Give My Head Peace

The concept originated on BBC Radio Ulster music programme Across The Line in the late 1980s, as a five-minute slot. The radio version used many of the characters and plot ideas used in the later TV series.

The principal characters are:

• Da (Tim McGarry) – He is an Irish Catholic who represents a stereotypical Irish nationalist. He believes very much in Irish culture, despite the fact he admits he cannot speak a word of Irish. He is a Sinn Féin spokesman (later an assemblyman) and prides himself on his 'friendship' with Gerry Adams. His obsession with Gerry leads to Da copying his look and being involved with everything Gerry was rumoured to be, including directly involved with the IRA. Each time his job is threatened, Da blackmails Gerry with evidence that links him to the IRA, but this evidence is always destroyed by ineptitude. Da lived in the Divis Tower on the Falls Road. It is suggested that he was in the IRA even after becoming a Sinn Féin member, considering that in the 2016 special "The Farce Awakens", Ma claims that he was wearing a balaclava when she met him, and that "when he says 'the boys', he means the Ra". In most recent episodes, he becomes a "retired Assembly man" after being fired by Gerry once more.
• Cal (Damon Quinn) – Although he is a grown man, he still lives at home and often behaves like a child. He supports his father in the struggle against the British imperialism and does whatever Da tells him, no matter how daft. In the pilot "Two Ceasefires and a Wedding" he is portrayed as a sinister Irish Republican Army activist. In the series however, his character is dumbed down and he is the "thick one" of the family. He is often shown to be naturally talented at everything he tries, but his attempts at becoming successful are usually scuppered early on. He is openly jealous of his seldom seen brother. It is stated by Ma on multiple occasions that Cal came "really close" to getting married until Da ruined it, but the details of this keep changing.
• Uncle Andy (Martin Reid) – An old-fashioned traditional loyalist whose twin loves are British Ulster and Elvis Presley. He is very argumentative, and determined to take offence at even the mildest suggestion that anyone in authority is trying to oppress him. Uncle Andy is often abusive towards Dympna for simply being a Catholic and a woman. He often devises elaborate political or moneymaking schemes with the aid of Big Mervyn, but owing to their shared lack of intelligence or foresight, these inevitably fail. In similar respect, he is repeatedly barred from the Loyalist Kneebreakers Social Club or the Orange Order due to his tricks or inappropriate conduct. He often tries to avoid eviction by hinting he may be Billy's father, but even he lost track of whether it was true or a scam until it was confirmed he wasn't. He is often terrorised by his "close friends" Red Hand Luke and Pastor Begbie. In the most recent episode, it is speculated that Uncle Andy may have fathered a daughter but it would take a full year for confirmation.
• Billy (Michael McDowell) – Uncle Andy's nephew and an RUC (later PSNI) officer. He fell in love with Emer, and the two have a loveless marriage where Emer is openly unfaithful, leaving Billy to look after their baby. After Emer leaves with their son, Billy seldom mentions them again. He almost immediately falls in love with Emer's sister Dympna, who moves in with him. The pair marry after five years of living together. Billy was raised by Uncle Andy after being abandoned by both his parents at an early age. There are recurring hints that Uncle Andy is Billy's real father until it is confirmed in the tenth series not to be the case. He often seeks promotion and believes politics (namely that he isn't a Catholic) is holding him back. In reality, it is his failure to uphold his basic duties and abusing his position for personal gain that holds him back. He eventually does get promoted by mistake after he successfully covers up the fact that he hit Da with an armoured police van. In recent episodes, he teaches younger officers his indifferent attitude to doing their duties.
• Emer (Nuala McKeever) – Emer is Da and Ma's daughter, and is married to Billy. Like Ma, she is uninterested in politics and mean towards Da. However, she is quite intelligent and well informed. She is more interested in fashion and men. So much so that she shamelessly pursues other men despite Billy's protests. It is implied that she has a child with Billy, but it is rarely mentioned and never seen. In series 2, she leaves Billy for a Spaniard, taking their child with her. It is stated in subsequent episodes that she remarried before her divorce to Billy was finalised at the end of series 6.
• Ma (Olivia Nash) – Da's cynical, sharp-tongued wife. She is neither very intelligent nor very interested in politics and tries to be a warm-hearted Irish mother. However, as she has very little but contempt for her family and everyone else, she is convincing nobody. With her non-sectarian attitudes, she accepts her Protestant son in law Billy, and also has an occasional mild crush on Uncle Andy, which she denies. Multiple episodes reveal she has an obsession with a famous Irish personality, but their identity changes often (e.g. in one episode it is Daniel O'Donnell, in another it is Hugo Duncan, etc). Her short height becomes a recurring punchline. In recent episodes, she becomes Dympna's assistant but does little more than help Dympna shop for clothes.
• Dympna (Alexandra Ford) – Dympna is Ma and Da's other daughter. She replaces her sister Emer as Billy's partner after the later leaves him. She is just as shallow as her sister, and even more pretentious, but appears to be more faithful. She often lectures Billy and Uncle Andy on intellectual matters, despite her own limited knowledge. She receives more bullying from Uncle Andy for being a Catholic than anyone else. Dympna and Billy eventually marry in a service conducted by the Pope. It is hinted that she may actually be the biological daughter of Italian Cardinal Vincenzo, but this is never resolved. She has a recurring ambition of becoming a famous singer despite having no talent. In more recent shows, she replaces Da in his role as Assembly Person representing Sinn Fein. She is in denial of the fact that she was chosen purely because she was an attractive blonde-woman. Due to the real life suspension of the Northern Irish Assembly, Dympna hadn't visited Stormont by the time of the most recent episode.
• Big Mervyn (BJ Hogg) – A burly, leather-wearing loyalist, and Uncle Andy's actual best mate. Not the brightest. He often assists Andy in schemes with little objection. He is often the bearer of bad news for Andy. It is often shown that Big Mervyn is actually well-liked and talented, and has the potential to be successful, but his association with Uncle Andy prevents him from ever prospering. He is often asked to recall memories of Andy's life on his behalf and does so perfectly. It is often explained that Big Mervyn chooses to remain single due to not having gotten over a past love. However, the women and the events involved change each time this is mentioned. Mervyn is considered to be a recurring character despite having been in every episode in the series so far.
• Pastor Begbie (Paddy Jenkins) – Pastor Begbie appeared as a recurring character late into the original series, but has since become a main character in the latest series. Like Red Hand Luke, he is a born-again Christian and a feared loyalist who has been friends with Uncle Andy since childhood. Despite being a Presbyterian Minister, he is unsubtle about his involvement with organised crime. He detests all police officers and Catholics, but admits to being attracted to Dympna. He often gets Andy and Mervyn to perform painful and/or humiliating tasks for him and threatens them with a visit from his 'henchmen' if they refuse. On his 50th birthday (which was also Uncle Andy's 50th birthday), he learns that he isn't actually a Begbie and was not subject to the family curse that causes them to die on that day.

