There’s not many people whose name, over six decades, became a by-word for protest, sectarianism, even bigotry; who have ignited such passionate support and opposition in equal measure; founded their own Church and Political Party and in their eighties performed an Olympic political volte face to share power with lifelong enemies – Rev. Dr. Ian Kyle Paisley is the focus of CLOCH LE CARN with a “no holds barred” look at the life of the Former First Minister of Northern Ireland with rare archive and insights from former Taoiseach Bertie Ahern, Professor of Modern Irish History Diarmaid Ferriter together with Éamonn Ó Cuiv TD & Mary Hanafin who were among the select invitees to his Memorial Service in the Ulster Hall. 1926, Ian Paisley was born in Armagh to a Scots mother and an Ulster Baptist preacher father and like him or loathe him, what cannot be denied is that he made a mark on our country, but maybe not always in a good way. He originally rose to prominence as a fundamentalist preacher in the evangelical Protestant circuit. Even early on it was clear he was a force to be reckoned with. Originally Paisley took to the streets as much against the ruling Unionist party & ecumenism as against Civil Rights marchers. He put the protest back into Protestant and was jailed for his actions – adding fuel to his fire. One after the other, he saw off any attempt at compromise with nationalists. All the while fomenting sectarian strife and many would believe, inciting tit for tat loyalist and republican violence. Sunningdale; The Anglo-Irish Agreement; The Downing Street Declaration and The Good Friday Agreement Paisley opposed them all and continued the politics of “No Surrender” until he took over the lead position in Unionism having beaten and defeated the UUP – only then did he change and very dramatically.