mins or so it neveer built up the tension that the siix part series did

[@johndorney7812]

Some of the accents are a bit off and the plot is obviously dramatised, but this is by far the most realistic fictional depiction of the Troubles that I've seen on screen.

[@jamesmitchell8922]

To me, I gave Harry's Game a mixed review. Its ending destroys everything.

[@garycunningham4078]

Charlie lawson a protestant in real life. So he is.

[@josephmcparland8266]

😂

[@localforeigner9528]

Ulster unionists usually are 😂

[@jimbo-yv5jh]

Billy survived, got life but was released under B'liar's Good Friday Agreement.

[@Flooride1]

Great drama. Okay, can you tell me where the paramilitaries are now in Ireland's hour of need?

[@jayphogo3567]

Dead or in old age.

[@zulubeatz1]

What it needs is not a return to that horrible bloodshed.

[@XtheMystic244]

Billy would have been a very unusual name for a Provo ... that is a classic Loyalist choice.

[@Fatherfintanstack111]

Perfect name if stopped by ruc or army

[@davealex6640]

@@Fatherfintanstack111 "Perfect name if stopped by RUC or army" your talking alot of ridiculous nonsence and its totally obvious that your not from N I and know nothing about it. Yes Billy was a more common name for Protestants but there was plenty of Catholics called Billy including I R A like Billy Mckee and especially at that time period.

[@Fatherfintanstack111]

@@davealex6640 lol

[@Fatherfintanstack111]

@@davealex6640 I know that

[@Fatherfintanstack111]

@@davealex6640 when did I say that Billy was not a common name for catholics as well as prods. You are putting words in my mouth. And I am from the border region and have family from derry and antrim from both sides of the community for your information

[@Lee-nh5bb]

Anyone in that line of work should NOT marry and start a family.

[@Martin-t2p]

Interesting series, great acting. The blue ford chosen for the chase is a real sh....

[@TheRasiani]

Such a heavy series. Geezus

[@57113]

Anybody else enjoy brit TV and movies as much as I do?😊❤ 51:59

[@daveroche6522]

WOW!

[@Fanakapan222]

Hmmmmm, couple of blokes in an OP shooting when their lives were not danger ???? Oh well, at least we're left with the realisation that both Billy and Harry were both pawns in a far bigger game.

[@Martin-t2p]

Sure there are profound ideologies ON both Sides, using their soldiers with their instilled values Not allowing them to follow their own lives

[@simonh6371]

Yes that was on the yellow card in mainland UK and BAOR, that you could also use lethal force where a person had just done so themselves, and did not respond when challenged to surrender, and there was no other way to stop that person. Or words to that effect. In this case they were too far away to challenge him but he was still armed and as far as they could ascertain, likely to cause another act to endanger life. Idk what the rules of engagement were in NI but I'd imagine they had more free reigh,.

[@Fanakapan222]

@@simonh6371 Giving away an OP in a decidedly Provie neighbourhood ? I would have thought whistling up a Saracen would have made more sense ? Its a tv drama after all, so maybe departs from reality or best practice. In real life the Black Taxi's may well have beaten the Kate to the scene.

[@John-G]

​​​@@simonh6371No it wasn't. Absolute cr@p. That yellow card only applied to NI during Banner, never in mainland UK or BAOR, and that WASN'T within the yellow card rules (not that that alone makes it unrealistic). Edit: no point continuing this when anyone who wants to can read the NI rules of engagement themselves.

[@simonh6371]

@@John-G SO WHAT CARD DID WE HAVE IN UK AND BAOR? You do realise that other ex-servicemen are bound to read these threads sooner or later? This is not a private conversation. Stand by to be put in your place.

[@mrtecsom6951]

Enjoyable series but is it really remotely possible that a so called crack agent would just blab who he really is to a girl he barely knows. Not sure 🤔 he would have lasted too long undercover in Oman if he spilt his guts in a couple of minutes

[@jenniferjones188]

Totally agree thought that was a bit false a top agent wouldn't blab like that. Otherwise good series. I missed it first time e round.was 17 then.

[@John-G]

Realistically, the chances of him ever passing as an arab / Adoo are between nil and zero. I spent two years on loan in SOLF, in Southern Oman Bde, in Dhofar / Salalah, and it's beyond absurd. But it's a story ...

[@markthomas5914]

Very realistic to the point of them squaddies firing on harry , i can tell you the would never have opened fire without authorisation from above

[@Lee-nh5bb]

Good point. I thought it was unrealistic too, that a man of Harry's experience would've hung around after he knew that his cover was blown.

