Every episode is available for free. Highly recommended.
Given the extraordinary events that unfolded during the Irish War of Independence and the events that led up to the revolution itself, it's entirely possible to make a ten-part documentary series on the time period and still not do justice to this seismic period in Irish history.
However, Ruan Magan's documentary
The Irish Revolution was an excellent examination of the era and a faithful adaptation of the award-winning book, The Atlas of the Revolution.
Anyone that watched the three-part series will know that each episode was allocated a very specific timeframe to portray.
For example, the first episode ended with the very first meeting of the Dáil, while the subsequent episode culminated in the death of Terence MacSwiney and how the former Mayor of Cork galvanised the Irish cause by dying on hunger strike.
With regards to the most recent episode, the focus was very much on depicting how the levels of violence escalated - on both sides - as the body count began to rise.
Throughout the recent episode, viewers learned about Michael Collins and the IRA systematically trying to bring down the Cairo Gang, the carnage of Bloody Sunday, the IRA raiding and burning the Customs House, Tom Barry's military campaigns in Munster, the Kilmichael ambush, the Black and Tans burning Cork, the grim realities of daily life in Ireland during the early part of 1921, and much more.
Ultimately, this all culminated in the Treaty and the subsequent Civil War.
Here's a brief example of the IRA's increased military campaign against the Crown's forces in Ireland.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FVrqw7pVJNU&feature=youtu.be
At this point, it should be noted that the The Irish Revolution was mainly concerned with portraying the events that unfolded in a very distinct time period - the main fighting in this guerrilla war took place from 1919 to 1921 - but the documentary is so good that it has left people wanting more.
Hand on heart, we'd love a few other documentaries to tell the story of the Treaty negotiations (kudos to the filmmakers for constantly mentioning the role of Britain's Prime Minister David Lloyd George in the narrative), the Irish Civil War, and The Troubles (briefly mentioned in The Irish Revolution).
All things considered, The Irish Revolution was an excellent series and some people have even hailed it as "the best documentary on RTÉ in years".
Here's what the director - and the public - had to say at the end of a terrific watch.
https://twitter.com/RuanMagan/status/1097582554545381377
It's clear that the documentary resonated with those that saw it.
https://twitter.com/kearyshel/status/1097616624222375941
https://twitter.com/anthonyodonovan/status/1097626361093677056
https://twitter.com/searlasodaire/status/1097628665293275136
https://twitter.com/PartAnnMarie/status/1097628886656057344
https://twitter.com/greenshinemusic/status/1097649567716331520
https://twitter.com/LiamHarbison/status/1097636504996855809
https://twitter.com/GlenMono/status/1097630037845659648
https://twitter.com/helenriddell/status/1097628999700881408
https://twitter.com/kane_looney/status/1097621018909294595
Despite the fact that the series is still available to watch for free
via the RTÉ Player, people want another documentary series to examine the fallout from the War of Independence.
We won't say no to that.
https://twitter.com/slippery_dodger/status/1097627304606515202
https://twitter.com/Ciaranhoul/status/1097626995616370688
https://twitter.com/celticbohy67/status/1097627312475041792
https://twitter.com/CarolineNewell1/status/1097641885722656770
https://twitter.com/RealPMurphy/status/1097634972314284033
https://twitter.com/adrianscahill/status/1097630163523776514
