After lots of physical activity and days walking in the sun today was a perfect day for a rest to prepare for a long weekend ahead. Today on our schedule we only had a lecture on the Troubles to prepare us for our Belfast trip, so in the morning we decided to check out some of the art exhibits around Dublin. What was great about all these experiences is that they were completely free to enter which allowed us to come and go as we pleased.
We stopped at The Photo Museum, The National Library of Ireland and the National Art Gallery. I will honestly say, as a photographer, I was a little disappointed in the Photo Museum, which was quite small with only two exhibitions included. The National Library is also home to 100’s of photo achieves as well so I was also disappointed that we were not able to see more of them while we were there. The National Art Gallery was truly beautiful. The focus was on a lot of religious based art at least but the exhibits at the back had some beautiful landscapes which I really enjoyed.
After these art filled stops, we headed to our guest lecture. Dr. Niall Gilmartin was kind enough to come educate us on the history of Belfast and the conflict of the troubles. In this short blog, I am going to touch on some of the information she gave us on the media portion of what was happening at this time of the conflict. He explains that media outputs important part of a wider desire to engage in debate about political situation. How peoples day to day routine might be adversely affected by the troubles examples of this being bombing scares, traffic disruption. Journalists at this time were viewed as political actors not as detached observers.
Time Line of some important events of this Time:
- 1921-1960: Catholics enemy within discrimination, jobs housing and votes.
- 1969 Outbreak of of sectarian violence arrival o British Troups.
- 1990 Decade of Peace Process, secret talks between British government and IRA.
- 1997-1998 All party Peace Talks occur.
- 1994-1997 Republic and Loyalists ceasefire.
- 1998 Good Friday Agreement or the Belfast Agreement: Ending the Troubles in Northern Ireland.