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I have only vague memories of news reports seen on television about the conflict in Northern Ireland that appeared in the nightly news from the 1970s and the following decades. I was a kid some of that time, and understood little about the contentions from each side.

At some point, I grew to learn that the conflict had to do with British rule versus Irish autonomy, and that there was also a divide of protestants versus Catholics.  When Say Nothing came up as a #Reallivesbookclub selection, I was more aware of how little I knew, and was finally ready to learn more about this area of Ireland and cipher through the maze of the past and the period known as “The Troubles.”

This book by Patrick Radden Keefe reveals some of the complex history and dynamics of the factions in Northern Ireland with well-executed storytelling. Keefe weaves together some of the events during the 1970s and beyond, along with details about key figures involved.

Say Nothing begins establishing the setting of life in Belfast at the end of the 1960s (the largest and most industrial city in Ireland) and the terrifying abduction and disappearance of Jean McConville, who was the mother of 10 children. Throughout the book, the McConville family’s tragedy remains the thread which ties the stories of others together.

WHO ARE THE “BAD GUYS?”

Admittedly, I came to reading Say Nothing in the hopes of finding a linear causation of events which would point to the “bad guys” of the situation. It was the clarity I always lacked when the conflict was on the nightly news. Making human history simple usually backfires, however, as it did in reading this book.

A cursory review of the history of the struggles between the United Kingdom and Ireland relate to British colonization. The book picks up by noting the 1920s annexation of Northern Ireland and the climate that this created.

In this small area we learn of the ongoing issue of inequality of governance of the population. The larger pro-British/protestant group is favored for work and access over the minority of Catholics. Tensions rise as a result and in the 1960s the civil protests escalate to a robust militant response of the Irish Republican Army (IRA).

Throughout the book, Keefe details the story of the Price sisters, Dolours and Marian, who were foot soldiers for the IRA. He also features the rise of Gerry Adams as an IRA leader and strategist. And then there is Brendan Hughes, who acted as a military arm and leader at Adams’ directive. From the other side, Keefe reports descriptions of the British leaders of the time, and the role of the military policing, which was often harsh.

As I’ve mentioned, I was hankering to form a strong opinion and move on from this historical event with my judgement formed and my “knowledge” expanded. But as soon as some pivotal piece of the past was illuminated to a point of identifying the “guilty party” so I could move on, some new heinous detail from the other was revealed.

It was exasperating, for example, to learn that the Price sisters first attempted non-violent protests in 1968 only to be ambushed in a brutal response from protestant loyalists. The experience at the attack was, in part, the impetus that turned the sisters to working with the IRA. And so as to not spoil the discovery, let me say the story of Alfredo Scappaticci twisted me up in disgruntled knots, too, when reading how the British military often acted during these decades of conflict.

KEEPING SECRETS

Keeping secrets was an essential component for perpetuating the conflict in Northern Ireland. As with all fighting, subterfuge and espionage were key practicalities of war.

That said, it was the self-inflicted weapon of denial that turned out to be unexpectedly painful and insidious in this story. I cite a several examples here:  

• The British government’s repudiation to validate the underlying issues sited by the IRA.

• The British government’s refusal to designate the IRA as anything other than terrorists even when peace was established.

• The IRA’s practice of disappearing victims which led to more trauma for families.

• The IRA’s rule of loyalty and never saying anything personified in Gerry Adams, whose primary rule was to never say anything.

• The secretive acceptance and denial of pedophilia in Catholic institutions, including orphanages, churches, schools and even in families.

The final denial pointed to in Say Nothing came after the Good Friday peace agreement signed in 1998, which successfully put an end to the ongoing ravages of violence in Northern Ireland. The beleaguered civilians were ready to put aside the grievances fought for by the IRA in exchange for a normal life.

That this agreement was orchestrated by Gerry Adams—who never admitted to being a member of IRA, let alone its leader for much of the time—was only one issue that didn’t sit well with the IRA foot soldiers. They were never permitted to tell their stories out in the open or have their day to be heard, and now older are suffering from PTSD. They were swept under the rug and expected to deal with their ghosts in silence.

A GOOD READ AND MUCH TO CONSIDER

Say Nothing was a good read. Keefe’s skill with bringing together a myriad of historical information into strong storytelling helped me grasp the details of the people and the times of these events. My takeaways, however, were perhaps less satisfying, but surely more reasonable. There is no easy, chronological way to find out who is ultimately the “bad guy” in the human story.

There are wrongs committed, of course, and unfortunately most injustices are overlooked or forgotten. All we can do is work to ensure the past isn’t secreted away and hope that, by telling the stories and surfacing the truth, we can all learn lessons and do better.

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Sherry is the founder of Storied Gifts a personal publishing service of family and company histories. She and her team help clients curate and craft their stories into books. When not writing or interviewing, Sherry spends loads of time with her grandchildren and lives in Des Moines, Iowa.

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