From Pulpit to Politics

The first episode explores the charismatic appeal of Ian Paisley, described by men and women who followed every turn of his often controversial career. The founder of his own church, Paisley gathered converts who viewed him as a prophet, preaching against the temptations of alcohol, gambling and the Catholic church.

By the late 1960s, Northern Ireland was riven by sectarian violence. In response, the Stormont government tried to address the inequality between Catholic and Protestant citizens. For Ian Paisley, these were concessions he thought could lead ultimately to his greatest fear - a united Ireland. He held an uncompromising stance of ‘no surrender' to political change, a populist message which struck a chord with loyalists, the Protestant working class.

As the conflict deepened, Paisley built a mandate combining his religious fanbase with the support of many loyalists. He drew huge crowds onto the streets to protest, which led to the toppling of the prime minister of Northern Ireland from power. Paisley himself was elected to parliament and created his own political party, the Democratic Unionist Party. He had become a powerful force in church and politics which could not be ignored.

With the Troubles raging, the UK and Irish governments were keen to find a solution. The Sunningdale Agreement was their bid for peace, a sharing of power between unionists and nationalists for the first time in the history of the island. For Paisley, it was a step too far. At the helm of a powerful coalition of unionist politicians, paramilitaries and civilian workers, he was able to bring the country to a dramatic standstill, forcing the Agreement to collapse. It was to be a significant victory for him and it would be decades before power sharing would be repeated.