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Gallery: The alternative history of the Troubles

Machine-gun Christmas cards, underwear parties and a singing Ian Paisley: take a look at these snapshots of the conflict’s unseen side.

By Michael Freeman Saturday 30 Jul 2011, 8:00 PM
Jul 30th 2011, 8:00 PM 1,545 Views 0 Comments
https://jrnl.ie/187662
Image: Archive of Modern Conflict
Image: Archive of Modern Conflict

WE REMEMBER THE Troubles through atrocities, damage and death counts. But it was also a time when people in the thick of the conflict had to live their daily lives: listening to music, sending Christmas cards, going to parties.

Photographer Donovan Wylie and editor Timothy Prus dug through the archives for the mementoes that people across the North kept in scrapbooks. From the Rev Ian Paisley’s singing career, to festive greetings with machine guns, to snapshots of party guests in suspenders, they show a very different history of the Troubles – and how the political conflict infiltrated practically every element of life.

Donovan Wylie and Timothy Prus’ Scrapbook is published by the Archive of Modern Conflict/Steidl and is available here.

Gallery: Personal items from the Troubles

Gallery: The alternative history of the Troubles
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  • The Troubles Scrapbook

  • The Troubles Scrapbook

    A warning to British soldiers

  • The Troubles Scrapbook

    ...and one to loose-lipped republicans.

  • The Troubles Scrapbook

    Prison parcels and newspaper clippings

  • The Troubles Scrapbook

    All dressed up for a party

  • The Troubles Scrapbook

    Earl Mountbatten, killed by the IRA in Sligo in 1979; and invitation to a regimental ball

  • The Troubles Scrapbook

    Ian Paisley's dulcet tones

  • The Troubles Scrapbook

    A prison souvenir

  • The Troubles Scrapbook

    Not-so-merry Christmas cards

  • The Troubles Scrapbook

  • The Troubles Scrapbook

    An Orange sash; snapshots of Stormont
  • A warning to British soldiers
  • ...and one to loose-lipped republicans.
  • Prison parcels and newspaper clippings
  • All dressed up for a party
  • Earl Mountbatten, killed by the IRA in Sligo in 1979; and invitation to a regimental ball
  • Ian Paisley's dulcet tones
  • A prison souvenir
  • Not-so-merry Christmas cards
  • An Orange sash; snapshots of Stormont

#Open journalism No news is bad news Support The Journal

Your contributions will help us continue to deliver the stories that are important to you

Support us now

About the author:

About the author
Michael Freeman
@michfreeman
michael@thejournal.ie

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