Coming of Age in Belfast 

Thankfully after living through the troubles im happy there is peace. I remember as a 11yr old crawling under my bed and scresming for fear of getting shot. I first lived in new barnsley park where i was born. But we were put out. Then I lived off the shankill road during those dark of the 70s . Most children back then suffered just as the adults sufferered. Ive been diagnosed with PTSD as im sure most ppl have living through the troubles. Im just happy that there is a good future for our grandchildren as i would not wish this on them. But apart from the troubles its good to look back .

I grew up in Springhill Avenue, it's like gold dust finding videos of the old place lol Thanks for sharing.

How things have changed. I was in Belfast as a Black Brit in 2016. A really chilled place. Some people might stare but I never experienced any animosity anywhere. I went bowling, cinema, swimming, and had a great time.

My Grandmother moved from Belfast out to Perth Western Australia in 68, she knew trouble was coming. My Great-Grandmother and uncle and aunts a few years later...

I grew up in Ballymurphy during the troubles. I think drugs maybe our new troubles now. Anyway a fantastic piece of work. Thanks a million for sharing this. Brilliant!

I was 8 when my daddy came in to say to my mum its started & in my little child like mind thought the end of the world was happening, i was very frightened & anxieties have stayed with me ever since!

I was also 6 in 1969 , we left Belfast for Australia, thank god , saying that there is peace now and I’ve lived on the Antrim coast the last eight years , it’s beautiful

Ah, 1983. I remember it well. The nightclubs, like the King Arthur and the Abercorn. Music and the talent was great.

Ron thanks for sharing, its amazing to look back on what is was like living here in 1983, even caught a glimpse of myself and sadly some who are no longer with us, but many happy memories and familiar faces too.

My late mum is queueing up at the post office just after the 40th minute.

One of the best documentaries I've watched about the troubles,Peter Taylor the BBC journalist made some very good ones too,he's been reporting on the troubles from the start.he recently went back and caught up with a lot of the players in that time period,amazingly a lot of their attitudes have changed

I gave an interview to Channel 5 News in Boston back in the summer of 1981 when I was based in Hyannis, Cape Cod. Watching the interview on tv they showed images of the streets of Belfast. I was astonished to see my next door neighbour being searched by Brits outside the Falls Library.

Thank you Ron Blau for such a great piece of work. I grew up in Ballymurphy and went to school with Paul 'Pele' Millan. Listening to him speak in this documentary highlights for me just how far ahead he was/is than most at the time. Seen many other familiar faces too though sadly many have since passed away.

Grew up in the "Murph", great, and sad, to see so many old familiar faces. Absolutely horrible place. What a tragedy

Excellent documentary. Sad to see a country ripped apart internally. Also sad we are so ignorant of what happens in the rest of the world here in the US. Knowledge of foreign affairs is the exception here not the norm. God bless Ireland.

Fantastic documentary! A real eye opener. I’ve just finished a novel set in 1979 Belfast. It was great to see that same era shining new here.

Looks great, Ron. Wonderful to see it again.

Excellent video. Very moving. I wish differences could be worked out because there is a great potential for the Irish people regardless of religious and political background. Thanks Ron for your work in making this film

I would adore to see a documentary revisit the same people now. I can vaguely remember the security checkpoint at city hall, how times have changed, Belfast now look like any other European city.

I remember watching this a long time ago, it's great to see it again. Thanks for posting.

Just completed my maternal dna. I’m full of Ulster Scots, never knew we were, especially Ulster. Thank you, so very much, for your unbiased explanation. I completely see both sides, blessings to those whom’ve been lost ~ on both sides. I truly feel the passion, and ancestry of both! May our Lord, bless and keep them all, in the palm of His hands.

And in 2020... Belfast is quiet. America burning.

My mother grew up in murph . Left. When she met my Scots family it btraks my heart what the Brits done to a proud country 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇮🇪

Martin Sherlock ended up teacher and is now a school headmaster last seen him about 2 years ago

mate we had a copy of this sent over from America years ago but it was on vhs lol and we lost it I've been trying to get a copy of it for years but could find it any where is there a place were I can get a full copy I live near the top off the whiterock road west belfast,, I most say to you it's one of the best documentary,s I've ever seen about the troubles in Ireland

Wow such a document!

I love Belfast, haven't been there since 1988

Left Belfast in 1968 to live on a S Pacific island some of whose inhabitants were ex cannibals...it was a refreshing change.

I grew up on the Shankill Road until I was 29. Got myself and education and left. The mindset of people hasn't changed.

The harsher the environment, the sweeter the love.

