Spotlight on the troubles:a secret history (BBC)

gmisk

Did anyone else watch episode one of this show? Fascinating and balanced first episode, 7 parts in total to come.

Greyjoy

I thought it was very good. I think with the government documents now passing into public domain it was fascinating to see what was the government of NI was really thinking regarding the Troubles.

gmisk

Greyjoy wrote: »

I thought it was very good. I think with the government documents now passing into public domain it was fascinating to see what was the government of NI was really thinking regarding the Troubles.

That part was excellent lots of interesting insight.


I am in my late 30s and grew up in the north so know a bit about the troubles, I talked to my mum about it and she found it a very tough watch, in fairness she was a young nurse in Belfast in late 60s/70s so had to deal with a lot serious injuries from bombs, shootings etc.


The fact Ian Paisley likely funded a UVF attack was a surprise.

lukin

The first ep was good. However the part where Martin McGuinness was shown handling firearms and explosives; are we supposed to be shocked by this?
I wasn't and I'm sure any person who knowd anything about the troubles wouldn't be either.

jakejay

Anyone who missed the first episode pm me.I can send it on.

BonnieSituation

jakejay wrote: »

Anyone who missed the first episode pm me.I can send it on.

Send it on sure.

Dwarf.Shortage

jakejay wrote: »

Anyone who missed the first episode pm me.I can send it on.

please

CalamariFritti

It's on youtube even.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7vKqmk-jLTA

corkie

Tuesday Night BBC One @21:00!


Just sharing airing times in case anyone else is wondering.

brian_t

corkie wrote: »

Tuesday Night BBC One @21:00!.

That is of course BBC One Northern Ireland. The rest of the UK have to watch it on BBC4 (on at the same time).

Mr.Nice Guy

It was a good programme. The part about the young woman being blinded by the soldiers was shocking,

lukin

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

It was a good programme. The part about the young woman being blinded by the soldiers was shocking,

Yeah that was horrific.

gmisk

There is a doc about the Miami showband which is well worth a watch on netflix

corkie

Episode 2.

Can't find episode 3 yet on YT.

episode 1 showed so much potential


The rest have been primarily about the IRA and nothing about the loyalists.

Latest episode reminded me of bragging about spies and how they manipulated adams through donaldson to go the way of peace.

Way too biased

brian_t

Deleted User wrote: »

The rest have been primarily about the IRA and nothing about the loyalists.

episode 5.

Mandy McAuley investigates the launch of a renewed campaign of loyalist violence in 1985, particularly in the wake of the Anglo-Irish Agreement, which granted the Republic of Ireland political influence in the North. The programme explores how loyalist groups used intelligence leaks from soldiers and police, and uncovers new evidence of MI5 agents operating inside the Ulster Defence Association.

episode 6.

Through an insider in one of the most notorious killer gangs, Mandy McAuley discovers that not only was the Ulster Volunteer Force carrying out more attacks, it was also deliberately targeting families of Irish republicans. Revelations about the murders of two young brothers lead to calls for the investigation into the killings to be reopened.

MonkieSocks

corkie wrote: »

Can't find episode 3 yet on YT.

episode 3

episode 4

brian_t

brian_t wrote: »

episode 5.

Mandy McAuley investigates the launch of a renewed campaign of loyalist violence in 1985, particularly in the wake of the Anglo-Irish Agreement, which granted the Republic of Ireland political influence in the North. The programme explores how loyalist groups used intelligence leaks from soldiers and police, and uncovers new evidence of MI5 agents operating inside the Ulster Defence Association.

episode 6.

Through an insider in one of the most notorious killer gangs, Mandy McAuley discovers that not only was the Ulster Volunteer Force carrying out more attacks, it was also deliberately targeting families of Irish republicans. Revelations about the murders of two young brothers lead to calls for the investigation into the killings to be reopened.

In the whole series so far it is more about the IRA, its very little about the loyalists, yes they do get mention but even the wording is different. The Loughall ambush was trivalised to a change in army tactics, it was a targeted killing and no attempt was made to arrest.

