RTÉ's landmark two-part documentary on the signing of the Good Friday Agreement will see Jeffrey Donaldson explain why he could not support his former party in backing the deal, and ex-US senator George Mitchell describe the challenges faced in the final hours of negotiations in 1998.
The Agreement will be screened on RTÉ One on Monday and Tuesday night, and will feature DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson discussing how he and fellow former UUP rep-turned DUP member, Arlene Foster, walked out of the talks shortly before the final deal was reached at Stormont's Castle Buildings.
Directed by Belfast journalist Trevor Birney and presented by RTÉ's Miriam O'Callaghan, the documentary, which has been filmed in partnership with Queen's University, will also see former SDLP leader Mark Durkan discussing how the talks were impacted by the loyalist murder of Protestant Philip Allen and his close Catholic friend Damien Trainor in Poyntzpass in the weeks before the signing.
Trevor Birney said: “In April 1998 I was a news journalist and stood outside Castle Buildings as negotiations continued through the night into Good Friday. A month later I was on the stage at the King’s Hall in South Belfast for the referendum announcement – they were two of the significant days of my journalistic career."
He added that revisiting the historic moments for the documentary reminded everyone involved with the production "just what was achieved and the legacy for everyone on the island of Ireland".
The Agreement airs on RTÉ One on Monday at 9:35pm and Tuesday at 10:15pm, and will also be available on RTÉ Player.
