The new FX series Say Nothing is based on Patrick Radden Keefe’s 2018 bestseller, which chronicles the activities of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) during the Troubles in Northern Ireland. The show follows Dolours and Marian Price, two sisters who went from being peace activists to joining the IRA, engaging in criminal acts, enduring imprisonment, going on hunger strikes, and navigating their post-prison lives. Although the story is based on real events, it’s important to note that the series takes some creative liberties, and is not meant to be a documentary.
Was Gerry Adams Involved in Jean McConville’s Disappearance?
A central question in Say Nothing is whether Gerry Adams was involved in the 1972 disappearance of Jean McConville, a mother of ten who was suspected of being a British informant by the IRA. The series depicts Adams’ character denying any connection to McConville’s disappearance. In real life, Adams has always denied being a member of the IRA or having any knowledge about McConville’s abduction and killing.
In 2019, Adams stated in a Belfast court, “I categorically deny any involvement in the abduction, killing, and burial of Jean McConville, or indeed any others.” The allegations against him were largely based on interviews conducted for The Belfast Project, a Boston College oral history project that included testimonies from former IRA members like Dolours Price. However, a judge ruled that the tapes from the project were unreliable and could not be used as evidence against Adams.
Did the Price Sisters Rob a Bank Dressed as Nuns?
One of the most dramatic and surprising moments in the show is a bank robbery staged by the Price sisters, dressed as nuns. According to Keefe’s book, this event actually happened.
In the summer of 1972, Dolours and Marian Price, along with another accomplice, disguised themselves as nuns and entered an Allied Irish Bank in Belfast. Just before the bank closed, they pulled out guns and held up the branch. The heist was an audacious act that was part of the sisters’ involvement in IRA-related activities. The series uses this real-life event to build tension, with the robbery scene being one of the most intense of the season.
Was the British Government’s Force-Feeding of the Price Sisters as Brutal as It Appears?
The force-feeding of Dolours and Marian Price during their hunger strikes is depicted in Say Nothing as a deeply disturbing and painful experience, and this portrayal is grounded in reality. In 1974, the Price sisters went on hunger strike to demand that they be transferred to a women’s prison in Ireland.
The show captures the excruciating moments when Dolours was force-fed, a procedure that left her struggling to breathe as the feeding tube was inserted. According to Keefe’s book, Dolours herself described how the tube made her gag and nearly suffocated her. Both sisters faced harsh treatment during their time in prison, and their hunger strikes were emblematic of the severe conditions they endured. After their release, both Dolours and Marian had lifelong struggles with eating disorders, as their experiences with force-feeding had lasting psychological effects.
Did Dolours Price Resent Gerry Adams?
Dolours Price’s relationship with Gerry Adams was complex and fraught with tension. While she publicly pledged to spend her post-prison life urging fellow Catholics to refrain from violence, she never forgave Adams for what she perceived as his betrayal of the IRA’s founding principles. After her release from prison in 1981, she became an outspoken critic of Adams, believing that he had sold out the revolutionary ideals of the IRA.
In Keefe’s book, Dolours confesses that she participated in the Belfast Project interviews not only to share her story but also to expose what she viewed as Adams’ role in compromising the organization’s integrity. She felt the need to air grievances about his alleged actions, even if it meant betraying the secrecy of the IRA’s operations. Dolours’ disdain for Adams lingered until her death in 2013, and her actions were driven by a deep sense of betrayal.
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