The general theme is the IRA, only real exception being the first episode where they link paisley with financing the fake IRA bombing campaign.

gmisk

I am only on episode 3...there is definitely a film to be made about that gun running priest Patrick Ryan!

lukin

Deleted User wrote: »

In the whole series so far it is more about the IRA, its very little about the loyalists, yes they do get mention but even the wording is different.
The Loughall ambush was trivalised to a change in army tactics, it was a targeted killing and no attempt was made to arrest.
The general theme is the IRA, only real exception being the first episode where they link paisley with financing the fake IRA bombing campaign.

I think that's because the IRA are a more interesting subject, the loyalist paramilitaries were just an organised rabble, frequently fighting more amongst themselves than fighting the IRA.
The ep that covered the Loughgall ambush was the most interesting I thought. As you say it was an organised execution really, the brits had no intention of arresting them; they saw it as a great opportunity to eliminate eight of the IRA's most valued men and they took it. There is no way that unit would have gone ahead with that attack if the had know the SAS were waiting for them.
I found the ep about supergrasses, touts and informers kind of boring and also they kind of overdo the "we have uncovered highly classified information that reveals for the first time etc.." . They have done it so many times now I roll my eyes and say "Yeah whatever".

Elmer Blooker

Deleted User wrote: »

episode 1 showed so much potential


The rest have been primarily about the IRA and nothing about the loyalists.

Latest episode reminded me of bragging about spies and how they manipulated adams through donaldson to go the way of peace.

Way too biased

Episode 1 reasonably balanced but totally biased after that.
The message I'm getting from this 'documentary' is that the decent and reasonable Protestant people of Northern Ireland reluctantly turned to violence when provoked.
The orchestrated murder of innocent Catholics (all Fenians are Provos, kill all Taigs) is barely worth a mention.
This 'documentary' should be called 'Spotlight on the IRA'

Mr.Nice Guy

There will be a focus on loyalists in tonight's episode. They are set to reveal that:

the late Willie Frazier, who presented himself as a victims campaigner, was supplying guns to the UDA that were used to massacre Catholics.

NIMAN

Mr.Nice Guy wrote: »

There will be a focus on loyalists in tonight's episode. They are set to reveal that:

the late Willie Frazier, who presented himself as a victims campaigner, was supplying guns to the UDA that were used to massacre Catholics.

Interesting. If true.

Always thought the man was a bit daft, and not sure if he had the sense to pull that off without getting caught.

Then again, maybe he was being protected like a lot of loyalists when it came to atrocities.

PTH2009

Very good episode tonight

That recording at the start was haunting

MonkieSocks

Episode 5

gmisk

On episode 5 of this, it's really gripping stuff, it's mad the things that went on.
I am glad to see some more focus on the UVF etc, the collusion that went on is crazy and I would think its only the tip of the iceberg.

brian_t

The last episode is next Tuesday.

Next Thursday at 9pm there is a "Behind the Scenes" programme.

Documentary revealing how the critically acclaimed TV series Spotlight on the Troubles: A Secret History was made. Reporters and producers reveal how over the space of two years they tracked down new stories and found secret papers, while also persuading people to speak out.

This will be exclusive to BBC1 Northern Ireland.

MonkieSocks

gmisk wrote: »

On episode 5 of this, it's really gripping stuff, it's mad the things that went on.
I am glad to see some more focus on the UVF etc, the collusion that went on is crazy and I would think its only the tip of the iceberg.

Episode 6

Harry Palmr

Very good series pity it's parked on BBC Four for the "mainland"

The infiltration of the provos was pretty amazing and how the Loyalists were fed information to do the dirty work in difficult places, and at the same time you've got Hume/Adams and back channels with various british governments. A tangled web of deception which everyone who mattered was in on except the bloodied public.

MonkieSocks

The Troubles A Secret History Episode 7/7(BBC Spotlight)

MonkieSocks

This film shows how the critically acclaimed television series Spotlight on the Troubles: A Secret History, was made.

MonkieSocks

PETER TAYLOR : My Journey Through The Troubles

In a uniquely personal journey on the 50th anniversary of the deployment of British troops in August 1969, reporter Peter Taylor reflects on almost a half century of covering the Northern Ireland conflict.

The programme is a deeply personal and intimately frank first person account through the tragedy of war and the triumphs of the peace from a reporter whose own story has become inseparable from the story of the Troubles.