“The Catholic birth rate in Northern Ireland was approximately double the Protestant birth rate—yet during the three decades prior to the march on Derry, the Catholic population had remained virtually static, because so many people had no choice but to leave.“–Patrick Radden Keefe, Say Nothing
This is the gripping and chilling story of The Troubles in Northern Ireland. 38 year old widow and mother of ten, Jean McConville, was abducted from her Belfast home in 1972 and was never seen again. She was one of the many “disappeared” during this time. The disappeared were people who were abducted but their bodies were never found, leaving their family and friends in the terrible position of hoping for the best but dreading the worst and never having any closure.
Patrick Radden Keefe uses this story to delve into the violent history of The Troubles and the centuries of conflict between Catholics and Protestants in Ireland that preceded it. As an outsider, Keefe brings an important perspective and clarity to this history. The brutality employed over a difference in religion is stunning and the senseless violence enacted on people like Jean McConville and the impact on their families is gut wrenching.
As with his book, Empire of Pain , Keefe has done meticulous research and written a compelling narrative. He also ensures that those who may have gotten away with criminal acts from a legal stand point, at least have their actions brought to the attention of the public. This is not an easy to book to read but in an increasingly divisive and intolerant world, it is an important one.
Content Advisory: Murder, child abuse, violence, language, forced medical procedures