Belfast football team including Bobby Sands and two UVF members ‘ruined by Troubles’ focus of TV documentary

A new TG4 documentary titled Réalt na Mara examines the history of Star of the Sea, a cross-community youth football team from 1960s Belfast that was fractured by the Troubles. The highly successful club banned sectarianism and brought Catholic and Protestant players together before conflict overtook the region. The documentary, directed by James Wynne, airs on TG4 on Tuesday, October 20 at 9:30pm.

Several former players experienced vastly different paths after the club dissolved. Former squad member Bobby Sands joined the IRA and died on hunger strike, while Michael Acheson and Terry Nicholl joined the UVF. Other teammates featured in the film include victims' rights campaigner Raymond McCord, Denis Sweeney, Geordie Hussey, and Dessie Black.