Give My Head Peace is a satirical television comedy series on BBC Northern Ireland that pokes fun at political parties, paramilitary groups and the sectarian divide in Northern Ireland. The programme is written and performed by a Northern Ireland comedy troupe known as the Hole in the Wall Gang. Image File history File links BBCgang2. ... Image File history File links BBCgang2. ... 1867 edition of the satirical magazine Punch, a British satirical magazine, ground-breaking on popular literature satire. ... Comedy has a classical meaning (comical theatre) and a popular one (the use of humour with an intent to provoke laughter in general). ... BBC Northern Ireland Logo. ... A paramilitary organization is a group of civilians trained and organized in a military fashion. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with Sectarian violence. ... Motto: [citation needed] (French for God and my right)2 Anthem: UK: God Save the Queen Regional: (de facto) Londonderry Air Capital Belfast Largest city Belfast Official language(s) English (de facto), Irish, Ulster Scots 3, NI Sign Language Government Constitutional monarchy  - Queen Queen Elizabeth II  - Prime Minister Tony Blair... The Hole in the Wall Gang is the name of a Northern Ireland comedy group, who came to prominence in the mid 1990s with the popular sitcom Give My Head Peace. ...

Background

The concept originated on the BBC Radio Ulster programme Across the Line, in the late 1980s, as a five-minute slot. The radio version used many of the characters and plot ideas used in the later TV series. BBC Radio Ulster is a BBC Northern Ireland Radio station based in Belfast. ... The 1980s refers to the years of 1980 to 1989. ...

Its first television appearance was in a made for TV film called "Two Ceasefires and a Wedding", shown on BBC Northern Ireland in 1997, poking fun at the clichéd "love across the barricades" plot that features in many dramas about Northern Ireland. In this case the lovers were Emer, the daughter of a "prominent" Sinn Féin activist, and Billy, an RUC constable. Their wedding is opposed by their respective families, and ends in farce (but with Emer and Billy happy anyway). BBC Northern Ireland Logo. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... Sinn Féin (pronounced in English, in Irish) is a name used by a series of Irish political movements of the 20th century, each of which claimed sole descent from the original party established by Arthur Griffith in 1905. ... The acronym RUC may refer to any of the following: Rádio Universidade de Coimbra Rapid Update Cycle Recordings Under Construction Roskilde University (Roskilde Universitetscenter) Royal Ulster Constabulary, the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2001 Renmin University of China RESPECT The Unity Coalition Road User Charges Re... A farce is a comedy written for the stage, or a film, which aims to entertain the audience by means of unlikely and extravagant - yet often possible - situations, disguise and mistaken identity, verbal humour of varying degrees of sophistication, which may include puns and sexual innuendo, and a fast-paced...

A full series was then commissioned by BBC Northern Ireland. Some changes were made to the format prior to the series going ahead - with the character of Cal (Emer's brother) changing substantially, and the introduction of other recurring characters such as Big Mervyn and Red Hand Luke. A few years into the series, Nuala McKeever (Emer) left the series to pursue other interests, and a new love interest for Billy was introduced in the form of Emer's previously unseen sister, Dympna.

As of 2005, the series continues to run on BBC One Northern Ireland. It is usually screened in a prime-time Friday night slot, opting out from network BBC One. In mid-2004, a selection of episodes were shown across the UK on BBC Two in a late-night slot on Saturdays. 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Prime time is the block of programming on television during the middle of the evening. ... BBC One (or BBC1 as it was formerly styled) is the primary channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation. ... 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... TV Show Reference Episode is the word usually used to refer to a part of a serial television or radio program. ... BBC Two (or BBC2 as it was formerly styled) was the second UK television station to be aired by the BBC and Europes first television channel to broadcast regularly in colour (from 1967), envisaged as a home for less mainstream and more ambitious programming. ...

In recent years, they have performed live shows at a selection of venues across Northern Ireland. The 2004 show was chiefly made up of scripts from the 2004-2005 series. In 1999 a video & book was brought out. 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Characters

The principal characters are:

• Da (Tim McGarry) - A "prominent" Sinn Féin spokesperson who is eventually elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly
• Cal (Damon Quinn) - Da's son. In the pilot ("Two Ceasefires and a Wedding") he is portrayed as a sinister IRA activist. In the series, his character is much dumbed down and he is the "thick one" of the family.
• Uncle Andy (Martin Reid) - An old-fashioned traditional loyalist whose twin loves are British Ulster - and Elvis Presley. he was once hypnotised into thinking he was the Pope, but hilariously the hypnotist dropped dead before he could be brought out of the trance...
• Billy (Michael McDowell) - Andy's nephew and an RUC (later PSNI) officer. He falls in love with Emer (and later Dympna). Throughout the series' life, there have been occasional hints that Andy may be more than just his uncle... In the 2003-2004 series, however, the writers knowing that they couldn't keep up that pretence for too much longer, the story was finally wrapped up, well sort of... Viewers were sill left feeling fairly confused.
• Emer (Nuala McKeever) - Da's daughter, she falls in love with Billy, but later runs off with a Spaniard (and leaves the series).
• Ma (Olivia Nash) - Da's wife, the sensible one of the household (despite her obsession with local DJ and country singer Hugo Duncan, and mild crush on Uncle Andy), though she hates her husband so much that it's almost unbelievable. Almost... She is the one first coins the term "Give My Head Peace".
• Dympna (Alexandra Ford) - replaced Emer when she ran off with a Spaniard (although popularly believed that the character was never mentioned before her appearance, Dympna and another sister, Una, were mentioned at the very beginning of Two Ceasefires and a Wedding. Da apparently tarred and feathered her, in response to a massive phone bill. Una has never been seen, leading to speculation that she has never been allowed to return to the country after forgetting to tape The Quiet Man). Dympna married Billy in a chaotic ceremony in Rome at the end of the 2002 series.
• Big Mervyn (BJ Hogg) - Uncle Andy's best mate. Not the brightest.

