‘Facing The Truth’?is definately a programme on my ‘to watch this weekend’ list. Not as entertaining as my usual saturday line up of Dancing On Ice or whatever other reality TV show on at the time, but it does look like it will be interesting viewing.
I just caught a quick clip on tonights BBC newsline about the programme, for which Archbishop Desmnd Tutu travelled to Northern Ireland last year.
The basic premise is that the Archbishop acts as a facilitator between a handful of victims and perpetrators of Northern Ireland’s conflict. The programmes which run over three nights starting this Saturday, will include a police officer who was almost killed in the 70s meeting his shooter,?a British Soldier meeting with the sister of a young man he shot dead, and perhaps the most compelling is Michael Stone meeting with Sylvia and Roddy Hackett, the widow and brother of a man he is convicted of murdering in Miltown Cemetary.
In an interview with BBC tonight Michael Stone appeared to be repentant, and went as far as to apologise to the family of Dermot Hackett. At the end of the meeting an obviously distressed Mrs Hackett moved to shake Michaels hand and as she did she let out a yell of what sounded like a mix of despair and revulsion at what she had just done.
It was upsetting to watch, and just shows that even though decades may have passed, many of the scars of the troubles are still very raw.
I am interested to know how the meetings ended. Did anyone get the closure they needed? Did this help anyone move forward, or did it simply put them back to where they were 20 or more years ago.
The more cynical part of my brain remembers that last time Michael Stone was hitting the publicity trail and the autobiography that ensued.?I wonder if part two is due out anytime soon…….
Re: Dermot Hackett
Michel Stone killed Dermot Hackett on the Drumquin Road, just outside Omagh, Co Tyrone. He was not killed by Stone at Millfield in Belfast.
If you wish to report the death of Dermot, at least get your facts right.
I have posted on this on JOBLOG.
I was struck by the clearly rehearsed party lines from former/current Provos who, typically, regretted everything and tended not to adopt the words of admitting personal responsibility for injuring the person they sat opposite.
At least Stone would appear to have recognised the humanity of his victims. But we shall all see in time.
Is it just me or was John Smith extemely abrupt and rude where there was no need to be? John Smith can not seriously think that Mrs Levee made a mistake like this on purpose, perhaps he just wants an argument but really there is no need. Correct Mrs Levee, thats fine, but have some manners.
Sister-In-Law: No, its not just you, John Smith was correct but over the top. BTW Elblogador is also running indepth threads on the BBCs, Facing The Truth.
John Smith,
I hadn’t actually seen the programme when I posted this article, I saw a clip on BBC newsline which said that Dermot was a victim of Michael Stone and then showed the infamous footage of him running through the cemetary. I just put two and two together and obviously got 5, but come on Mr Smith, you can’t expect me to know the intricate details of every murder committed during the troubles.
Jo I wholeheartedly agree with your comments. The former IRA man showed very little traces of humanity during his meeting with the policeman he shot. I’m still not sure why he bothered to take part.
BTW thanks for the defence sis! No one messes with us eh!
Mrs L:
Having now seen Stone, I must say that to give him credit, a drop of water in the Hell that is his home forever, he did at least acknowledge personal responsibility for what he did.
The IRA men toed the party line and reflected their tutors’ words right back to the Panel and the victims. Stone had no such tutelage and it showed.
I also think Mr Smith was abrupt and rude but hey, thats the standard I have come to expect in an environment where people hide behind pseudonyms – politeness is a welcome change and more commonly a female trait, ladies
Stone came across as some sort of Walter Mitty. His notions of how he became involved and the events he was involved in smack of someone who has read a book on the ‘troubles’ and is attempting a screen play. Why was this man allowed to feed his ego on television?
Pingback: The Levee Breaks: » Facing The Truth: Michael Stone & The Hackett Family
I AM THE DAUGHTER OF DERMOTT HACKETT – MY FATHER WAS THE BEST MAN IN THE WORLD AND HAD NO TIME TO BE INVOLVED IN ANYTHING THAT MICHAEL STONE ACCUSED HIM OF. MY FATHER HAD FRIENDS BOTH PROTESTANT AND CATHOLIC AND HE WAS A HARD WORKING TRUSTING MAN AND WOULD DO NO HARM TO ANYONE. MY FATHER SEEMED TO BE KILLED TIT FOR TAT IN THE TROUBLES. HIS LIFE WAS TAKEN FOR NO REASON. MY FATHER WAS STOLE FROM ME THE MAN THAT I LOVED AND LOOKED UP TO SO MUCH. PEOPLE HAVE TO MOVE FORWARD – FORGET ABOUT KILLING PEOPLE – IT IS ONLY HURTING PEOPLE EVEN MORE. MAKE NORTHERN IRELAND UNITED AND GET OVER ALL THE BICKERING. MICHAEL STONE IS A COLD BLOODED MURDERER AND HE DIDN’T CARE ABOUT US -ALL HE CARED ABOUT WAS THE PUBLICITY. HE COULDN’T LOOK ME IN THE EYE, THEREFORE HE WAS LYING!!
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