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23rd Oct 2019

BBC’s excellent documentary series on The Troubles will air a special bonus episode this week

Paul Moore

The Troubles documentary

The seven episodes were outstanding and there’s more to come.

It’s somewhat fitting that the series finale of Spotlight on the Troubles: A Secret History featured the republican movement giving a significant address at Ulster Hall – long considered the bastion of Unionism in the six counties.

For some, this was an indication that Gerry Adams had succeeded in manoeuvring and manufacturing a more political route for Sinn Féin and the IRA.

However, as viewers of the excellent documentary series will remember, it wasn’t that long ago when the same location was used to launch Ulster Resistance – the movement established by Ulster loyalists in opposition to the Anglo-Irish Agreement.

That particular rally was chaired by the DUP Press Officer Sammy Wilson and addressed by party colleagues Ian Paisley, Peter Robinson and Ivan Foster.

Things change and stay the same. Sadly, the pain and suffering of those families who had their loved ones killed will never subside.

The more recent episodes of the documentary series were just as concerned as the ballot box as they were with bullets, but over the course of seven episodes, the Spotlight team did an exceptional job in charting the most bloody period in the history of the conflict.

Granted, given the length and scope of The Troubles, it’s practically impossible to depict every heartbreaking detail, political development, and act of violence, but the investigative team can be extremely proud of their work.

On Thursday, the BBC will be giving viewers a behind-the-scenes look at how the documentary was made.

The official synopsis states: “This film shows how the critically acclaimed television series Spotlight on the Troubles: A Secret History was made. Reporters, producers – even the bosses – were filmed over two years as they uncovered incredible new stories about the past. How did Jennifer O’Leary persuade a former missionary priest to reveal his role in smuggling money and weapons to the IRA?

“How did Darragh Macintyre find out the British and American intelligence connections to a long-hidden documentary about a senior IRA man? And how did Mandy McAuley discover that a church charity worker was actually a suspect in a series of murders across Mid Ulster?”

Spotlight On The Troubles: Behind The Scenes airs at 9pm on BBC1 on Thursday, 24 October.

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