[@mortgagewizard40]

Thats the procedure, But there were a few trigger happy squaddies ,he looked suspicious. File the report .case closed. Atrocities committed on both sides

[@DaithiKerr68]

@@mortgagewizard40 not that wasnt the procedure, theres a thing known as rules of engagement and you are read those legal rules everytime you mount guard duty or go on patrol in a 'war zone' trigger happy squaddies is derogatory and a false representation of history. in the instances of indiscriminate firing, it was discovered to be under orders from above or returning fire from an ambush. hence the inquiry into unlawful killings which have been held in Northern Ireland.

[@mortgagewizard40]

@@DaithiKerr68 Yes there are rules of engagement, which should be followed, but very seldom does the book mirror real life. What happens in war, stays in war ,thats for both sides .Regardless, i give you the case of marine A, who totalled the taliban insurgent and got shafted by his fellow marine. No rules in war.

[@simonh6371]

Bollocks mate in mainland UK and BAOR we had yellow cards and if on duty/perimeter patrol you didn't need permission to engage, the rules of engagement on the card were drilled into you and the different scenarios explained in advance. Plus in 99% of cases you wouldn't have had time to request permission. If someone had just shot someone (here in mainland UK and BAOR too) and failed to surrender when challenged, and still posed a threat, you could shoot them. In this case they had no way to challenge him to surrender.

[@roystonlewis4356]

The portrayal of the squaddies in both dress and action is appalling...Key stone cops' spring to mind .

[@michaelharrison3602]

The brits are like montuy python characters 😅

[@rumpraisin]

My grandad, who was Irish, changed his accent in public to sound English because there was so much anti Irish sentiment in Britain when he was alive. I always felt he wasn't being his true self.

[@DaveSCameron]

I remember thinking at the time this was aired, even as a teenager, that I could have written something far more profound and honest for the British people who after all are the only ones that can give Ireland her freedom. Thanks again for the uploads my friend. 🇮🇪☘️🙏

[@TimParker-Chambers]

Ireland won't be free, until it's free of the yoke of the British Crown 😞😞😞😞 I hope to see it before my remaining 45 years runs out 🙏🙏🙏🙏

[@Intbel]

After watcihing all three episodes a friend aske me who'se side I'd be on. I told him "Neither, they're as bad as each other."

[@DJF1947]

I always got the impression that Irish terrorists were closet homosexuals.

[@grahamhowat8387]

Int clearly isn't short for intelligent !

[@Intbel]

@@grahamhowat8387 😂

[@freezingpig8706]

So billy wasnt hiding in the cornflake box ?

[@simonh6371]

No Sir. But we found this spoon.

[@archimandritegregory7730]

Ideologies always end in abuse and murder.

[@andrewgirdlestone7607]

It was a series of it’s time with a decent and some upcoming actors, attention to detail on the military stuff fell down, as for (depending on your perspective) the hero Harry is noted for a iffy accent but if as is alluded to his cover story he was a merchant seaman on or in the east. I would have liked the actors to have been switched ie; Derek Thompson playing the undercover officer. If you take the Fugitive with Harrison Ford and Tommy Lee Jones it would have been better (IMO) if they had switched the roles as a lot of people struggled with Harrison being the killer.

[@TheRealFeechLaManna]

Silly ending, but all that came before was bleak and brilliant!

[@Rwsegee]

Clannad

[@nigelperring7484]

I AM HARD OF HEARING. I USE THE SUBTITLE FACILITY. IT'S ALMOST USELESS!!!!!!!!!!

[@anthonyarcher990]

Eh wassat ?

[@helloxyz]

I'm not hard of hearing, but I am hard of understanding Northern Irish!

[@michaelharrison3602]

It's a TV show ffs😅

[@mavismiller1508]

On and on and on and on and on and on and

[@shaungilmartin1505]

good up until the bs ending

[@zulubeatz1]

There are those in the comments that scoff at Harry being able to infiltrate the area. Maybe they should think on the fact that British intelligence managed to get an agent into the higher leadership of the IRA. In fact, he became the head of the IRA internal security and was responsible for dealing with all touts and had access to every operation being run. Maybe those 'Hard Men with stiff backs' should have spent less time eying strangers at the bar and longer crouched freezing in a boggy field ?. Belfast is a maritime city, and a Merchant Seaman looking for work and lodgings would have been very common.

[@John-G]

That's not correct at all. 'Stakeknife' / Scaooaticci was already in the IRA when he was recruited, and anyone supposedly returning to the Falls Road who spoke with an obviously fake Falls Road accent would have been noticed immediately - as would a Brit trying to pass as a Jibali in Oman. It's absurd, but it's a story.

[@zulubeatz1]

@@John-G Its still near correct. He was a British operative . Yeah, the Oman part is ridiculous, that's why intelligence services always recruit natives. My step dad was from the Falls and I didn't notice that much of an accent.

