“…while examining its outer surface I have caught only a glimpse of the smooth and finely glazed inside of the bowl.” — David Abram If you can I recommend watching the two part series charting the life of former East Tyrone IRA man Brendan Hughes on iPlayer. Failing that you should be able to catch part two going out live tonight on BBC One NI at 10.40 tonight. It’s a glimpse into the life of a committed member of the ... Read more...
“…while examining its outer surface I have caught only a glimpse of the smooth and finely glazed inside of the bowl.”
— David Abram
If you can I recommend watching the two part series charting the life of former East Tyrone IRA man Brendan Hughes on iPlayer. Failing that you should be able to catch part two going out live tonight on BBC One NI at 10.40 tonight.
It’s a glimpse into the life of a committed member of the PIRA in his own words and recollections. Its power lies in the fact it is the story of just one man told matter of factly in his own words, rather than mediated by a professional journalist or producer.
When Hughes tells us he joined up in the early days of The Troubles he admits he was angry. One day he was a plaster and the next, at 20 or 21, he was living a different life, robbing banks for a cause he believed in deeply. Only time changed his mind.
His ability to recount events from 50 years ago is matched by his tactical skills in the operations in which he took part is impressive as is his determination to tell his story honestly, regardless of how it makes him look at any given moment.
Hughes’ is one of very few un-redacted IRA accounts, along with the indomitable Shane Paul O’Doherty, to be made public. The contrast they provide with official accounts from the Provisional movement is both stark but also vital for any balanced history.
There’s something very simple, straightforward and human about the whole thing that I reckon is important in showing us the interior of an organisation which was a mystery to most us in its operational day, and remains very much a closed book now.
Do try to find the time to watch both parts if you can….
