So this is a thought in my head after watching The Banshees of Inisherin last night. It was the third work set in Ireland I have watched of late, the other two TV series - Apple’s “Bad Sisters” and Season 3 of “Derry Girls” on Netflix, perhaps the funniest comedy out there now. Thinking of them as an unintended trilogy, they seem to create the last century of Irish history, especially of the discord and despair that has produced so much of my limited understanding of Irish culture. Read a lot about The Troubles, which plays a big background role in Derry Girls. Otherwise pretty ignorant though I plan to read up. Banshees is set in 1923 in a fictional island right off the Irish mainland during the conclusion of the Irish Civil War. The residents of the beautiful island appear to eke out a bleak existence which is spared the ever present violence they hear regularly in shelling and shots across the water. But they are isolated emotionally, which exacts its own toll that cannot be remedied by music, literature or pub life. They literally beg for news of anything novel or interesting. Derry Girls is set (this season) in 1997 around the Good Friday Peace Agreement, in much of the world created by those events. The despair and sense of isolation without a future remains, albeit covered in biting humor. Bad Sisters is set in the modern day Ireland of economic development and relative prosperity, but corporate machinations are one of the avenues that discord is created while the sisters try to maintain some traditions of the Forty Foot swim, which may or may not be linked historically to British oppression. Just some thoughts I’m working through. I lack the knowledge or heritage, but can’t get it out of my mind.
Belfast Diary by John Conroy is a good one about the Troubles. Done by an American journalist who was over there for a time, so its a good start for Americans who are sort of mystified about it.
I've read three books on it already but I put that on my Kindle wish list. It's not an ebook at the library. Thanks for the recommendation. Patrick Radden Keefe's "Say Nothing" is the best. It doesn't purport to be a comprehensive history but man is it powerful
Would also add the movie Belfast. The troubles seen through the eyes of a young boy in the 1960s whose family is struggling mightily to remain out of the conflict. Directed by Kenneth Branagh with a great score featuring numerous songs by Van Morrison. It’s on Netflix I think. Maybe Prime.
Read David McKittricks Making Sense of the Troubles. It was okay and provided a good general overview. A bit Brit
The book and the movie of The Commitments are both great, though I'm sure they are pretty well known and has nothing to do with the Troubles really.
If you are looking for the other side of this, I'd recommend The IRA: A History by Tim Pat Coogan. It is a bit biased towards Republicanism (he is not a big fan of Paisley), but it goes from the origins through Good Friday and covers things in real depth (it is about 500 pages) but in a non-academic manner (he was a former newspaper editor).
That sounds great - let me see if it is at the library as ebook or reasonable on Kindle (only read ebooks due to my eyes)
I haven't, but I can imagine it would be quite good. I looked it up and it looks like it is about Collins and his people and the early Republican activity. He tends to be a bit Pro-Collins/Anti-de Valera as well. BTW, a trip to Northern Ireland is fascinating these days. I went in 2017. Such a strange feeling. The murals are all still there (and still maintained). Symbolism is everywhere. They paint streets, hang flags from streetlights, etc. You go into one neighborhood and everything is Union Jacks. Then you go into another neighborhood and nothing but Irish harps. Derry/Londonderry still can't agree on a name and the flags are more... militant there.
