Son of IRA victim labels Disney drama’s depiction of mother’s murder “horrendous”

Michael McConville has described the depiction of his mother’s killing and clandestine interment by the IRA in an upcoming Disney series as “horrendous” and “cruel.” The series Say Nothing, adapted from a book by Patrick Radden Keefe bearing the identical title, chronicles the experiences of various individuals residing in Northern Ireland amidst the period known as the Troubles. The narrative of Jean McConville, one of the individuals “disappeared” by the IRA during the conflict, is included in the series. Her son, Michael McConville, stated that the program represents “another telling of [my mother’s story] that I and my family have to endure.” BBC News NI has sought a statement from Disney. Say Nothing is a nine-part drama, produced by FX, which is available on Disney+ in the UK. It portrays the late 20th-century conflict in Northern Ireland, referred to as the Troubles, a period spanning nearly 30 years and resulting in over 3,500 fatalities. The cast of the series includes Lola Petticrew portraying Dolours Price and Hazel Doupe as Marian Price, who were young sisters and notable figures within the IRA [Irish Republican Army]. Additionally, Anthony Boyle appears as Brendan Hughes, another IRA member, and Josh Finan as Gerry Adams. The production has garnered favorable assessments from critics. The narrative presented in the drama draws partly from a collection of interviews conducted with Dolours Price and Brendan Hughes several years following the incidents. These recordings were compiled for Boston College, a US university, as part of an academic endeavor to compile an “oral history” of the Troubles. However, the project sparked considerable controversy, and law enforcement in Northern Ireland subsequently obtained the tapes to utilize as evidence in continuing murder investigations. During these discussions, Mr Hughes claimed that Gerry Adams participated in Jean McConville’s abduction and murder. The former Sinn Féin leader has refuted this, stating it is a falsehood. Adams has also consistently rejected any affiliation with the IRA. In 2014, Adams was apprehended in connection with Mrs McConville’s murder but was not subsequently charged. In remarks issued on Wednesday evening, Mr McConville stated: “I have not watched it nor do I intend watching it.” He added, “I have no interest in it.” He further commented that “Disney is reknowned for entertainment,” yet emphasized that his mother’s passing “is not entertainment for me and my family.” He concluded, “This is our reality, every day for 52 years.” Mr McConville additionally expressed disapproval regarding the series’ release schedule, noting its closeness to the anniversary of his mother’s death on 1 December. He asserted: “The portrayal of the execution and secret burial of my mother is horrendous and unless you have lived through it, you will never understand just how cruel it is.” He continued, “Everyone knows the story of Jean McConville: even Hillary Clinton who I met a few years ago knew my mother’s story.” He then added, “And yet here is another telling of it that I and my family have to endure.” Mr McConville conveyed that although the series’ creators would “move on,” he is unable to do so. The mother-of-10, a Protestant, was originally from east Belfast and converted to Catholicism after marrying Arthur McConville. Following intimidation that led them to leave east Belfast, the family relocated to west Belfast, establishing their residence in the Divis flats on the Falls Road. Shortly after their relocation in 1971, Arthur McConville passed away due to cancer. In December 1972, she was forcibly removed from her residence by the IRA. Speculation had circulated that her abduction occurred after neighbors observed her assisting an injured British soldier. Other assertions suggested she was an informer, though this claim was refuted following an official inquiry by the Northern Ireland Police Ombudsman. Individuals referred to as the Disappeared were abducted, killed, and clandestinely interred by republicans. In 1999, the IRA confessed to murdering nine of the Disappeared, Jean McConville among them, and burying their remains in undisclosed sites. Her remains were eventually discovered several years later, in 2003, on Shelling Hill Beach in County Louth, within the Republic of Ireland. Authorities with the Irish police verified that her death resulted from a gunshot wound to the head. Subsequently, the IRA released a statement expressing regret for the sorrow inflicted upon the families of the Disappeared and acknowledging the prolonged duration of their anguish. Patrick Radden Keefe, the author of Say Nothing, informed BBC News NI that he held “a number of meetings” via the Wave Trauma Centre in Belfast with members of the McConville family and delegates from other affected families. He explained that these gatherings aimed “to talk about what we were doing, what our intentions were and be there to answer any questions or to hear any concerns.” Mr Keefe further stated: “I did some outreach to Helen McConville, now Helen McKendry, and her husband Seamus. “I had a long Zoom conversation with them in which we talked about what it was we were doing. I was there, they knew where to find me if they had questions or concerns.” He emphasized, “We wanted to make it clear that we were going to approach this story with a great deal of sensitivity and compassion.” Mr Keefe also mentioned his desire “to do justice to these traumatic and terrible events.” He described it as an alternative method for recounting the history of The Troubles, characterizing it as “a human story through the perspective of the lives of these two very different women, one of them a victim and one of them a perpetrator.” The Wave Trauma Center informed BBC News NI that Mr Keefe and series producer Michael Lennox engaged with families of the Disappeared, among them Michael McConville and other family members. They reported that each meeting extended for several hours. Maria Lynskey, niece of Joe Lynskey, whose abduction and murder are also depicted in the program, stated that Mr Keefe did discuss the show with them, but production had already commenced. She told BBC’s Evening Extra programme, “It had started, and there was no stopping it.” She further remarked: “We told him how we felt about it, and that we didn’t approve of it.” Joe Lynskey, a Cistercian monk, subsequently joined the provisional IRA. He vanished in 1972, and Ms Lynskey informed BBC News NI that her family initially thought he had escaped to America. However, alleged confessions from former IRA members later disclosed that he had been abducted and murdered. Notwithstanding multiple search efforts, Mr Lynskey’s remains have yet to be located. Ms Lynskey stated that she acknowledges the necessity of telling the story “because it’s history,” but noted that it is simpler for those not directly involved to view a drama based on these occurrences. She commented, “I would agree that any publicity is good, and if it helped young ones to stay away from [violence], then absolutely.” Nevertheless, she concluded: “I don’t think I could watch it.” She elaborated, “I know these families, I know what they’ve been through. To watch your mother being taken from her home when you were a child, or to see your brother in a bog with a gun to the back of his head, that becomes reality to you, you’re seeing it again.”