The series
“Pop Goes to Northern Ireland” is an overview of the events that happened in
Northern Ireland from 1963 to 2002. As Declan Lynch says it ‘is their version
of Reeling in the Years’[1]. Reeling in the Years is
an Irish programme looking back at the previous years of the Republic of Ireland.
Pop Goes to Northern Ireland covers the main events at the start, during and
after the period known as ‘The Troubles’. But it also covers other areas of
society giving a good accurate picture of how a society functioned under such
extreme circumstances. In then adds to the background music that was in the
charts at the time. As Gail Walker adds ‘how could this not be crass,
disrespectful, tasteless, selective, nasty and embarrassing?’[2]. Gail Walker goes on to
say it has managed to ‘navigate with some aplomb all the obstacles above’[3]. This statement is true
and from other episodes that have been watched this is a true reflection of the
programme.
Turing to
the episode that was watched covering the period 1963-1968 which is seen as the
period known as the origins of “The Troubles”. The events that are portrayed
are the key points in showing how the conflict in Northern Ireland arose from
the Division Street Riots in 1964 to the events during the Easter Rising
celebrations in 1966 and then though to the Civil Rights Movement and their
activities.
However, there are two problems that can be
seen from this programme. Firstly, it should have carried out the episodes in
chronological order so the viewers could follow how events from one year
effected the next year. Secondly, there should have been an episode to brief
the audience of the background of Northern Ireland between its creations and
1963. The formation and foundation of Northern Ireland is crucial to
understanding why Northern Ireland erupted into violence. Looking at historians
who have studied this period, it can clearly be seen why it is necessary to
understand the origins of Northern Ireland. Sabina Wichert starts her book in
1945 when looking at Northern Ireland[4]. Peter Taylor starts his
book Provos The IRA and Sinn Fein by starting at 1916 when looking at
the history of Northern Ireland and the IRA[5]. However, Thomas Hennessey
begins in 1963 in his book when Terence O’Neil became prime minister which is
similar to the series[6]. This is also the same as
Thomas Bardon who starts in 1963 when looking at the origins of “The Troubles”
in his book A History of Ulster[7]. But John Whyte asserts in
his book ‘when the troubles broke out in 1968’[8].
The point
that is being made is that the television programme only gives a small inside,
especially the 1963 to 1968 episode, on the continuing tensions in Northern
Ireland. It does not show the complex picture of Northern Ireland and its
Society as it evolved as a whole. However, this should not take away how good
the programme is. The programme is a good start for someone looking into the
period known as “The Troubles” and viewing Northern Ireland and its society
even if it is a simple portrayal.
[1] Declan Lynch, ‘Television
Review: Power of Negative Thinking’, Irish Independent, (5th
Nov 2018), https://www.independent.ie/entertainment/television/television-review-power-of-negative-thinking-37486514.html
(Last Accessed 14/03/2021).
[2] Gail Walker, ‘Pop Goes show could have got it so wrong, but
its take on past hits right note’, Belfast Telegraph (13th Nov
2018), https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/gail-walker-pop-goes-show-could-have-got-it-so-wrong-but-its-take-on-past-hits-right-note-37522332.html (Last Accessed 14/03/2021).
[3] Ibid.
[4] Sabina Wichert, Northern Ireland since 1945, 2nd
edn (Harlow: Pearson Education Ltd, 1999).
[5] Peter Taylor, Provos: The IRA
and Sinn Fein (London: Bloomsbury, 1998), p.8.
[6]Thomas Hennessey, Northern
Ireland: The Origins of the Troubles (Dublin: Gill and Macmillan,
2005), p.ix.
[7] Jonathan Bardon, A history of
Ulster (Belfast: Blackstaff Press, 1996).
[8] John H. Whyte, Interpreting
Northern Ireland (Oxford: Clarendon, 1990), p.3.
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