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THE HISTORY OF IRISH ROCK A Tale Of Two Cities ***NEW***

This 60-minute musical celebration charts the lives and careers some of the biggest selling acts in Irish rock, punk and pop – from Van Morrison and Thin Lizzy to The Undertones and U2.

From the pioneers of the showbands touring in the late ’50s through to the modern day, the hour-long film examines their lineage and connections and how the hard-core, rocking sound of Belfast merged with the more melodic, folky Dublin tradition to form what we now recognise as Irish rock and pop.

The film explores where these bands and musicians came from and the influence the political, social and cultural environments of the day had on them and how the music influenced those environments.  With contributions from many of the heavyweights of Irish rock and pop, including U2, Sinead O’Connor and Bob Geldof, it follows their careers as they forged an international presence, and, looks at how they helped change the island along the way.

A co-production between BBC NI and RTÉ. Broadcast on BBC NI on Monday 16 March and on RTÉ One at 10.15pm on Thursday 19 March