As rioting raged out of control across Northern Ireland in August 1969, for Jack Lynch and his government it was the biggest crisis to have faced the country since the start of the Second World War. Remarkably, within weeks the Irish Defence Forces drew-up top secret plans exploring the possibility of taking military action in the north – including an invasion. Revealing the details of those extraordinary military plans, this is the story of what happened during one of the most dramatic and dangerous episodes in recent Irish history – and it’s the story of what could have happened ‘if Lynch had invaded’ Northern Ireland.

Broadcast to mark the 40th anniversary of the outbreak of the ‘Troubles’ in Northern Ireland, If Lynch Had Invaded is a compelling combination of presented history and counter-factual analysis of one of the most controversial moments in contemporary Irish history.

If Lynch Had Invaded is presented by Keelin Shanley and Tom Clonan, written and directed by Michael Hewitt, and produced by Jonathan Golden.

The documentary features interviews with eye-witnesses to the dramatic events of that period including, Des O’Malley (former Parliamentary Secretary to Jack Lynch), TK Whitaker (former advisor to Lynch on Northern Ireland), Des Fisher (former Deputy Head of News at RTÉ), Bernadette McAliskey, Eamonn McCann, Tony Benn, John Taylor, Sir Ken Bloomfield, and historians Michael Kennedy, Diarmaid Ferriter, Stephen Collins, and Thomas Hennessey.

Executive Producer for DoubleBand Films Diarmuid Lavery

Photography by Michael Quinn

Additional Photography by Paddy Stevenson

Edited by Greg Darby

Produced by Jonathan Golden

Written and Directed By Michael Hewitt

A DoubleBand Films production for RTÉ, 2009.