Once Upon A Time In Northern Ireland

[Biscuits]

Outstanding television.

As someone with a massive interest in the “Troubles” I’ve read loads of books and watched loads of documentaries but this was easily the best.

Quality interviews, loads of previously unseen footage and remarkable and heartbreaking stories.  Binged the whole 5 hours today.

Highly recommended if you have an interest. 

[Guest]

1 hour ago, Biscuits said:

Outstanding television.

As someone with a massive interest in the “Troubles” I’ve read loads of books and watched loads of documentaries but this was easily the best.

Quality interviews, loads of previously unseen footage and remarkable and heartbreaking stories.  Binged the whole 5 hours today.

Highly recommended if you have an interest. 

Thought it was fantastic stuff. The kind of thing the BBC do very well. 

[Richey Edwards]

2 hours ago, Biscuits said:

Outstanding television.

As someone with a massive interest in the “Troubles” I’ve read loads of books and watched loads of documentaries but this was easily the best.

Quality interviews, loads of previously unseen footage and remarkable and heartbreaking stories.  Binged the whole 5 hours today.

Highly recommended if you have an interest. 

I watched a bit of it last night. It looked really good. I will definitely need to watch more of it.

[Jacksgranda]

Don't think I'll watch it. Lived through it. Saw enough of it, even if not directly. Death. Destruction. Devastation. Horrendous and unbelievable murders. Atrocities that defy belief. Lies, obsfucation, mealy mouthed excuses and justification. A legacy of division, despair, hate and suspicion.

[PossilYM]

9 minutes ago, Jacksgranda said:

Don't think I'll watch it. Lived through it. Saw enough of it, even if not directly. Death. Destruction. Devastation. Horrendous and unbelievable murders. Atrocities that defy belief. Lies, obsfucation, mealy mouthed excuses and justification. A legacy of division, despair, hate and suspicion.

Depressing as feck.

[Melanius Mullarkey]

9 minutes ago, Jacksgranda said:

Don't think I'll watch it. Lived through it. Saw enough of it, even if not directly. Death. Destruction. Devastation. Horrendous and unbelievable murders. Atrocities that defy belief. Lies, obsfucation, mealy mouthed excuses and justification. A legacy of division, despair, hate and suspicion.

Could have been worse JG, you could have been at Pittodrie every other week during the Mark Mcghee era.

[Sergeant Wilson]

2 hours ago, Jacksgranda said:

Don't think I'll watch it. Lived through it. Saw enough of it, even if not directly. Death. Destruction. Devastation. Horrendous and unbelievable murders. Atrocities that defy belief. Lies, obsfucation, mealy mouthed excuses and justification. A legacy of division, despair, hate and suspicion.

Aye, but apart from that...

[Jacksgranda]

27 minutes ago, Sergeant Wilson said:

Aye, but apart from that...

As soon as I saw you had quoted me, I knew what your post would say! 

[Sergeant Wilson]

Just now, Jacksgranda said:

As soon as I saw you had quoted me, I knew what your post would say! 

I should trademark it.

[Kejan]

I'm just back from visiting NI. Derry and Belfast.

The flegs thing is a fairly depressing site in certain areas but it's understandable ; but the people there 90% of them were just magic. Really warm, hospitable and mostly kind to this jobber of a Scotsman.

There's a great podcast I've started listening to called The Troubles (presented by a man from the south I think, Oisin Feeney) It's an amateur, part-time thing but IMO its well put together and offers an insight in to both perspectives.

Not that I was bringing  it up regularly, but the places/people I met who talked about the troubles (what a ridiculous British/twee name for it, tbh). I heard ''we just want this place to work and provide services,'' many times.

 I've always ''big team found etc'' identified more with the nationalist cause than the other side as an outsider looking in from Scotland ; but meeting people and learning a bit more, I just wish all the best for the place. It seems to be moving fairly progressively forward. Belfast is a very diverse city as well so there are immigrants moving there too.

Looking forward to watching this ; but can anyone recommend a good book that is netural-ish? I've ordered Say Nothing in the local book shop

The people I met were overwhelmingly, friendly, warm and incredibly helpful. TBH, one Loyalist kept correcting my use of Derry for Londonderry which I felt was pretty petty considering I heard other unionists call it Derry. It wasn't even him using that name that I disliked, it was him correcting me whenever I said Derry. Anyways, Stroke City is a better name.

I'm itching to get back, tbh. Maybe try fit in an NI league match this time. It reminded me of even friendlier Scotland, tbh or what Scotland was like a few years back. Folk holding doors for you, Hi to a pleasant stranger on the street etc if you locked eyes. Then again I'm from the east coast and most folk are dour as up here.

 

[Torpar]

22 hours ago, Kejan said:

I'm just back from visiting NI. Derry and Belfast.

The flegs thing is a fairly depressing site in certain areas but it's understandable ; but the people there 90% of them were just magic. Really warm, hospitable and mostly kind to this jobber of a Scotsman.

There's a great podcast I've started listening to called The Troubles (presented by a man from the south I think, Oisin Feeney) It's an amateur, part-time thing but IMO its well put together and offers an insight in to both perspectives.

Not that I was bringing  it up regularly, but the places/people I met who talked about the troubles (what a ridiculous British/twee name for it, tbh). I heard ''we just want this place to work and provide services,'' many times.

 I've always ''big team found etc'' identified more with the nationalist cause than the other side as an outsider looking in from Scotland ; but meeting people and learning a bit more, I just wish all the best for the place. It seems to be moving fairly progressively forward. Belfast is a very diverse city as well so there are immigrants moving there too.

