This Sunday, RTE will air the first episode of its new five-part drama Resistance, a thriller that unfolds at the height of the War of Independence, which took place from August-December 1920.

Its writer Colin Teevan was also the man behind Rebellion, and he says this is the natural follow-up.

"To my mind the Rising couldn't be seen in isolation, and it wasn't necessarily even the start. There was probably about ten years of revolution that Ireland went through, from 1913 to 1923."

There are four characters in Resistance that have been carried over from Rebellion.

Colin says: "One of the great things that long-form television drama can give you, unlike a movie, is that you can look at processes over time and how characters change and develop over the years."

He also says he was "very interested in the role of women and how they went from being very central to being sidelined in the national struggle."

Although Michael Collins is part of this story, the drama is an ensemble piece rather than being centred on one historical figure.

"This isn't the story of a hero, it's the journey of our protagonist Jimmy through the pitfalls and problems of the time."

"Drama doesn't tell history. Drama gives you the experience of being there and asks the viewer the question: what choices would you make? That's the kind of question that I wished to approach."

Resistance begins on RTE One this Sunday at 9.30pm.

To catch the full chat press the play button on the image on the top of the screen