Episode 5 The Estate

Ballysally, built 40 years ago on the edge of Coleraine.

These days, almost 3,000 people call it home.

But unemployment is rife and money is tight.

This is the story of a year on the estate.

This programme contains strong language.

This programme contains some scenes which some viewers may find upsetting.

# Jesus loves me this I know. #

Unemployed joiner Noel has started up a band.

-What about you, lad? We got her done up.

-That's lovely!

-We need to get you a flute and a uniform.

-Aye, I know!

You should be fluting with us, anyway.

You should be fluting with us!

Noel's keen to recruit as many people as he can on the estate.

The housing estate, for the ages of 14 to 20,

there's not a wild lot in it for them.

So it gives them a lot to...

gives them something to do a couple of nights a week, like.

Couple of head-the-balls in it, like.

The latest addition to his line-up is 23-year-old Kyle.

Are you up, chap?

Come on out to fuck, Kyle! Get your knickers on!

That took us a lot of money to gather that up, like.

-It was just a white drum.

-It was just a white drum.

Nobody knew half the time what band we were in.

Now we have gathered money up...

Put our stamp on it.

Put our stamp on it, like. Everyone will know who we are, like,

and they'll see that we're improving every year.

There was never nothing to do and then started the band

and...it give you something to do in the week then,

give you something to look forward to, rather than just drink.

I can party along with them.

They know I can party along with them.

I like the parties as well. So that's probably why I fit in with them.

Right, Kyle, fuck off to the bathroom.

Go you and wank over the drum, sure!

THEY LAUGH

Just walking about the housing estate showing off this drum.

-Right, come on.

-See you later on sure!

I can help. I'm strong.

-Which way do you want to put it? This way?

-No, no.

SHE WHISPERS:

Any way you want!

So, like, firm.

Single mum Louise is waiting on a delivery.

A local church is giving her some second-hand furniture.

He is a steamer, like.

The delivery has stirred an interest

in Louise's 15-year-old daughter Kelly-Ann.

There! Look, look!

But it's not the sofa she has her eye on.

Shh!

Which room is the wardrobe for?

The back one, please.

-Are you checking the boy out?

-No, I am not!

So is Rachel.

Oh, fuck! I burnt myself.

I was getting too carried away.

Thank fuck I came round when I did!

God, imagine, I could be missing it all right now.

-Upstairs?

-Aye.

GIGGLES FROM LOUNGE

-You happy with that?

-You're like Joey out of friends.

You'll fall out of the window! You'll fall!

Thank you very much, all the best.

I'm just going to offer you a prayer before we go, OK?

Yes, yes.

Father, I pray you bless this home. Bless these kids.

Your blessing is fortunately received, Lord,

and guide this family, Lord. Keep your hand upon them.

-In Jesus' name. Amen.

-Amen.

-OK?

There you are, some leaflets for you.

-That's great. Thank you.

-Thank you. Bye.

He was nice, wasn't he?

-Give me that! Give me it!

-How much have you got?

Rachel, come on, quickly.

Did you see that boy?

-Och, it's too wee!

-It's not, it's comfy.

Come on over here. Come on. This way. Come away. That's not yours.

Emma and daughter Shaya are relative newcomers to the estate.

This is only the second time I've been up here.

It's not the best-kept park in the world and it's the only one here

and I live, like, over the other side.

It's not anything I would come to cos this is the top part of Ballysally,

so, I don't know...just the way it's stereotyped and stuff,

I would just tend not to come up here.

You know, it looks better kept than where I live, though.

New walls and driveways and everything.

Shaya, get off the ground, please. You're in cream pants!

Oh, no, she's all the way over there!

How's that for good supervision skills!

-No!

-OK.

-No!

-No, Mummy!

-Let's go, pet. Come on.

-You don't want to go play?

-No!

-Do you want to go see Tony?

-No!

-Temper, Temper!

Emma returned from Canada when her marriage to Shaya's dad broke down.

Oh! Look, you're going to go play!

To get on the waiting list for her own council house,

her only option was to move into temporary emergency housing.

I was in that one.

