For those of us not living on the island of Ireland, it has been all too easy since the 1998 Good Friday Agreement to wash our hands of the Troubles. Now, the looming likelihood of a no-deal Brexit has again focused attention on the border between Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic, amid fears of economic and political repercussions that could reignite the flames of that bitter sectarian war.
Ian Cobain’s Anatomy of a Killing is a timely and sobering reminder of a conflict that took place within living memory in which thousands were killed, whole communities lived in fear, and 11 per cent of the population suffered a bereavement. The psychological, economic and social impact of the violence is still being felt today.
