Belfast 1972 – Jean McConville (Judith Roddy) catches Michael McConville (Rylee Neilly Large) trying to sneak a pigeon into the loft. She reminds him of their agreement. He insists the pigeon is different than the other six but she doesn’t budge. She gives Helen McConville (Emily Healy) money to pick up food for the children. A short time later, Jean is in the bath while Archie McConville (Isaac Heslip), Tucker McConville (Lennox Loughran), Jim McConville (Conor Trainor), Susie McConville (Sarah Gordon), Michael, Agnes McConville (Ava-Rose Gallagher), and Billy McConville (Matthew Murphy) are downstairs. They hear a knock at the door. Tucker opens it to see four intruders (Warren Rusher, Bernadette Brown, and Aidan Kelly). Hearing commotion downstairs, Jean grabs a towel. An intruder breaks down the door and attacks her. The children hold each other while hearing Jean’s screams. An intruder brings her into the room. Another intruder orders her to get dressed. Michael grabs Jean’s leg. She dares them touch to her children. Michael demands to know where they are taking her. Archie asks to go with her. Susie watches as the intruders escort Archie and Jean away. An intruder motions for her to stay silent. Archie is not permitted to accompany Jean further than a vehicle. She asks him to take care of the children until she returns.

29 Years Later Dublin, Republic Of Ireland – Mackers (Seamus O’Hara), head of the Belfast Project, interviews older Dolours Price (Maxine Peake) “Participant H.” She asks if her name will remain anonymous. He says it is for both of their safety and assures her the audio will not be released until after she dies. She says her parents were proud IRA members.

1957 Belfast – Young Dolours (Aofe Conlon) and young Marian (Maisie Squibb) color a map of Ireland. Albert Price (Stuart Graham) asks if he ever told them how to make explosions. Later, Albert shares his infamous prison break with the girls. Teenagers, Mariam Price (Hazel Doupe) and Dolours Price (Lola Petticrew) tell Albert that they are going hiking. In the present, older Dolours recalls living in a segregated Belfast when the Protestants were hired over the Catholics. Back in the past, teenage Dolours and Marian hand out flyers for an impending civil rights march. Mr. McShane (Aidan O’Neill) takes a flyer. Later, Dolours urges Marian to go with her to the university. Marian tells her that she is not talented. Dolours assures her that she will find her niche. In the present, older Dolours says Aunt Bridie (Eileen Walsh) gave her sight and hands to the cause while Chrissie invested two weeks behind bars and Albert eight years. Back in the past, Albert boasts of pushing a police cruiser into the river. Dolours says violence doesn’t help the cause. He argues that violence is the only way to solve their issues. She sarcastically reminds him of how violence cost the Irish greatly when they tried to bomb the British. She criticizes his failed prison break. Chrissie orders her to shut up.

The lead marcher (Christopher Langan) prepares the volunteers for the march. He insists no one retaliates to agitators. Marian is a bit hesitant but Dolours assures her it will only be a few stones. Back in the present, older Dolours tells Mackers the police insisted the marchers take the Glenshane Pass. Back in the past, a RUC Police Officer (Stephen Cavanagh) joins another officer in the front when the march comes to a halt. Dolours and Marian watch a man on a hilltop motion for others to follow. Within minutes, the hilltop becomes saturated with people. A marcher collapses after being hit by a stone. The armed agitators throw stones while racing toward the marchers. Frantic, Marian and Dolours hide under a coat. The police hide behind a vehicle. The agitators attack the marchers with sticks. Marian and Dolours race toward the river when they find themselves surrounded by agitators. The man in the river (Adam Murphy) beats Dolours with a stick. Terrified, Marian can do nothing but watch. An officer intervenes to stop the beating. Dolours grips the officer’s leg. Back in the present, older Dolours describes the agitators’ eyes as being filled with hate. She knew at that moment that there was no hope of converting them.