The curtains are like hospital curtains,

like plastic and stuff - horrible!

And they're £165 a week!

That's insane money! Like, my rent right now is £67 a week.

So that's a huge difference, like.

Do you know the worst thing about it?

See the row of houses behind it? It's all burnt out too.

It makes you feel like you're living in a right ghetto, like.

I was there five months. Long enough. Too long!

-Kyle, that's not the way I iron.

-I know. I can't fucking iron them!

Kyle's not long moved out of his mum and dad's

but Josie and Rab fret about him nonetheless.

That eejit there just totally ignores you.

You say to him not to do a thing, he'll do it.

I would like him to get a job and get out to work

and then he wouldn't be sitting about doing nothing.

Kyle's been out of work for three years.

With little to fill his time, partying is a routine diversion.

Just like me drink. That keeps me sane.

Oh, aye!

He learns by his mistakes.

Mother's job to worry, father's job to gurn.

No matter what age you are, mothers always worry and stand by yous.

Kyle has struggled with self-harm.

He's also attempted suicide ten times

but the band has been a lifeline.

Since he joined, his mum and dad have noticed

Noel's positive influence.

That band has really brought Kyle out of his depression.

All the boys in the band get on like a big family.

If there's something not right, they'll come and talk to them.

Noel talks to Kyle a brave lot there.

Kyle'll actually tell Noel more than he'd tell me and his mother.

That's what helps -

the talking, getting rid of what's built up inside them.

They're getting it out and away,

rather than having to cut themselves or try and hang themselves.

So definitely the band has been a big lift to Kyle

that I'm glad to see and I hope he sticks at it.

There you are, sir, that's your uniform done.

-Cheers, mother.

-Watch and learn?

-No. You'll do it next week too.

If we can just keep him off that vodka, he would be grand.

Sure, you learn from your mistakes.

I'm going to go in there and do the die-hard sell, you know?

I really want this job, you have to give it to me!

I really want to do it.

Emma is steeling herself for an interview.

She's applied for a university degree course in social work.

Until I hear, it's going to be like torture.

I'll be eating like a hound dog,

chocolate and everything, cos I'm a nervous eater!

But, hopefully, it'll be fine. I've put the work in.

I've practised my questions and answers.

I think I'm good for this job.

You know, I know it's going to be hard and tough and heartbreaking

but I want to do social work. I really do.

I want to be not the person sitting reading the newspaper,

you know, reading those cases about those abused kids and things.

I want to be on the other end doing something about it

so there's less cases in the newspaper, hopefully, because of me.

That's me all tidied, ready to go.

It's band practice night at the local pub.

Well, Finlay, babe, it's only band practice you're going to tonight,

look at all the slap on!

Finlay's not bad at fluting.

She gets enough practice at the weekends on the skin whistle!

-You're a dirty bastard!

-I never mentioned anything about it!

Aye! You did not have to! You didn't have to.

-I just said you're a good fluter.

-Aye, and then what was that...?

Noel is one of the lads... most of the time

but it's a different story when it comes to rehearsals.

See the pint?

You better get that in you before you come in here

-because there'll be a row when you come in here with it.

-Why?

It's band practice, not drink.

So you can leave it out there if you want

-but if you bring it in it's going in the sink.

-Down your throat?

Band practice.

The band's big day is the 12th of July.

Right, let's go!

But Noel needs Kyle and the others

to cut out the partying if it's to be a success.

Right, we're going to concentrate half-an-hour on these two tunes.

We want to try and look like a band, know what I mean?

And now with our new uniforms, we'll look all right.

WHISTLE SOUNDS!

You were told about the whistle. Start listening to the whistle.

Does everyone know the tunes that we are playing

-before we play the new ones?

-I can play the rest.

Everybody can play them?

-That's cos you're useless.

-Nobody was asking you!

There you are, then. Things have to start looking like a band.

Folk have to listen to the whistle and then we're going the right road.

I want yous to start and put an effort in,

the way I put the effort in.

Emma's interview is over.

All the questions that they asked me, I'd practised.

So, I don't know. I hate waiting now!

See now, I want to just know.

