Northern Ireland’s fight for independence from England ran for 40 years with continuous bombings and other horrible acts on both sides. The series is formatted around the oral history from several key members of the IRA (the Belfast Project). The drama primarily focuses on 2 young women (Lola Petticrew and Hazel Doupe) who started their involvement as teens, organized a bombing in London and ended up in prison for an extended hunger strike. Meanwhile, several of the movement’s leaders play a part in the story, including the mother of 10 who became one of The Disappeared and the involvement of Gerry Adams, president of Sinn Féin, who denies any part in the IRA. The performances are uniformly strong and the filmmaking effectively ranges from outrage to tragedy to tenderness . This is a complex story told with intelligence, compassion and power detailing the personal tolls, continuous cruelty and controversial politics from both sides (with the focus on the IRA). NOTE: Since the Irish accent can get thick and they talk fast, consider turning on captions. (Nine 40-minute eps) 
(4 / 5)
