Faber & Faber

Bear in Mind These Dead: Susan McKay

• £9.99 (Paperback)
• Add to basket

Synopsis:

In 2007 Sinn Féin and the Democratic Unionist Party sat down together to share power in a new Northern Ireland Assembly. Old enemies have at last agreed to move on from the hatred and violence of the past four decades.

The Troubles have ended, but many of those who suffered still have no peace of mind. Nearly 4,000 people were killed during the conflict. A legacy of hurt remains: of suicides and broken hearts, and injuries to mind and body that have not healed. The question of who speaks for the dead remains contentious. One person’s hero is another’s murderer. Some victims say others have no right to that title. Dealing with the past is controversial in the new Northern Ireland.

Susan McKay’s book explores the difficult aftermath of the violence for families, friends and communities. By interviewing those who loved the missing and the dead, as well as some who narrowly survived, McKay gives a voice to those who are too often overlooked in the political histories. She has found grief and rage, as well as forgiveness. Some long to forget, others cannot rest until they find out the truth. Some demand a measure of justice. They face formidable odds, for there are those with strong interests in keeping parts of the history of the Troubles in the dark.

The devolved government in Northern Ireland is working towards a new future for all the people. This book is a moving and important contribution to that process. Only by confronting the brutality of the past can there be any hope that the dead may finally be laid to rest.

Tags:

Categorised as:

Non-fiction

Sub-categories:

Current Affairs

Places:

Northern Ireland

Genres & Themes:

Government; Military; Terrorism