Great Lighthouses of Ireland

A look at 15 of Ireland's National Historic Properties - a collection of castles, country houses, memorial sites and gardens, owned by the State and managed by the Office of Public Works.

Tells the fascinating history of an island people who have truly left their mark on the world. 6 million people live on the island of Ireland, but over 80 million people worldwide say they are Irish. What does that mean? How have we been shaped by our history? Our geography? Where did we come from? Where did we go? These questions are at the heart of this series.

Over the 1980s and 1990s Dublin transformed from a recession-blighted backwater to one of the wealthiest cities in Europe. As its fortunes changed so did those of its criminals, who began selling heroin, ecstasy and cocaine. Dublin Narcos tells the story of the rise in addiction, violence and organised crime which persists to this day, with first hand testimony from the kingpins and cops to the ravers and users. We also hear from the fearless journalists whose attempts at exposing the drugs barons led to the death of one of their bravest, Veronica Guerin.

The journey through Ireland begins in the Rugged North, in the middle of the rough and untamed nature. From there, we travel to the West of Ireland, where the original, traditional life is preserved. From the traditional west, our route takes us to the popular south, with a milder climate and lush vegetation. Our journey ends in the lively East, where the contrast between today and the past is not only palpable, but also visible. On our journey we meet people who would never leave their homeland despite the harsh living conditions, we wander through spectacular landscapes, get an insight into the traditional ways of life and experience the four sides of Ireland in a completely new way.

Michael Portillo charts the War of Independence in Ireland, following the journey from the Peace Conference in Versailles to the historic ceasefire in 1921.