Other occasional characters are:

• Red Hand Luke (Dan Gordon) – born-again Christian and violent loyalist psychopath. Also a "Shugo" Duncan fan. He acts like a big child, and when he doesn't get his way, savagely beats everyone up, usually Andy and Mervyn, who often live in fear of the next time he (literally) bursts through Andy's front door. At the end of the series, he converts to Islam in order to get arrested (as he longs to return to prison), after which he is placed in a specially constructed prison in the middle of Belfast Lough. Andy and Mervyn attempt to break Luke out, but he falls into the lough, protesting that he cannot swim. His fate is left ambiguous.
• Sammy (Gordon Fulton) – The landlord of the "Loyalist Kneebreakers", Andy and Mervyn's favourite haunt, a rowdy loyalist drinking den. Makes matchstick models of Stormont in his spare time.
• Seamus (Mark O'Shea) – Seamus works directly for Gerry Adams in Sinn Fein in constantly changing roles. He doesn't allow Da or Cal to tell anyone he is also in the IRA. Seamus invites himself into Da's flat with instructions from Gerry to help either organisation, hinting at serious repercussions for their (inevitable) failures. Da tries to earn Seamus' trust by proving his loyalty and is fully aware Seamus is involved with organised crime.
• Sean Paul II (Gerard Jordan) – Sean Paul is a young man who will steal anything. Ma points out his nickname is "Sean Paul the Second" because he steals your possessions "the second your back is turned". Ma is horrified that Da keeps hiring him or buying stolen goods from him. Da justifies this by pretending he is supporting an "enterprising young man" when in reality he likes cheap products or labour.

There have been other characters that have made one-off special appearances over the series to great effect. One such example was a Christmas special entitled "The King and I"[4] where Elvis Presley (played by impersonator Martin Fox)[5] saved Andy from a very dangerous situation.

• The phrase "give my head peace" is a common idiom in Northern Ireland meaning "leave me alone" or "stop bothering me".
• The theme song of the series is "She Says" performed by The Saw Doctors. It was released as a single in Ireland in the late 1990s.

• Give My Head Peace at BBC Programmes
• Give My Head Peace via The Internet Archive
• Give My Head Peace at BBC Online
• Give My Head Peace on IMDb