Silencing the voices of Northern Ireland’s history
There is a threat to preserving the historical record of the Northern Ireland Troubles which may be as hazardous as any fire or flood. In a new article published in the journal Archives and Records James Allison King warns that the fallout from a recent intervention by the British Government risks silencing people’s accounts that would otherwise have been put on record.
In his paper, “‘Say nothing’: silenced records and the Boston College subpoenas”, King examines the ‘Belfast Project’ at Boston College, a ground-breaking oral history endeavour in which interviews gave valuable and previously unheard accounts of the Irish conflict. Those contributing were promised that the recordings wouldn’t be released until after their death. However, investigations by the Police Service of Northern Ireland's Historic Enquiries Team into the 1972 murder of Jean McConville intervened. This resulted in the relevant interviews being subpoenaed by the US Federal Government at the request of the UK. An ongoing court battle has succeeded in limiting the number of oral histories to be released for now.
King argues that the unlocking of these sealed records and the ensuing distrust may have far-reaching implications for historical truth. Current efforts to prematurely unlock the Belfast Project archive could paradoxically deepen the secrets of the Troubles by freezing present and future projects to retrieve previously unheard voices. King also warns that it may have consequences beyond Northern Ireland for capturing the oral histories of other armed conflicts. If participants cannot be assured of confidentiality during their lifetime, will ongoing silence be the end result?
Note to journalists: Please include the following article reference and link:
James Allison King, “‘Say nothing’: silenced records and the Boston College subpoenas” in Archives and Records: The Journal of the Archives and Records Association, published by Routledge. Read the full article online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/23257962.2013.859573
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Mark Robinson, Routledge Journals, Taylor & Francis Group
Mark.Robinson@tandf.co.uk
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About Archives and Records
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Published by Routledge, Archives and Records is the journal of the Archives and Records Association (UK & Ireland). It deals with matters of interest to archivists, archive conservators and records managers, as well as to all involved in the study and interpretation of archives. Journal homepage: www.tandfonline.com/cjsa
For more information about the Archives and Records Association visit: www.archives.org.uk
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