Nick Maxwell The recent death of Monty Python’s Terry Jones (a published historian, incidentally) calls to mind one of the greatest satires ever to appear on film, The life of Brian (which Jones directed). In the light of the recent débâcle concerning the aborted official State commemoration of the RIC, one scene in particular stands out. While Brian … Read more
William Howard Russell at the First Battle of Bull Run, 1861. By Royston Spears Sir William Howard Russell, special correspondent of the London Times, is best known today for his unflinching reports of the Crimean War, but few people realise that he also witnessed the dramatic opening stages of the American Civil War, including the … Read more
In late August 1829, the English poet William Wordsworth (1770–1850) crossed the Irish Sea for the first time, sailing from Holyhead to Howth. By Brandon C. Yen Wordsworth spent five weeks in Ireland, visiting glens, rivers, loughs, abbeys, churches, castles and demesnes, as well as Dublin, Cork, Limerick, Derry and Belfast, before returning to Britain … Read more
BBC Northern Ireland and BBC Four 10 September–22 October 2019 (seven episodes) By Brian Hanley It is as well to admit at the outset that critiquing a television documentary could leave a historian open to the accusation of being jealous of the access to a popular audience enjoyed by a documentary-maker. As it happens, most … Read more
Did Bloody Sunday really create ‘a nation in revolt’ that eschewed constitutional politics? By Dan Haverty A close examination of community politics in Derry’s Bogside after ‘Bloody Sunday’ reveals a robust network of citizens’ associations dedicated to non-violent reform. Even after Bloody Sunday (30 January 1972), most Catholic residents continued to support the moderate proposals … Read more