FX's limited series "Say Nothing," an adaptation of Patrick Radden Keefe's acclaimed book, dives deep into the turbulent period known as the Troubles in Northern Ireland. Spanning four tumultuous decades, the series offers a gripping narrative that balances the personal stories with the broader political conflict, making it one of the most compelling TV dramas of recent years.
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The troubles in Northern Ireland have been well documented to a point with the information that is out there. A lot of it will never be known as the people involved will never tell us what really happened during those terrible times in our country.
Under British Rule for 800 years, left behind as the Republic fought for it's freedom and drawn into violence and bloodshed as the British government ruled the area with a tyrannical and violent rule designed to break the sprit of the Irish Catholics that had the gaul to remain where they were far from wanted.
This latest take on the situation is based on a book and true story of two sisters that grew up in the middle of the violence of the 70's to take an active role in the IRA and the war itself.
A lot of the information used to make the series comes from what was called the Belfast Project. A series of recordings made with senior figures within the IRA and involved in the war from the opposing side as well.
The interviews were conducted by former IRA member Anthony McIntyre for republicans and Wilson McArthur for loyalists. These interviews were meant to be kept secret until after the participants' deaths, serving as a future resource for historians.
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The interviews themselves were attacked through the legal system by the British government who wanted to gain access to the information contained in them for their own ends and did succeed in getting some of them released from the project. The tapes shone a light into some activities that were closely guarded secrets before this and we at some stage we might even get the full facts when their speakers have passed away.
The program itself is well put together in terms of actors, accents, setting and content. Following the induction of the two sisters into the IRA and their rise up through the ranks to senior positions and the escalating violence that comes inside an organisation like this.
It was a terrible time in the country as people were locked up without cause or trial while bombs went off in public area on a daily basis.
All images sourced from the History Collection.
While it's less than 50 years ago to the worst of the fighting the troubles themselves only officially finished in 1998 but it's only in the past ten years or so that it has really gotten to a better stage.
These photos look more like something that you would see in Gaza or Ukraine than Ireland which is a highly developed country with most of the worlds major tech and pharmaceutical firms based here.
Without giving away the individual story of the two sisters involved in this series and other high ranking players in the war the series follows these events in Belfast and through their activity on behalf of the IRA as well as the fallout after.
It's an intriguing looks at this period in time which is very well put together even if it's a bit overly dramatized.
We watched from start to finish in a few days and were fully hooked on the story. Now maybe it's just because we are Irish but i thought it was a great watch.