Looking forward to watching this ; but can anyone recommend a good book that is netural-ish? I've ordered Say Nothing in the local book shop

The people I met were overwhelmingly, friendly, warm and incredibly helpful. TBH, one Loyalist kept correcting my use of Derry for Londonderry which I felt was pretty petty considering I heard other unionists call it Derry. It wasn't even him using that name that I disliked, it was him correcting me whenever I said Derry. Anyways, Stroke City is a better name.

I'm itching to get back, tbh. Maybe try fit in an NI league match this time. It reminded me of even friendlier Scotland, tbh or what Scotland was like a few years back. Folk holding doors for you, Hi to a pleasant stranger on the street etc if you locked eyes. Then again I'm from the east coast and most folk are dour as up here.

 

I've found the majority of people from there, from both "sides" just don't care about it, it's only big Terry from Slough or John from Stoke, who have never left England, that have to point out "It's LONDONderry pal, simple as!"

Edited to add, Say Nothing is a great book. I've also read Henry McDonald's books on the INLA, UVF and UDA, all good reads. Planning to order A Broad Church 2 by Gearóid Ó Faoleán too

Edited May 25, 2023 by Torpar

[RH33]

On 23/05/2023 at 19:21, Biscuits said:

Outstanding television.

As someone with a massive interest in the “Troubles” I’ve read loads of books and watched loads of documentaries but this was easily the best.

Quality interviews, loads of previously unseen footage and remarkable and heartbreaking stories.  Binged the whole 5 hours today.

Highly recommended if you have an interest. 

Horrific yet excellent television. Certain football fans in Scotland would do well to remember there is no glory to war.

 

Say Nothing is an excellent book.

Edited May 28, 2023 by RH33

[Mark Connolly]

Would not have messed with the wife of the ex-Provo

[sophia]

On 23/05/2023 at 19:21, Biscuits said:

Outstanding television.

As someone with a massive interest in the “Troubles” I’ve read loads of books and watched loads of documentaries but this was easily the best.

Quality interviews, loads of previously unseen footage and remarkable and heartbreaking stories.  Binged the whole 5 hours today.

Highly recommended if you have an interest. 

I'm glad I heard a review piece on this programme yesterday on the Shereen Nanjiani radio show that prompted me towards the iPlayer and here. Fair play to you for absorbing all five hours. Like Shereen's contributors, I'm not sure I have the capacity for more than the one hour of the heavy and human sharing that I've just viewed so i'll take a bit longer.

On searching for it, I realised that it is the same format as Once Upon A Time In Iraq which was profound indeed and if you haven't watched it, don't let time get in your way. 

I could write a paragraph or two on what amounted to several decades of partisan broadcasting,  or maybe even propaganda, fed into my Highland home but access to balanced coverage and credit to the BBC in this instance, has brought me to the place that I'll put in simplistic terms.... we* were the bad guys.

 

*not everyone reading this will be part of the British construct but if you are, there's a sobering message in programme for you

[Flybhoy]

10 hours ago, Mark Connolly said:

Would not have messed with the wife of the ex-Provo

She is proper off her rocker, bet the five years in the tin pale flew in knowing he was getting peace from her. 

[Fullerene]

On 24/05/2023 at 18:53, Torpar said:

I've found the majority of people from there, from both "sides" just don't care about it, it's only big Terry from Slough or John from Stoke, who have never left England, that have to point out "It's LONDONderry pal, simple as!"

Edited to add, Say Nothing is a great book. I've also read Henry McDonald's books on the INLA, UVF and UDA, all good reads. Planning to order A Broad Church 2 by Gearóid Ó Faoleán too

I think the good people of New Hampshire came up with the answer.

Derry and Londonderry are completely separate places!

[Torpar]

Finished this last night, good watch and a lot of stuff I've never seen before, biggest bellend was unsurprisingly the English solider, closely followed by the ex-UDR woman's daughter.

As for Ricky's (former 'RA man) wife, I can see where she was coming from when she was raging at him, can't imagine being effectively a single mother, getting one visit a month, and all your husband wants to talk about is "the cause". If there is any woman on there I wouldn't mess with, it's the fire bomber that was jailed when her ex "touted" on her. 

Edited May 30, 2023 by Torpar

[RuMoore]

On 30/05/2023 at 19:24, Torpar said:

Finished this last night, good watch and a lot of stuff I've never seen before, biggest bellend was unsurprisingly the English solider, closely followed by the ex-UDR woman's daughter.

As for Ricky's (former 'RA man) wife, I can see where she was coming from when she was raging at him, can't imagine being effectively a single mother, getting one visit a month, and all your husband wants to talk about is "the cause". If there is any woman on there I wouldn't mess with, it's the fire bomber that was jailed when her ex "touted" on her. 

Intrigued why you thought he was a bellend?

I just finished the series and found it very interesting and thought provoking. Thought pretty much everyone involved explained their situations and feelings in a convincing way. 

I understand it was essential to progress the peace movement but it still blows my mind that people like Sean Kelly and Michael Stone just walked out of prison like nothing had happened.

 

 

[TheScarf]

I've been watching it on Monday nights on BBC 2.  Think there's one more episode to go.  The latest one was the one focusing on the hunger strikers.  Like the OP, The Troubles fascinate me and I've read and watched hours and hours of stories and footage on it.  

Absolutely fuck living in Belfast in the 70's and 80's.  

[jimmy boo]

This series was outstanding.