But I said thanks and all.

I said, "Thanks for letting me get to the interview stage.

"I'm happy to have got this far."

But, um...I don't know! I don't know. I really don't know!

Even if she's offered a place on the course,

Emma still needs to pass her exams to get in.

-What?

-What's mummy at?

-She's downstairs.

OK.

Kelly-Ann is recovering from partying with mum Louise.

Their night out has left its mark.

Love bites on my neck and they're fucking sore.

Love bites.

I was fucked, had to lie down.

Came home at, like, five in the morning or something.

So...but I was drinking as well.

I don't care.

Right! Does anybody need the toilet before I go for a bath?

-'Elly!

-What?

-Me off taps.

Did you turn them off? Thanks.

Jordy, don't be coming in here.

Bye!

You're a bollocks!

Just, you were to call down here today. I wanted to see you.

What time do you call later?

Now, you're getting a fucking bollocking then.

Right. Bye.

I don't like them running about, acting the maggot.

One of the band members is in trouble with the police...

and with Noel.

Well, knob-head!

What did the police do you on?

-Attempted theft of a car.

-Attempted theft?

-Aye.

-When are you up in court? Have they charged you?

-No.

I'll tell you why you done what you done.

You needed more alcohol in your system and greed set in.

All you have in your head is more beer.

Then get fucking caught stealing a motor.

I thought, maybe, when you got into the band

you'd behave and have a bit of craic with the rest of us.

Byron's applied for the army

and Noel's worried he's jeopardised his chances.

Folks trying to do things for him and then he fucks the whole thing up!

The band's like an army, you've certain rules.

You let me down all the time. I'm not worried.

But it's your job, it's going to be a career for you.

The results of Emma's university interview are in.

"Something changed on your UCAS application form. Please check." It doesn't tell you what it is.

I was debating whether to check it or not,

or to get someone else to check it for me and let me know.

I don't know. Knowing you haven't got in is pretty definite.

There isn't much you can do about it.

Ah! I see it!

It says, "Ulster University of Magee!"

I have a conditional offer.

If everything they say in my sociology class is true,

this means Shaya will never be living on income support.

I guess as a role model,

like you know they do all their research things and they say,

if the parents are middle class, the kids will be middle class.

And of course every parent doesn't want their kids

to struggle the way they did

and I hope she doesn't end up alone with a kid on income support as well.

That's all I want.

I want to be able to provide for my daughter on my own.

I definitely do.

So now she's got to knuckle down and pass her exams.

"This offer is subject to you obtaining a pass on the access course

"with an average of 70%."

Awesome!

I'm just really excited.

70% is not that much to get.

I can do it. I totally can! I totally can.

It's awesome.

Right, come on.

OK. See yous later.

We'll be back for our dinner. Get the chicken out of the oven.

Noel has enlisted the band

to help him build the estate's annual bonfire.

Put it on square, boy.

Cone on, young Brown, do something for your keep!

What do you want me to do?

But some of the young musicians,

including Kyle and Noel's son Aaron, have gone AWOL.

What's the bets that none of these boys is up?

Late night last night.

No, he's up.

There's something wrong.

VOICES FROM HOUSE

Right, lads, is this where it's takin' place at?

-All right, Noel?

-Why do you not answer your phone?

# Noel is the captain of our ship Of our ship

# Our ship is a tanker

# And Noel is a wanker

# Noel is the captain of our ship Of our ship! #

-Hi, give me that.

-Fuck off!

That's my leftovers from last night. It was only up to there.

I only had one glass.

See the day? That's it. No more.

Nah, we're flat. That's us.

-We're flat the day.

-We haven't slept, we haven't slept.

I'm not worrying. Look, he doesn't know what day of the week it is!

Your da says you're a ball-bag.

You didn't tell him I was drinking, did you?

-I told him everything!

-Wanker, wanker!

This is my baby. I'm going to make sex to this bottle.

Why do you want to give me that?

Do you think I'm some junkie, the way you're reaching me butts?

Right, I'm away. Be up at 3 o'clock.

We'll be there.

We'll be there!

We found these two boys down the road!

