True North: Season 14, Episode 9

14 - 9: Pull

Throughout the rural heartlands of Northern Ireland, an ancient sport is kept alive by small groups of dedicated competitors. It is a test of strength, endurance and strategy: two teams, one rope, one winner, this is tug-of-war. We follow the team from the Ulster-Scots community of Garvagh across a competitive season.

Under experienced coach Kenny Moore, the Garvagh team first convenes in early spring. An early marker is laid down, as the eight-man team learn they must shed a collective 90kg to make weight and qualify for the prestigious Northern Ireland championships. To succeed, the team will have to lean on the experience of Garvagh veterans Nelson Hanna and Steven Speers, who between them share half a century's worth of experience on the rope.