Other occasional characters are: Tim McGarry is an actor and comedian from Northern Ireland who works with the BBC. He is a member of the comedy group Hole In The Wall Gang, and played Da, a Sinn Féin spokesman, in comedy series Give My Head Peace. ... The Northern Ireland Assembly is a home rule legislature established in Northern Ireland under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, but currently under suspension. ... This article is about the historical army of the self-proclaimed Irish Republic (1919–1922) which fought in the Irish War of Independence 1919-21, and the Irish Civil War 1922-23. ... In general, a loyalist is an individual who is loyal to the powers that be or The Establishment. ... Elvis Aron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), often known simply as Elvis and also called The King of Rock n Roll or simply The King, was an American singer, musician and actor. ... The current Pope is Benedict XVI (born Joseph Alois Ratzinger), who was elected at the age of 78 on 19 April 2005. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) is the police service that covers Northern Ireland. ... McKeever speaking at a charity dinner in Belfast. ... Hugo Duncan is a Northern Irish singer. ... The Quiet Man was a 1952 American film starring John Wayne, Maureen OHara, Victor McLaglen, and Barry Fitzgerald, and directed by John Ford. ...

• Red Hand Luke (Dan Gordon (comedian)) - born-again Christian and violent loyalist psychopath. Also a "Shugo" Duncan fan. He acts like a big child, and when he doesn't get his way, savagely beats everyone up, usually Andy and Mervyn, who often live in fear of the next time he (literally) bursts through Andy's front door.
• Sammy (Gordon Fulton) The landlord of the "Loyalist Kneebreakers", Andy and Mervyn's favourite haunt, a rowdy loyalist drinking den.
• Pastor Begbie (Paddy Jenkins) - A recently introduced character. Like Red Hand Luke, a born-again Christian and feared loyalist, now a 'Presbyterian minister'. He and Luke met whilst they were in jail. He often gets Andy and Mervyn to perform painful and/or humiliating tasks for him, and threatens them with a visit from his 'henchmen' if they refuse.

Episode list

2006

• Easter Special - Easter Parade
• Christmas Special

2004-2005

Series 9

• Episode 1 - The Kid
• Episode 2 - Smoke Gets In Your Eyes
• Episode 3 - Keep the Aspidistra Flying
• Episode 4 - The Searchers
• Episode 5 - I am the Law
• Episode 6 - Fahrenheit 451
• Episode 7 - Surprise! Surprise!
• Episode 8 - Love Actually
• Episode 9 - Canada Dry
• Episode 10 - The Passion of Red Hand Luke

• Christmas Special - It Was A Very Good Year

2003

Series 8

• Episode 1 - The Producers
• Episode 2 - Return of the Mummy
• Episode 3 - It Must Be Love
• Episode 4 - The Sixth Sense
• Episode 5 - The King and I (Christmas Special)
• Episode 6 - Shock and Awe

2002

Series 7

• Episode 1 - Don't Go Up There
• Episode 2 - The Prime of Inspector Brodie
• Episode 3 - Get Thee to a Nunnery
• Episode 4 - I Have a Dream
• Episode 5 - La Passionara
• Episode 6 - Lord of the Ring

Series 6

• Episode 1 - Village People
• Episode 2 - Friends
• Episode 3 - In the Name of the Father
• Episode 4 - Return of the Native
• Episode 5 - Crime and Punishment
• Episode 6 - Secondary Colours

2001

Series 5

• Episode 1 - The Talented Mr Ripple
• Episode 2 - Number One Fan
• Episode 3 - The North Down Connection
• Episode 4 - McKenna's Gold
• Episode 5 - Luke Back In Anger
• Episode 6 - The Beautiful Game

Series 4

• Episode 1 - A Day in the Life
• Episode 2 - Seven
• Episode 3 - Intiminadation
• Episode 4 - The Drugs Don't Work
• Episode 5 - A Christmas Carol (Christmas Special)
• Episode 6 - The Shoes of the Fisherman

Trivia

The theme song of the series is "She Says" performed by The Saw Doctors. It was released as a single in Ireland in the late 1990s. The Saw Doctors are a folk-rock band from Tuam, County Galway in the west of Ireland. ... This article is about the year. ...

External links

• Give My Head Peace Official website