Personal Accounts From Northern Ireland's Troubles

A poignant collection of first-hand accounts, this book brings the personal toll of Northern Ireland's life. We bear about multiple bereavement from Margaret, whose husband and brother-in-law were both murdered as suspected IRA informers. A retired RUC officer recounts the terrifying day machine gun fire rained down on him, leaving him permanently disabled. Charlotte, from a Hindu family of Indian origin, recounts the tragic day she lost her 24-year-old friend - an innocent victim of crossfire. Lawrence, a former IRA member, describes his participation in a hunger strike which claimed the lives of 10 men. Drawn from a variety of backgrounds and experiences, the victims share one thing in common - that no matter what the nature of their loss, it is irretrievable. Most people are unaware of the real life consequences of the kind of violence Northern Ireland has experienced over the last 30 years. The language used by the media - "collateral damage" and "friendly fire" sanitises and conceals the awful, gory and horrifying impact of war on the lives of ordinary people. When a bomb goes off or someone is murdered in a sectarian attack, media coverage lasts for a few days, but for the surviving victims, the repercussions last a lifetime. At a time when violence is increasingly presented as entertainment, gun-cultures proliferate and armed conflicts can escalate seemingly overnight, this collection provides an understanding of the true cost of violence.