40.16 some of the Halien mods sitting around the old fountain in the city centre,marty,Robert,Domenic and Joe , they were the days lol

I'm preparing to go on trip to Belfast next month. This was a great retrospective documentary. Thanks.

Remember the news when I was growing up was always full of scenes from the troubles. I live in Brighton and heard the bomb go off at the grand hotel.

Was up in Belfast this summer is was beautiful city and buzzing

I often wonder how.we all came through these Troubles suppose because we are all strong People.and beleived in Prayer.as we did when our Families went out to work or every day Shopping we did not know.if they were coming back to you again A Ballymurphy Mother Kate.

How refreshing to watch a documentary that was arguably accurate in its narrative to all sides of the Northern Irish divide. I must agree with the poster who stated that the " Idiot' shouting his mouth off at approx 27 mins in to the footage. would be better off just keeping hid mouth shut. Would be interested in knowing if any follow up was made . As, no doubt, things will have hopefully moved on since this documentary was made back in 1983

Fathere Wilson God bless you. You stood with ur people

He said “ the rest of Great Britain “ Great Britain = Scotland , Wales , England . North of /Northern Ireland isn’t included . When North of / Northern Ireland is included , it’s known as the UK .

This is great 👍🏻

I remember all of this. I was constantly glued to the television or the radio keeping up on the latest. I wasn't anywhere near it tho.

I taught in Vere Foster PS in Moyard in the early 2000's....interesting to see footage of the area.

23:42,I didn't know Jeremy Clarkson was a republican sympathizer and enjoyed a wee swal in the Sloans :)

AHH.The Murph, my old neck of the woods. Mad place to grow up.

11:27, it looks like that wee girl is running into the house because the Brit is aiming his rifle in her direction but she’s not. I think she’s more shocked to see the camera pointing at her than a British Rifle.. That’s the truth.

5:24 Good that even though they are fighting street battles they still remember to wear covid masks. Bless you boys.

September 2020. I live in Northern Ireland and its the best place to live.

Born and Bred in Ballymurphy..I still live in it with my on family.. Caught a glimpse of myself at the beginning of the video and aswell later on at the top of Divismore Crescent where I grew up

"Do you know what ambition means?" Cheeky bastard ............ 😳

The man @27:00 is one sick individual !

They built so many leisure centres in close proximity in catholic areas only during the troubles in the hope it would keep the kids off the streets. It never worked!

Love this documentary and it is so interesting to see comments from people that where there at this time.The Irish Catholic where forced into poverty by Injustice.Thinking for those who stayed they have survived so much.

1973 @ 6 years of age I was a rock throwing S. O. B.

@19:18 he was shot in the head just off the Shankill road about 3-4 years after this was filmed..

"DO YOU KNOW WHAT AMBITION MEANNNS?" Firm 9/10 on the Patronising scale.

Mr. Blau, As other commentors have noted, Gerry Adams appears on screen (merely walking past) @ 2:58. Given Mike's narration landed solidly on the word 'Ballymurphy' just as Adams appeared, and given Adams' known personal connection to Ballymurphy (and his senior role within the wider Republican movement), I assumed an Adams interview segment was forthcoming However, as you already know, no such segment appears in the piece. In light of this, if you'll indulge me, I have a few brief questions: (1) Did the appearance of Adams occur by chance? Meaning were your cameramen in the proccess of capturing b-roll footage, and Adams happened to stroll by? And if so, at what point, if any, did the production team realize who they'd coincidentally captured (on film)? (2) Coincidental appearance or no, did you, Mike, or any of the team seek and/or conduct any on-screen interviews with Mr. Adams? (3) If yes, do you currently have access to the recording(s), and was the decision not to air it (assuming any such recordings exist) an artistic one given this piece's focus was the impact of conflict on unaffiliated young people; or was it the result of pressure (official or otherwise) brought to bear by authorities (on either side of the Atlantic), and/or your station management? *(as an aside, having watched Mike Barnicle during all those Hardball appearances, I summize that pressuring him to do something he did not want to do, would have had the opposite affect) (5) Were you, Mike, or any of the team advised by local contacts to seek Adams' approval for filming in an area in which he was more or less in command? If so, did you heed any such advice? And if so, was Adams' brief appearance, near the beginning, meant to communicate that approval to a specific, or general, audience? I thank you in advance for your time and answers, and of course for posting this piece.

I spent a week there last summer, yes you can still feel the tension.

Omg at 6:31 the one who threw the rock at the soldier was my FRICKEN dad 😂😂😂 Lak wtffffff

Crazy times , grew up in NLR , didnt know any better lol !

