Say Nothing
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Since the Middle Ages, the Irish had engaged in hunger-striking as a way to express dissent or rebuke.
In 1920, a man named Terence MacSwiney died in British custody after refusing to eat for 74 days.
Do No Harm is a grueling hour of television, the shows piece de resistance.
And at what andwhosecost?
At least partly at the cost of the McConville children, no doubt.
When Helen returns, Jean is gone, and nobody can help or tell her whats going on.
I didnt trust Belfast, Brendan tells Mackers.
The man behind the double-agenting is, of course, the villainous General Kitson.
But for Brendan, the menarethe fucking cause.
This internal discord is music to Kitsons ears, whose goal is to have Irish Republicans murder one another.
Poor young Kevin never saw reason to doubt Brendans word.
Given the awful job of seeing her friends to their deaths, Dolours also questions Gerrys iron fist.
I just didnt know my contribution to this war would be killing Catholics, she laments.
Brendan evokes the Irish Republican tradition of self-sacrifice, while Gerry embodies a new attitude geared toward self-preservation.
Marian can tell right away that its a bad idea to leave London so soon.
The blast goes off while the Prices are detained at the airport.
Although Dolours feels responsible for her sisters arrest, the two of them wont relent.
They cant plead guilty, as a lawyer advises them, because they dont recognize the court.
But the reality of it doesnt feel half as noble as the idea.
Tell him we will embarrass him in front of his nation.
Not that the governor seems predisposed to care.
Its like a staring contest, Dolours tells Marian.
Well just have to make them blink.
Its not long after Chrissies visit that the forced feeding begins.
The whole thing is so traumatizing that Dolours questions whether she can endure it again.
Marian tells her that its okay to break the strike.
Its a totally new situation now, and everyone will understand, she assures her sister.
We become used to the sounds of a blender whirring and the straps on the mouthpiece tightening.
The feeding is banalized into autopilot, coming to seem as familiar as brushing your teeth.
Even then, we have to face Dolourss eyes as the tube is slid down her throat.
Dolours develops a rapport with the kind-eyed Doctor Mansuri, who oversees the process.
Youre prolonging our suffering, she tells Dr. Mansuri.
Im giving you the privilege of killing me, Dolours says to Dr. Mansuri.
Its more than the doctor can take.
He resigns, citing ethical concerns, and the feeding stops.
By this point, its day 202, more than six months in.
Marian is convinced she will die at any minute and feels prepared to go.
She barely has the energy to lift her torso, let alone stand up like Dolours wants her to.
On day 205, they pray the Rosary together.
Just then, a team of nurses comes in with fluids.
The British blinked: The girls are being sent back to Ireland.
