I first watched this in 02015, one cloudy, rainy day - not in Northern Ireland, in Saskatchewan. But it matched what I imagined to be stereotypical Northern Irish weather. I had been fascinated by the socio-politics & the guerrilla warfare of The Troubles for years, & I came across this documentary on YouTube.
The format is typical of a history documentary, in combining first-hand accounts from figures involved in the events, interspersed with photo & video from the events, with a calm narration keeping the story flowing in approximate chronological order.
The documentary generally tries to be impartial about what was, as most of the events in The Troubles, a very polarising and emotional event. A variety of people, both retired high-ranking government figures, as well as working-class protesters who had literally thrown debris as the police, were interviewed. This gives the perspective from multiple angles that allows the viewer the freedom to make up their own mind if they choose.
My favourite person in the documentary is Nell McCafferty. She told her story in a lighthearted, entertaining, & informative manner, like the intelligent, sweet grandmother we all need. My least favourite was Martin McGuinness, who reminded me of a psychopathic version of Radar O'Reilly.
Some of the "Free Derry" protesters who were interviewed became more involved in politics after the Battle of the Bogside, but the documentary lacks context as to how they formed their later beliefs that shaped how they responded to the interviews. In particular, Bernadette Devlin, one of the unofficial street leaders of the "Free Derry" movement, and Eamonn McCann, had become literal communist activists, and their alignment/affiliation with the Official (Marxist) IRA has never fully come to light. This is something the documentary omits to mention, which for me is a rather important detail, & for this reason alone I do not give it 10/10.
Otherwise, it is a very watcheable, informative documentary for people who are not completely familiar with why Northern Ireland was for decades one of the most militarised places in Europe.
