BBC documentary examines events of siege of Derry

The documentary contains footage of dramatic re-enactment of the siege of Derry

A documentary recounting the events of the siege of Derry in 1689 will be shown on BBC One Northern Ireland on Monday.

The programme describes the events that led to Londonderry being besieged and explains what happened inside the city over the course of 105 days.

Writer Carlo Gébler explains assesses how the siege of Derry shaped the course of Northern Ireland's history to the present day.

From late 1688, after the Apprentice Boys closed the city gates to the army of the Catholic King James II, he explains in detail the threat that King James' crown was under from William of Orange and how the siege developed.

Carlo Gébler said: "The siege of Derry is a subject about which most of us are certain we know something. And it's true, we all do: but what we know is usually small and slender and partial.

"Thus we tend to see the siege as either the story of brave supporters of William of Orange resisting Catholic tyranny, or a stirring tale of James II's heroic Catholic army defeated by their inept leadership.

"As this documentary explores, the siege was as complicated as it was epic and right up until the very end the outcome was always in the balance. It could always have gone either way. If the story of the siege teaches us anything it is that everything is always much more complicated than our received opinions would have us believe."

The Siege, BBC One Northern Ireland, Monday, 15 April, 22:.35 BST