Here is a bit of a detour. My uncle Charley’s voice will be familiar to many of you. He used to read the news on Radio 4 and the BBC World Service. I recorded this video last year as a bit of oral family history. He recalls the Belfast pogroms of the 1920s and recites a ballad about a Sergeant Devlin. This tradition was developed by NWA.

Charley marked his 80th birthday by singing and drinking whiskey till four in the morning. This is something we should all aspire to. His other favourite pastime was verbally abusing British soldiers.