Bloody Sunday: Trauma, Pain and Politics (Contemporary Irish Studies)

Of all the grave crises in Northern Ireland's history, the events of Bloody Sunday are perhaps the most notorious. The subject of an independent inquiry that is the longest and most expensive the British government has ever undertaken, this yet to be resolved issue continues to be one of the most significant events in the recent history of the Troubles. This book tackles the subject from a new angle that covers both the political and psychological aspects of what happened. Based on extensive interviews with families whose relatives were killed by British soldiers, it is a record of the trauma that they have suffered. Setting Bloody Sunday in social, political and historical contexts, the authors examine the events of the day itself, the aftermath, and the relationship between post-traumatic stress disorder, grief, mourning and storytelling. They conclude with accounts about state and community responses to the trauma, and the impact and implications of the Saville Inquiry, which has allowed family members to express publicly their stories about the events of Bloody Sunday. Contents......Page 4 Introduction......Page 15 The origins of the conflict......Page 23 Northern Ireland: a contested state......Page 26 Civil rights, increasing violence and internment......Page 27 Events leading to Bloody Sunday......Page 30 Bloody Sunday: the aftermath......Page 33 Northern Ireland post- Belfast Agreement......Page 36 Summary......Page 38 Defining state violence......Page 39 State violence in Northern Ireland, 1921 - 98......Page 44 Reforming the state and the resolution of conflict: Northern Ireland post- Belfast Agreement......Page 49 Summary......Page 51 The history of the concept of PTSD......Page 52 Type 1 and Type 2 traumas......Page 56 PTSD and the Troubles in Northern Ireland......Page 58 Grief, mourning and trauma......Page 61 Grief and mourning......Page 62 Children and trauma......Page 63 Grief and trauma......Page 64 Long- term consequences of trauma......Page 65 Helping people with PTSD......Page 67 Storytelling and trauma resolution......Page 69 Summary......Page 70 Rationale for the qualitative approach......Page 72 The study instruments......Page 73 The field process......Page 76 The study sample......Page 77 Data analysis: quantitative data......Page 78 Data analysis: qualitative data......Page 80 Study limitations......Page 81 Summary......Page 83 The beginning of the day......Page 84 Outcry and denial......Page 88 Hearing the news: 'He's dead'......Page 89 Going across to Altnagelvin......Page 94 Traumatic stress and Bloody Sunday......Page 96 The funerals: ‚ Thirteen coffins......Page 100 Foreshortened life and survivor guilt......Page 103 Working through trauma......Page 105 Summary......Page 107 Trauma, grief and loss......Page 108 'We don't talk about it'......Page 113 Anger: 'They were innocent ...Have to get a fair hearing'......Page 114 The Bloody Sunday Justice Campaign: 'I thought I could do something'......Page 116 Anti- violence and apoliticism: protecting the next generation......Page 117 Summary......Page 122 7 State and community responses to trauma......Page 123 The early period of the Troubles......Page 124 Direct rule and integrated service......Page 125 The ceasefires and after......Page 127 Dealing with the trauma of the past......Page 131 Helping the Bloody Sunday families......Page 132 State services......Page 134 Non- governmental agencies......Page 139 Summary......Page 142 Experiencing the peace in Northern Ireland......Page 143 Derry, August 2001......Page 144 Grieving the lost relative......Page 147 Living with the inquiry......Page 149 The media and Derry response to the inquiry......Page 154 Summary......Page 157 9 The quest for justice and resolution of trauma? The Saville Inquiry......Page 158 The Inquiry structure and process......Page 161 Legal procedures......Page 162 The magnitude and cost of the Inquiry......Page 163 Strengths and weaknesses of the Inquiry......Page 164 Will the Inquiry establish the truth and heal the wounds?......Page 166 Summary......Page 168 Testimony: giving and getting support......Page 170 Experiencing the Inquiry day by day......Page 172 Hearing about the last moments of the dead......Page 173 Questions answered......Page 174 'Taking time out'......Page 176 Repudiating Widgery......Page 177 Fairness of the process: hopes and fears......Page 178 Witness badgering......Page 179 Apportioning the blame......Page 181 'It's worth it'......Page 185 Summary......Page 186 Issues of methodology......Page 188 Complex trauma: implications for resolution......Page 189 Fear and a disempowered generation......Page 190 The human experience of trauma: loss......Page 191 Justice, violence and politics......Page 192 30 years after Bloody Sunday......Page 193 Bibliography......Page 197 Index......Page 209