REPLAYING OUR TROUBLES

As the BBC embark on a spate of programmes marking 50th anniversaries of the Troubles, Adam McGibbon asks if replaying Northern Ireland's trauma in the media is preventing the country from healing

- Adam McGibbon

Royal Ulster Constabulary policemen search for weapons and ammuninition in wasteland during the Troubles

“Do you feel the weight of your past?”

The billboard asked me. “Is there conflict in your blood?” another interrogated. The searching words were enveloped in images evocative of Northern Ireland’s violent history. Faces of riot police shrouded behind shields, barbed wire, licks of flame.

The billboards for BBC Northern Ireland’s new series of documentaries marking the 50th anniversary of the beginning of the Troubles were lauded in the trade press. Creative Review described the campaign—aimed at viewers under 35—as using provocative headlines… aimed to spark debate and conversation. A brave approach for the BBC to take with such a polarising and sensitive issue.

The battle of the Bogside 1969 mural

As someone in the target audience group, I didn’t feel polarised or provoked. Instead, it confirmed a feeling I’ve had for some time—that the way in which our media in Northern Ireland constantly replays our most horrific moments is retraumatising the people who had to live through it, and passing those grievances onto a new generation.