Stephen Nolan explores his family tree in new USBF documentary
Date Posted: February 14, 2022
In a new documentary, Ulster-Scots, My Family And Me, Stephen Nolan takes a revealing look at his family tree. He finds out where his relatives came from, how they lived and some of the challenges they faced. Produced by Third Street Studios with support from Northern Ireland Screen’s Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund, the documentary airs on Monday 21st February on BBC One Northern Ireland at 10:35pm.
Stephen Nolan explores issues of identity and what they would have meant to his family members down the decades. And he reflects on how people feel about identity in a changing and increasingly multi-cultural Northern Ireland.
Stephen investigates how Ulster-Scots influences have shaped aspects of his family’s story. And he gets some expert guidance from historian William Roulston and genealogist Gillian Hunt.
He says: “This is a deeply personal journey of discovery for me. The process of going back through the generations of my family has given me an incredible insight into the hard lives they lived. If I’m honest – I’ve never really thought much about those who came before my parents and grandparents, but going back has made me feel more grounded in the past.
“I found it an incredibly moving experience to stand in the same place they did all those years ago. And some of what I discovered was surprising and heart-breaking.”
Ulster-Scots, My Family And Me airs on Monday 21st February on BBC One Northern Ireland at 10:35pm and BBC iPlayer after broadcast.