[@John-G]

@@zulubeatz1 Sorry, but completely wrong isn't "near correct"! ... and you don't think people from the Falls Road / West Belfast have an accent? Seriously?

[@zulubeatz1]

@@John-G I just said I didn't notice my pop having a particularly strong one. Compared with the mothers of my kids. You have no idea who I am and maybe that's fine, but I promise you if you did you might just consider this an exchange of views rather than some Irish dick measuring contest. The troubles are over and thank fuck for that as Life in the Falls isnt the badge of honour you seem to think it is. My pops never spoke about the glorious struggle but he did tell my mom about the poverty and brutality, much of which was home-grown. The next time you put words into someones mouth dont be surprised if they hand you them back as a poem.

[@willaknotts1298]

Is Northern Ireland the only place now without Muslims or is sharia law in effect there?

[@dboyle7545]

At the time of the 2001 Census there were 1,943 living in Northern Ireland, though The 2021 census recorded 12,000 Muslims in Northern Ireland, although numbers are likely to be higher. The Muslims in Northern Ireland come from over 40 countries of origin, from Western Europe all the way through to the Far East.

[@Fanakapan222]

At the time of the Race Relations Act coming into force in the rest of the UK, it did not apply in NI. Probably that and the virtual civil war that was going on served to keep more exotic newcomers away ?

[@LuciThomasHardylover-qx6ts]

Muslims don't come from anywhere. It's a religion, not a place. And plenty of migrants are nominally if not practicing other religions. You seem a bit muddled there. Especially as Islam is the fasting growing religion in the world, most converts having previously been Christian.

[@simonh6371]

@@LuciThomasHardylover-qx6ts Well you can bet your bollocks to a barn dance none of them originally come from Northern Ireland sunshine.

[@LuciThomasHardylover-qx6ts]

@@simonh6371 you obviously didn't read what I said. There will be Muslims in northern Ireland, just like everywhere else in the world,who were born in to non-muslim families and then decided to become Muslim. It happens everywhere. Even when they have never actually met another Muslim. People read about it online and decide to convert.

[@tonyb9560]

Good series but the accents are all over the place. The soldier on surveillance doing a bad impression of a scouser.

[@rebeccahooper7968]

Some great actors. Pity its all rubbish these days.

[@JulianDiaz-Tpt]

Someone compared this to Tinker tailor (original version). This is not even in the same league. Poor script and pretty awful acting.

[@DaithiKerr68]

what's the chances that McAvoy (Harry) decides to hijack a car in the republican area of Belfast and it turns out to be an English professional stunt driver. Did the budget not spring for Northern Irish actors (lets face it they brought in a couple of southern Irish and very few natives instead relying on English actors) i have to say that i had never seen this before and its shoite. Harry would have been nailed the first night he set foot in the toon. is the book as bad as the TV version? ending is stupid as well. what a waste of time. im going to send it around my family so they can laugh at it as well. We're Northern Irish

[@Anglo_Saxon1]

Cry 😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 Also it's still spelt " shite" even though you say it funny 😉

[@michaelharrison3602]

Even the British squadies have public school accents 😅

[@John-G]

Apart from the thick ones 😂

[@routmaster38]

No they didnt the shooter and his mate were scousers!

[@Eltonlaleham]

Billy was a screwed up fool

[@chrisdix2089]

not as bigger fool than you are , obviously!

[@JDLondon72]

This is why I will always support Glasgow Rangers.

[@Fatherfintanstack111]

Why?

[@hassanfirdous7114]

God's way, Islam. The QUR'AN, (HIS WORDS). This is the Solution

[@Eltonlaleham]

The man who was knocked down by the orange Ford Escort, was simply left by the twat of a driver who knocked him down how sick was the driver of the orange car to do that.

[@animula6908]

It’s just a movie.

[@Lee-nh5bb]

But the driver couldn't stop as he was being pursued by Harry who was going to shoot him.

[@shaungilmartin1505]

lol....sick enough to be a gunman..

[@SuperBlinding]

This is Comedy Stuff.

[@patpending8134]

So it isn't, you fool.

[@Daisy-yq1gi]

Utterly hopeless British soldiers......

[@rodkennett5361]

You do understand that that was a fictional story, right? A TV adaptation of a novel. Novel = fiction.

[@grahamhowat8387]

Why ? Presumably you have a military background with a knowledge of counter insurgency ?...NO ? ...well I am surprised.

[@rodkennett5361]

@@grahamhowat8387 I hope you're replying to Daisy and not me, Graham 😉

[@MrPontificator]

40:52 "Jesus Christ, that's McIlroy!" Uh, McAvoy.