A battered teenage Dolours tells Chrissie that the sticks had nails in them. Albert looks at her and walks away. Chrissie asks why they didn’t fight back. Frustrated, Dolours throws paint on a canvas. Marian informs of a protest in the Falls. They are watching live footage of a Catholic mob attacking the police. Albert bursts into the house with an injured Jimmy Dooley (Ryan McParland). Crissy gets to work treating his wounds. Dolours convinces a reluctant Marian to go with her to watch the riot outside the barracks. Chrissie stuffs a pistol into a sock and buries it in the yard. The riot is in full force when Dolours and Marian arrive. The rioters throw Molotov cocktails at the police. An officer’s uniform catches on fire. Gerry Adams (Josh Finan) utilizing a megaphone calls for bigger Molotov cocktails to set the cars on fire. He stresses the need to get an armored vehicle. Back in the present, older Dolours tells Mackers that Gerry was 16 when he joined the IRA. He claims he never wavered when it came to the cause. Back in the past, Chalkie (Cuan Hosty-Blaney) cuts telephone lines. Dolours suggests cutting down the telephone pole feeding the barracks. Doc McFadden (Nigel O’Neill) orders Gerry to recruit Dolours to join the Cumann. Realizing women are not allowed to take part in the fighting, she declines and pulls Marian away from the protest. Back in the present, older Dolours says they wanted to “fundraise” like the boys.

Marian, Chrissie, and Dolours are in the bank when armed IRA members storm in and order the tellers to empty their registers. With his face only partially concealed, Brendan “The Dark” Hughes (Anthony Boyle) smiles at Dolours while retrieving money scattered on the floor. She later tells Marian. In the present, older Dolours tells Mackers that Brendan was the leader of the D-Company. Back in the past, Chrissie suggests Dolours urge Brendan to wear a better disguise. Dolours asks what if they are friends. It appears as if Chrissie digs up the gun that she hid previously. Chrissie assures her that she wouldn’t mind because he supports the Cause. She warns that the British army is expected in Belfast soon and urges her to stick with her university goal. Chrissie complains about how the Unionists banned her from going to college. Angry, Dolours accuses her of not speaking up when Albert criticized the police for being corrupt. They look up to see Aunt Bridie watching them. Dolours assures Chrissie that she has her priorities straight. Bridie claims the soldiers ransacked their trash bins last night. Chrissie sends Dolours to warn Albert.

A woman alerts the neighbors of approaching soldiers. Dolours looks out the window as soldiers race toward a neighboring house. She looks over at the bag with Chrissy’s gun when soldiers break in and start ransacking their house. Chrissy tries to stop them but a soldier knocks her to the ground. Dolours and Marian rush over to her. A soldier (Jake Lampert) threatens Marian if Dolours doesn’t tell them where Albert is hiding. In the present, older Dolours tells Mackers that Albert fled south, across the border where British law held no value. She says the soldiers rounded up men of all ages, even those with disabilities. She admits to missing Albert while he was gone. Back in the past, Dolours gives Chrissy’s gun to Doc. She suggests rewriting the 1956 operation’s manual to allow women to take part in the fighting. Marian says rolling bandages will do nothing to help the Women’s Council win the war if all the men are detained. Doc agrees to pitch their idea to the Big Lad. Gerry warns that fighting isn’t as glamorous as Albert makes it out to be. Later, Doc takes a vow to support the IRA and promises to tell noone. In the present, Mackers asks older Dolours what went down inside the McConville flat. She denies any knowledge of it. He says a widow and mother of 10 children, “Jean” McConville was abducted from her flat to never be seen again.

Teenage Marian and Dolours see the McConville children moving into Divis flats. Michael catches a pigeon. One of the intruders who abducted Jean invites him to visit sometimes. Another one of the intruders emerges from the flat. The episode ends.

 

Say Nothing Review

The series has potential but is vague on some important aspects and so soon into it. The audience deserves a clear picture and understanding of what Dolours endured during her involvement with the IRA.

Although the story is told from older Dolours’ perspective, it’s questionable if the time jumps are necessary. It would have been more effective to start at her childhood and progress forward to the present. The time jumps are partially to blame for the poor story flow.

The acting is stupendous across the board. The cinematography, editing, and lighting are poor. The writing isn’t always comprehensive. The episode deserves 6.2 out of 10.

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