ASK Musings

Last week we finished watching Say Nothing, a limited series on Disney+ in the UK. It’s based on the book of the same name, about the Troubles in the north of Ireland. I read the book about four years ago, and found it to be absolutely fascinating (you can read my review of that here).

The TV series is good, but in a different way. It’s vivid in its storytelling, and seeing the images of the impact of the English occupation of Ireland as well as the impact of the resistance on average citizens of both countries brings a sense of reality that might not be as apparent on the page.

While much of the series is based on stories told to the Boston College Belfast project, since it has been released, there have been complaints. A child of the woman whose disappearance is the main focus of the show has expressed anger at the depiction. Additionally, one of the women who was a member of the IRA and conducted bombing campaigns has said that some of her portrayal is fully fictional.

The topic is extremely serious, but at the end of each episode my partner and I burst out laughing because they have to include the statement that Gerry Adams has denied being a member of the IRA. I mean, I don’t know if there’s anyone alive who knows about Adams who believes that he was not in the IRA, but that has been his claim since he became a public figure. Wild, the stories people tell themselves and others.

If you’re not familiar with the Troubles, I’d say you should pick up the book and read it first, but the series is also worth a watch I’d say.