The squaddies had a tough time, mostly just young lads who weren't expecting the abuse and hatred from 'normal' people. The kids had fun lobbing stones and abuse at them. It was all just daily life for them.

2:58 that Gerry Adams there?! Just curious for meself. Not expectin any of ye to tout

He mentions at the end that hope lies in the myth of the cycle of violence. Which is untrue. There is always a reason for violence as we all know today.

Great documentary

My dad grew up on the falls road

Wtf my dads in this

This is a wrong narrative, it follows the usual false British narrative. The conflict was between the British and their proxy, unionist paramilitary death-squads and a section of the Irish nation trapped under British rule in a part of Ireland. Unionism is maintained by British political and economic power. It is a legacy of British colonialism, people who are descendants of British settlers and who never wished to assimilate into the rest of Ireland are not sovereign, and the only rights they should have are: the right to be equal citizens in an Irish Republic. This video suggests the conflict was between catholics and protestants, it wasn't. The conflict was a result of British army invasions of nationalist areas, thereby starting a military conflict, the continuing struggle against British rule in Ireland.

2:58 That sure looks like Gerry Adams to me. I know he's from Belfast, and I think he was from Ballymurphy as well. Nice Doc, interesting angle on the situation. Thanks for posting. Peace.

May I know what song were played at the end? It's really beautiful. Greetings from Sarawak, Borneo.

My grandfather was a Catholic living on the shankill married to my grandmother. He was originally from Donegal and his sister's I think ended up living on the falls road. Sad that sectarianism on both sides split families.

thank u

LMFBO @ the glue sniffers up at the castle near the end Thomas (TA) Murphy--Paul (Mildu,R.I.P) McCann and Dee Walsh...Y.M.T to the end lol

The cigar chomping American presenter was cool. Great doco.

God bless Irish people. We love you from Palestine. The stolen land can't be a homeland

Right " peace keeping " that is the excuse the English use to occupy Ireland. At the same time if the Irish did not fight each other they could unite and keep out the English, that has been the Irish people 's fault since the beginning of the IRA and killed their ownMichael Collins the best Irish man to ever live.

The opening song is wild mountain thyme correct?

Great documentary Ron

very very good doc

2022 Where are they now, I wonder.

Hard to believe that the British army in 1969 were welcomed onto the Falls Road by the women handing out cups of tea to them.

Give Ireland back to the Irish people!! We Brits used force to gain it and the natives are fighting back!!!

Jesus Christ!! First words from Barnicle were the bullshit of Catholic/Protestant/British Peacekeeping. I am an American whose father and three grandparents were from North Belfast (New Lodge/Dock Ward). I have spent a lot of time in Belfast, including staying in Ballymurphy and the Falls. How a correspondent could spend one day in Belfast and not fucking notice the anti-Irish intent of the British Army and the Loyalists in unison is beyond me. Belfast is a British Occupied area and the Army was there to protect its land and its Loyalist citizens. "Ireland unfree shall never be at peace", (Padraig Pearse). My God the ignorance of some people.

This is so random but the thumbnail the ginger lass looks like Molly C Quinn ("Alexis") from Castle!

Very interesting documentary of Belfast in 1983,full of Skinheads the working class fashion of the time.

Young lad in a tonic suit at 6.15 :D

Por favor si alguien fuera tan amable de escribir un resumen del vídeo en español les agradecería enormemente . Puedo entender algunas palabras y deducir .muchas gracias

22.25........"how did you lose your tooth" "Fighting" "how many of them were there" "About 20" Wait....i mean 25, or was it 30?

Northern Ireland is under English rule? Never was it’s part of the UK by democracy

Why stay? A question that can really only be answered by those who didn't stay, and who live every day of their lives homesick for their own people.

Gerry Adams @ 2:58

Can anyone tell me the music being. Played at the start of the coming of age video pls

My granny is in this

didnt the parents keep a check on their kids. they would if they were killed

30:48, shotgun on the end of that robot, controlled by remote control.

Did people throw rocks about transubstantiation? No - It wasn't actually anything to do with religion. But I'm glad it's over, I only hope it stays that way.

I love the way American journalists haven’t got a clue about Belfast

3.55 that’s the most oriental “Chinese “ looking white let alone Irish man I have ever seen.

The real enemy is bigotry...fair employment is the solution. Economic prosperity brings about peace.

29:00 - 32:00 WALL-E sighting

You can take the girl out of Belfast but never Belfast out of the girl.

5.50 all dressed up and no place to go

The reason you didn't see any men in the house, they were all out doin the double!