With Halloween fast approaching, two collections of Ulster-Scots short films are set to bring spooky stories to BBC iPlayer from 6am on Saturday 31 October.

Supported by Northern Ireland Screen's Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund (USBF), Haleve and Bogle Cove each feature four short films, with chilling tales ranging from abandoned buildings and mysterious trick-or-treaters to a bloodstained box and an unexpected visit to a cemetery. The launch of these two series marks the return of Ulster-Scots drama supported by the Ulster-Scots Broadcast Fund.

Bogle Cove, produced by Northern Visions TV and directed by Dean Hagan, is a bold new collection of short films rooted in folklore, atmosphere and the distinctive voice of Ulster-Scots. The series blends suspense, dark humour and supernatural unease across four standalone stories. Set against a backdrop of lonely roads, shadowy interiors and graveyards, the films draw on local storytelling traditions and Ulster-Scots folklore.

The films are: 

Tha Sisters

Louise thought her sister was dead and buried. Then Lucy comes home on Halloween night, carrying a bloodstained box and an old score to settle. Written by Aileen McCahon.

Drouth

Sadie meets Ewan for a first date in the Bogle Airms. He is charming, intense and strangely familiar with her past. As the pub empties, Sadie starts looking for a way out. Written by Dayna Jost.

Yirdit

Robbie wakes trapped in a wooden box. His phone is dying, his location says cemetery, and the one person who can help him has questions of her own. Written by Glen Wilson.

Aul Yins

Danny and Paul target a remote farmhouse after hearing that its elderly owner has something worth stealing. Inside, an easy job begins to feel increasingly strange. Written by Dean Hagan.

 

Haleve, produced by Beyond Visible and directed by Dominic O'Neill and Will McConnell, takes its name from the Ulster-Scots word for Halloween. Drawing on traditional Ulster customs and spooky stories associated with the occasion, the anthology brings together four standalone tales spanning different genres, from found-footage frights to supernatural shocks.

The films are: 

Turn O' Tha Tide

Urban explorer Michael broadcasts live from abandoned buildings, but a mysterious house on a desolate island hides a terrible secret. Written by Darren Gibson.

Tha Lukin Gless

With the guidance of her ailing grandmother, a young girl attempts to summon the face of her future husband using an old rhyme - but it will only work if she is pure of heart. Written by Aileen McCahon.

Ferntickle Weechil

Caitlin has run away to keep herself and her baby safe, but a knock on the door on Halloween night brings a mysterious terror into her new home in the shape of two trick-or-treaters. Written by Anne McMaster.

Eldricht Gliff

Douglas mourns alone on his farm. Mary grieves in her empty home. Ben is unable to comfort them both. When the veil thins on Haleve, can a fiddle reunite them one last time? Written by Robert Campbell.

 

Watch on BBC iPlayer from 6am on Saturday 31 October.