Truth Commissioner, The (BBC-2 2016, Roger Allam, Sean McGinley)

One off political thriller The Truth Commissioner takes us to post troubles Northern Ireland where career diplomat Henry Stanfield has just been made Truth Commissioner to Northern Ireland, a position set up by the Prime Minister to echo that of South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation comittee. As Stanfield starts out he soon discovers many inconvenient truths which those in power don’t want uncovered.

The story revolves around the lives of three men who are directly or indirectly involved in the murder, 20 years earlier, of the 15 year-old Connor Roche. Stanfield calls the three men to testify: Francis Gilroy, played by Sean McGinley, a government minister and former IRA member; retired policeman James Fenton, played by Ian McElhinney, who recruited Connor as an informer; and Michael Madden, played by Barry Ward, who has been brought back to Belfast to “admit” to Roche’s murder. In a society trying to heal the scars of the old, a secret past conspires to destroy the present. For the truth is often less about what might be gained rather than what might be lost.

Filmed at locations in Belfast and Londonderry in Northern Ireland and Dublin and other parts of the Republic of Ireland. Prestigious and historic locations include Derry’s Guildhall setting for the Bloody Sunday enquiry and Belfast’s Stormont Castle.

production details
UK / BBC Two – BBC Northern Ireland – Northern Ireland Screen / 1×90 minute episode / Broadcast Saturday 27 August 2016 at 9.30pm

Writer: Eoin O’Callaghan / Novel: David Park / Producers: David Collins, Eoin O’Callaghan, Kevin Jackson / Director: Declan Recks

cast
Roger Allam as Henry Stanfield
Sean McGinley as Francis Gilroy
Ian McElhinney as James Fenton
Barry Ward as Michael Madden
Conleth Hill as Johnny Rafferty
Brid Brennan as Catherine Gilroy
Madeleine Mantock as Laura
Jasmine Hyde as Emma
Lia Williams as Prime Minister