Eureka Street (TV series)

Eureka Street
Based onEureka Street by Robert McLiam Wilson
Written byDonna Franceschild
Directed byAdrian Shergold
StarringVincent Regan
Mark Benton
Dervla Kirwan
Elisabeth Rohm
ComposerMartin Phipps
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes4
Production
Executive producersRobert Cooper
Debra Hauer
Claire Duignan
ProducerSophie Gardiner
Production locationsBelfast, Northern Ireland, UK
Running time4 x 60 minutes
Production companyBBC Northern Ireland
Original release
NetworkBBC2
Release13 September (1999-09-13) –
4 October 1999 (1999-10-04)

Eureka Street is a BBC Northern Ireland 1999 adaptation to mini-series of Robert McLiam Wilson's 1996 novel of the same name. Set in Belfast in the six months before and after the 1994 ceasefire, it commences with an anonymous hand typing the words, "All stories are love stories." The novel opens with the same text.

Plot

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Set in the Northern Irish city of Belfast, the series follows the lives of two young men, Chuckie Lurgan (played by Mark Benton) and Jake Jackson (played by Vincent Regan), as they navigate the turbulent social and political landscape of the late 1990s. Chuckie is a lovable rogue who dreams of making it big, while Jake is a former soldier trying to come to terms with the violence he has experienced.

The series explores a range of themes including sectarianism, politics, and the complexities of modern Northern Irish society. As Chuckie and Jake navigate their way through the city's underworld, they encounter a diverse cast of characters, including loyalist paramilitaries, former IRA members, and corrupt politicians.

Despite the often grim subject matter, the series also has moments of humor and tenderness, as Chuckie and Jake's friendship provides a counterpoint to the violence and division around them.

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