It’s available for free now. It’s fantastic.
Within the space of weeks, Irish photographers saw their world’s turned upside down as they went from taking photos of cows, showbands, and GAA matches to filming a war zone.
They weren’t alone as photographers from the New York Times, Reuters, Le Monde, Le Parisien and even more global publications made their way to the streets of Northern Ireland.
In RTE’s latest documentary, Shooting the Darkness, viewers were introduced to a number of Irish photographers who witnessed The Troubles at first-hand and unwittingly became war photographers on the streets of their own town.
Truth be told, it was an incredibly powerful and important watch because images like the teenage body of Jackie Duddy being carried through the streets of Derry with Bishop Daly waving a blood-soaked handkerchief are still as timely and haunting now as it was then.
Elsewhere, stories that photographers were being tipped to be in certain places at certain times did offer an insight into how pictures could be used for propaganda – something that the IRA were very keen on exploiting because they understood the importance of imagery.
They even gave some snappers tea and coffee.
However, atrocities were documented on both sides of the conflict and those that were interviewed were keen to stress that “photographers don’t take sides, they take pictures”.
For example, the image of a young teenager that was chained to a poll, tarred and feathered, near the Albert Bar on the Falls Road was extremely powerful. The fact that the IRA then intimidated a local priest that wanted to help the young man was telling.
In a very interesting revelation, we also learned that photographers were usually allowed to work within riots because the rioters wanted the world to see the aggression and violence that was occurring.
As mentioned previously, photographers documented horrible atrocities that were carried out on both sides of the conflict.
Throughout the course of the documentary, we saw RUC soldiers smashing gravestones at Republican funerals, an elderly woman looking completely traumatised after her house was destroyed, and sadly, British troops opening fire on peaceful protesters during Bloody Sunday.
Throughout the duration of the documentary, two things were made painstakingly clear.
Firstly, if future generations want to understand the mayhem, madness, and tragedy that unfolded during The Troubles when communities were destroyed, these brave photographers and their images are absolutely vital.
Make no mistake about it, these photographers put their lives on the line because not only did they have the violence on the street to contend with, but an unwelcome photo could see them face intimidation from the IRA, UVF, RUC and anyone else.
Secondly, even if you don’t like seeing these awful images of loss and pain – nobody does – they’re still essential to see because there isn’t a single person in Ireland that wants to see loss of life on this scale anymore.
Finally, it’s haunting that these photos and stories can only tell a tiny aspect of the story.
After the bombing of the Belfast Balmoral Furniture Company bombing in 1971, an eager but respectful press photographer watched through his viewfinder as the body of a child was carried out from the wreckage.
“I just froze, I couldn’t take the picture,” he said.
While Shooting the Darkness provided an excellent account of a massively important period of Irish history, it’s also a timely reminder that nobody wants to see a return to the violence and pain that defined The Troubles.
If you missed the documentary, you can watch it here on the RTÉ player.
It definitely made an impression on those that watched it.
Well done to my photographer friends, including Alan Lewis, for taking part in Shooting the Darkness on RTÉ. An important documentary that everyone should watch. More programmes like this are needed as a reminder of NI's brave photographers and journalists during the Troubles. pic.twitter.com/qJHBove4oA
— John McVitty (@JohnMcVittyPix) January 31, 2019
Shooting the Darkness documentary about the war photographers in Northern Ireland was an excellent albeit difficult watch. #shootingthedarkness
— Graham Healy (@Healycycles) January 30, 2019
https://twitter.com/TrinaOConnor74/status/1090758504393134080
@PhotopressNI I would just like to applaud you for your contributions to the incredible RTÉ documentary Shooting the Darkness
— Simone Rapple (@sim1rap) January 30, 2019
Shooting the Darkness on RTE is stark, depressing, shocking and great. A reminder that the troubles wasn't all that long ago. Pulling dead children from blown up buildings. At a time of peace when people should be coming together why does it feel like we're drifting apart?
— Pat O'Loughlin (@Pat_O_Loughlin) January 30, 2019
https://twitter.com/martykfreelance/status/1090756398252724227
https://twitter.com/ronan_casey/status/1090756241415131136
Shooting The Darkness on @RTEOne is a powerful show showing the photographers and the ways they brought us the images we remember well from our troubles Thankfully their having to take other kinds of pictures today let’s hope it stays that way🤔
— Eugene Diamond (@EDiamond136) January 30, 2019
https://twitter.com/TonyPettigrew3/status/1090755334770229248
https://twitter.com/007_genevieve/status/1090753108802719745
https://twitter.com/luciaward/status/1090752973444169728
Really good documentary on @RTEOne “Shooting the darkness” chronicling The Troubles from photographers perspective. Timely reminder of the horror that went on and the absolute madness of Brexit to risk undermining Good Friday Agreement for the benefit of the DUP & Tories.
— Darren Chambers (@dmcambrois) January 30, 2019
https://twitter.com/drrrop/status/1090899200852795392
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