Book SummarySay Nothing, by Patrick Radden Keefe

1-Page Summary1-Page Book Summary of Say Nothing

The development and tactics employed by the Provisional IRA throughout the conflict in Northern Ireland.

As the sectarian conflict intensified, a new "Provisional" faction surfaced in the late 1960s, born out of the shortcomings observed in the Irish Republican Army.

The Provos emerged as a group advocating for the use of force, born from the Catholic community's disillusionment with the IRA's failure to react to the 1969 disturbances.

Keefe highlights the turmoil and unpreparedness of the Irish Republican Army when sectarian violence erupted across Northern Ireland in the spring of 1969. The conflicts that swept through Belfast and Derry ignited deep-seated hostilities between the Catholic and Protestant factions, leading to vicious assaults, the burning of homes that forced many to flee, and the creation of barriers that cemented the new landscape of sectarian separation. Catholics, feeling increasingly besieged as a minority, sensed an imbalance as the Royal Ulster Constabulary seemed to support the Protestant/loyalist community, which was further reinforced by the staunchly anti-Catholic B-Specials. As the 1960s drew to a close, the community that had previously looked to the IRA for safeguarding found that the organization, which had been active since the War of Independence, had lapsed into inactivity and could no longer provide sufficient protection. The group's membership in Belfast had dwindled to approximately a hundred, primarily composed of veterans from previous campaigns. In 1968, the IRA had regrettably sold some of its remaining weapons, resulting in their stockpiles being insufficiently supplied.

Dissatisfied by the IRA's failure to protect the Catholic populace during the intensifying strife, a faction in Belfast, led by the resolute fighter Billy McKee with a legacy of activism stretching to the 1930s, sparked a revolt and, in a manner reminiscent of past divisions within the group, decided to form an independent faction. The Provisional IRA engaged in armed resistance with a clear strategic objective. The group commonly referred to as "Stickies" adhered to a Marxist-inspired belief system and pursued transformation via political channels, whereas the Provos were resolute in their conviction that employing violence was the only way to expel the British from Ireland, seeking retribution for a long history of oppression and wrongdoing. In his dialogue with McKee, Keefe discovered that the seasoned combatant showed no remorse for rekindling the hostilities. McKee concluded that the circumstances warranted such actions due to the lack of alternatives.

The involvement of women in the Provisional IRA was significant. Dolours and Marian Price transitioned from advocating for nonviolent protest to engaging in militant activities.

The Price sisters, having faced persistent aggression from Loyalists, committed themselves to the cause of the Provos and demanded to be acknowledged as combatants.

Keefe's portrayal illustrates how young Catholics in Ireland, including the Price sisters, became radicalized during the late 1960s. The daughters of Albert Price, a veteran IRA gunman and bomb maker, Dolours and Marian would have been familiar since childhood with the rhetoric of Irish republicanism. Growing up in West Belfast, they found themselves deeply engrossed in their father's tales of clashes with the British forces, and they came of age in a society that revered its fallen heroes, considering the 1916 Easter Rising as the pivotal moment in the pursuit of an independent Ireland. The Price siblings initially adopted nonviolent protest tactics, aligning themselves with the burgeoning movement for civil rights. In 1969, they participated in the significant People's Democracy march from Belfast to Derry, deliberately adopting a philosophy inspired by leaders such as Martin Luther King, which advocated for peaceful protest in order to cultivate a society where adherents of every religion could coexist harmoniously. The protesters' dedication to nonviolent demonstration was abruptly broken when they met opposition from loyalists, including individuals who were expected to maintain neutrality but were associated with the RUC and B-Specials.

Dolours and Marian encountered the wrath of an incensed mob at a critical juncture. When they got back to the home of their father, clearly showing signs of what they had been through, they asked at once, "Why didn't we offer any resistance?" The siblings came to recognize the simplicity of their early idealistic views and decided to align themselves with proponents of profound change. The initial stance of the Provisional IRA's command was that women could best contribute to their cause by offering support services, such as preparing tea, assembling bandages, and caring for wounded fighters. The Price sisters resolved to engage directly in the conflict, not merely in supportive roles but as frontline participants. The Provos' Army Council, motivated by the Price family's steadfast dedication to the republican movement, convened a special session and resolved to bestow upon women equal...

Say Nothing Summary The British Government's Counterinsurgency Efforts and Response to the aggressive actions of the IRA.

British forces began to arrive. The increase in military presence and the change in public opinion from "neutral referee" to "invading power"

The military's commencement of detention without trial and the enforcement of the Falls Curfew are examples of how the application of force resulted in unexpected harmful consequences.

The British troops soon became embroiled in local religious conflicts, shifting from their initial role as neutral facilitators to being perceived as occupying forces. British forces were deployed to Northern Ireland as a reaction to the unrest in Belfast and the conflict known as the Battle of the Bogside in 1969. They arrived in large numbers, in armored vehicles, clad in body armor. Initially, Catholics, who were incensed by the discrimination they encountered at the hands of the Royal Ulster Constabulary, saw the military as a relatively neutral entity in upholding peace. Mothers, filled with gratitude, often offered tea and biscuits to soldiers stationed at various crossroads in the region. The amicable atmosphere was destined to be short-lived. The British Army struggled to navigate the intricate sectarian terrain of Belfast, often...

Say Nothing Summary The impact on personal experiences and the wider society from the period known as the Troubles includes the consequences of hunger strikes, the role of informers, and the lasting influence of the conflict.

The narrative of the McConville family epitomizes the deep-seated division and destruction that unfolded during the unrest in Belfast.

The IRA capitalized on the sorrow of Jean's children after her disappearance by falsely alleging that she had betrayed their cause.

The assassination of Jean McConville stood out as a case that deeply concerned the IRA leadership, given her status as a Protestant widow and the fact that her death resulted in her children being orphaned. Despite the firm stance of the Irish Republican Army's Provisional faction that their actions constituted legitimate warfare against an oppressive regime, the secretive kidnapping and killing of a mother of ten still presents a challenge to rationalize. Eighteen-year-old Helen McConville contacted republican leaders soon after her mother's disappearance, pleading with them to reveal the circumstances of her mother's absence and the location of her final resting place. Speculation was rife that Jean McConville's demise stemmed from her supposed intimate ties to a British serviceman, leading to conjecture that she might have escaped to England alongside him, abandoning her offspring. Jean's fate was...

Say Nothing Summary Discussions of a political nature and strategic bargaining took place not only within the Republican Movement but also during the dialogues involving representatives of the IRA and those from Britain.

In 1972, Hughes, along with other leaders of the IRA, initiated discussions with representatives from Britain.

Seán Mac Stíofáin's inflexible position led to the collapse of negotiations.

The early attempts at negotiating peace, as detailed by Keefe, underscore the unwavering resolve of specific members of the Irish Republican Army, whose commitment persisted through the prolonged strife, indicating the sheer unlikelihood of achieving an agreement through diplomatic means in 1972. During the persistent unrest, the Irish Republican Army surprisingly declared a cessation of their armed operations in the summer of 1972. This ephemeral period brought a brief surge of optimism to the region, but the fragile ceasefire disintegrated in less than two weeks, leading to the resurgence of conflict. In the subsequent days, a contingent of IRA chiefs, including Gerry Adams and Brendan Hughes, as well as the Chief of Staff, Seán Mac Stíofáin, were escorted by British troops in a military helicopter to a secret meeting near Belfast. They were clandestinely flown to London on a British armed forces aircraft.

That evening, the Irishmen, dressed informally, went to a significant...