Were The Troubles made on television?

What happened in this episode?

In this short excerpt, The Rest Is History discusses how televised images may have shaped perceptions and escalation during the early Troubles. One host says that, according to “some accounts”, the Derry IRA held a meeting before a confrontation and wanted MPs to be positioned at the front of marchers so they would be struck and the movement would gain publicity; the claim is presented as reported by others rather than first-hand.

The hosts then focus on Westminster MP Gerry Fitt, describing how he was beaten during the clash and taken to a police station, where officers told him to clean himself up. Fitt, they say, refused because he wanted “the outside world” to see the blood on his face. The host argues that the most damaging aspect for Northern Ireland’s image was that an RTÉ television crew filmed the incident, and that footage of police beating Fitt and others circulated widely.

They characterise the episode as a candidate for a turning point, with one host arguing it contributed to a “spiral into disaster”. The clip ends by linking the incident to subsequent days of rioting in Derry’s Bogside, describing young men throwing stones and petrol bombs at police.

What are the key points?

• A host cites unspecified accounts alleging the Derry IRA sought to engineer publicity by putting MPs in the front line of marchers.
• The hosts describe police beating Westminster MP Gerry Fitt during the clash and taking him to a station.
• Fitt is quoted as refusing to clean up because he wanted the world to see his injuries.
• An RTÉ television crew is said to have filmed the violence, with the footage circulating internationally.
• One host argues the incident helped make a broader escalation towards sustained unrest more likely.
• The clip links the episode to days of rioting in Derry’s Bogside, including petrol bombs thrown at police.

Which topics are covered?

How is this page sourced?

Programme

The Rest Is History

Published

20 August 2026

Duration

1m

Original episode

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