Gather yourselves up and get on.

Kyle and Aaron have made a late appearance...

Get yourselves sobered up.

..and Noel's not impressed.

Mind, we were to start building the bonfire at 3 o'clock.

-Mind, that was the plans?

-I'll tell you to go and fuck yourself.

-Night-night!

-Right, let's get these pallets up.

After hours of hard graft, the bonfire's built.

Woo-hoo!

But Noel's mind has moved on to the band's big day.

Everyone, Kyle included, must turn up if it's to be a success.

But with an 8am start, Noel's worried things could end in chaos.

After the lost night out with her mum,

Kelly-Ann is doing some serious soul searching.

I'm really unconscious about myself. I'm not confident or anything.

Everybody now, they're looking for skinny girls and pretty girls

and I'm not none of that.

Just, I don't know...

I try to do all I can to look half decent, you know,

to do my hair and make up and stuff

and I still know that I can't wear nice clothes

cos...I'm too fat and ugly

and you're, like, you know, just not nice altogether.

I try to put on, like, a big front

but behind closed doors I'm just, like, nothing.

There's just nothing.

It just makes you really, like, depressed and down

and it's not a nice feeling at all.

I just feel empty. It's like there's nothing to me.

NOEL HUMS HAPPILY

It's the 12th of July and the band is gathering.

How big's your eyelashes?

Would you stop asking me? Yous ask me every time you fucking see me!

Noel's nervous not everyone will show up.

Where's Boydy?

He's away to wake somebody up.

Get out of yer bed, ye fucking waste of space, ye!

Shut up!

Ye dirty bastard, ye!

Is all the drums sorted?

The band's about to leave but Kyle's nowhere to be seen.

-Mandy, gloves.

-These?

-No.

Where's the gloves that you had? Your gloves. Them ones.

That's my flute. Whistle.

Key. Camera. Breathe!

Kyle finally appears, suited and booted.

My guts are rough.

Despite the hangover, he's made it on time.

I take it we're all there?

Kyle, come one, son, we need to get away.

We need to be away! Come on!

Swing the door. Swing the gate. Come on.

WHISTLE TOOTS

Come on, lads. Let's go! You're not carrying it.

After hours of playing and miles of marching,

the band's back in the estate.

What about turning around and doing it all again?

LAUGHTER

Drummers, about turn!

Band dismissed!

About time!

It's been a triumph and Noel's invited Kyle

and the whole band back to his house to celebrate.

I've never known you to turn down free beer!

-Come on, you fader!

-Away to fuck!

-Come on!

-Come down with Scott!

Mandy, carry me boots for me.

Oh! Oh, that's lovely there!

Them's stinking! I can smell them from here. They're rotten.

If I get my 70% today, then I've gotten into my degree.

If I haven't, then... I don't know what I'm going to do.

It's the moment of truth for Emma.

She's about to find out if all of her studying has paid off.

Why are you giving me a look like that?

I got a 75 in my coursework for Sociology

and 80 in my exam

and a 78 overall.

Look at that! Fucking stoked with that.

She's passed...with flying colours.

Yeah, baby!

Now I don't have to be so reserved, in case someone got bad marks.

Feels frickin' awesome now.

Done! And I don't have to come back ever, ever again.

So nice to be moving forward in your life, instead of backwards.

I used to do that circle, where you'd get a job,

you'd work your way up and then you'd leave because of, like,

either moving or having family

and then when you have to go back into work again,

you get another crappy job at minimum wage

but now this is my route out of that.

It's pretty cool, isn't it?

That's pretty frickin' awesome.

I never thought I would be going to uni, like.

Might as well go at 29. It's better late than never, isn't it?

I definitely can say

I'm doing something with my life in a productive way, I really am.

And soon we will want for nothing -

me and my wee woman.

Next time on The Estate...

Control it now. Control it now. Control it!

Oh! Well, that wasn't very well controlled!

It sometimes takes starting off in a crappy job

to end up getting a good one.

Her wee body was just grey and gasping for air

and being pumped full of morphine

and I wouldn't recommend that to anybody.

Yeah, tomorrow.

Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd