Power cuts and roadblocks. Petrol stations seized by the loyalist paramilitaries. Thirty years ago this May, the Ulster Workers’ Council brought Northern Ireland to a stand still.
‘Shutdown’ tells the inside story of the UWC Strike – 14 days in May that saw an elected Government overthrown by direct action. Leading players and ordinary citizens recount their roles in 1974. Declassified official papers reveal for the first time what was happening behind the scenes.