Pierra Willix
Published November 23, 2025 1:00pm
Share this article via whatsappShare this article via xCopy the link to this article.Link is copiedShare this article via facebook
Comment now
Comments
An Irish drama set during The Troubles is about to be released for free in the UK (Picture: FX)
A ‘poignant and shocking’ drama set during the Troubles is about to be made available to stream free in the UK.
First released on Disney Plus late last year, Say Nothing is based on the New York Times best-selling book of the same name by Patrick Radden Keefe.
Told across nine-episodes, the series spans four decades in Northern Ireland during the Troubles – whichlasted for about 30 years from the late 1960s to 1998 – and its aftermath.
The story begins with the disappearance of Jean McConville, a single mother of ten who was abducted from her home in 1972 and never seen alive again.
As the synopsis explains: ‘Telling the story of various Irish Republican Army (IRA) members, Say Nothing explores the extremes some people will go to in the name of their beliefs, the way a deeply divided society can suddenly tip over into armed conflict, the long shadow of radical violence for all affected, and the emotional and psychological costs of a code of silence.’
At the centre of the series are teenage sisters Dolours and Marian Price – sisters who become jaded by their efforts at peaceful protests against British occupation and then get involved in the armed struggle by joining the IRA.
Say Nothing was first released last year and stars Lola Petticrew and Hazel Doupe (Picture: Rob Youngson/ FX)
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Up Next
Previous Page Next PageThe real-life sisters were infamously involved in the Old Bailey bombing in London in 1973, which injured over 200 people. They – along with eight others – were arrested, with the Price sisters originally sentence to life imprisonment. These were eventually reduced to 20 years, which came after the sisters went on a hunger strike that lasted for 208 days.
In the series they are played by Lola Petticrew – who recently starred in the drama Trespasses – and Hazel Doupe.
Other real-life figures depicted in the series include Anthony Boyle as Brendan Hughes, Josh Finan as Gerry Adams and Seamus O’Hara as Anthony McIntyre, among many others.
Say Nothing also weaves in interviews from the Belfast Project – which was an oral history initiative launched in 2002 and collected the confidential testimonies of IRA members, which were recorded with the intention to only be released after their deaths.
It follows real-life figures part of the IRA (Picture: Rob Youngson/ FX)
Upon its release, the series was critically acclaimed, picking up three Bafta and one Emmy nominations, as well as being awarded a Peabody.
‘Throughout the course of the series, questions surrounding morality, violence in the name of a cause, and political warfare arise, making this production a must-see for true crime aficionados and history buffs,’ Collider wrote in its review.
‘It is a story of national tragedy and individual trauma, youthful radicalism and abiding regret, that shifts between different vantage points yet never flinches from the vicious cycle of violence,’ The Financial Times shared.
‘It’s a terrible story of a terrible time that is barely over. And it is a beautifully acted interrogation of the power of silence, the loyalty it proves and the burden it brings,’ The Guardian added.
Other reviews said it was a ‘must-watch’ that left a ‘powerful impression’ and provided a ‘deeper understanding of the Northern Ireland conflict’.
One of its stars – Anythony Boyle – recently appeared in House of Guinness (Picture: PA Wire)
Meanwhile Lola’s most recent TV show was Channel 4’s Trespasses (Picture: Channel 4)
In a few weeks the series will be available to stream for free in the UK when it’s released on Channel 4 on December 1.
Speaking to Elle last year about working in the series – which was primarily set in their home city – Petticrew admitted they ‘hardly knew anything’ about the Price sisters.
What were The Troubles?
The Troubles were an ethno-nationalist conflict that spanned 30 years from the late 1960s until 1998 in Northern Ireland.
Although they primarily took place in Northern Ireland, violence at times spilled into the Republic of Ireland, England and even mainland Europe.
They were a political and nationalist struggle, with Irish nationalist and republicans (who were mostly Irish Catholics) wanting Northern Ireland to leave the United Kingdom and join a united Ireland. Meanwhile unionist and loyalists – mostly Ulster Protestants – wanted Northern Ireland to remain part of the United Kingdom.
More than 3,500 people were killed in the conflict, with 52% being civilians, while 32% were members of the British security forces, and 16% were members of paramilitary groups.
The Troubles officially ended with the Good Friday Agreement, which restored self-government to Northern Ireland on the basis of ‘power-sharing’.
‘We’d grown up knowing the 10 men who died on hunger strike in 1981. A lot less people know about the Price sisters’ hunger strike, and how that impacted the war’s trajectory. I’m sure misogyny is a factor,’ the actor explained.
Petticrew also said they felt hesitation when first hearing about the project as there was a long history of misunderstanding about The Troubles and the ongoing effects it still has today.
Dolours Price was sent to jail for her role in the 1973 Old Bailey Bombing
Brendan Hughes was a member of the 1980 hunger strike (Picture: PA)
‘We’re talking 800 years!. I considered that, maybe for an American audience, it’d be difficult to grasp. I put those thoughts on the back burner. My main concern was never to translate it across the world. For me, the people at home were always in the forefront of my mind, and I wanted to do right by them. It had to be a story that made them feel seen.’
More Trending
-
Play Video
Kaya Scodelario: 'Filming a Skins drug scene aged 15 made my guardian cry'
Channel: TV TV 4 days ago By Rebecca Cook - The 6 extraordinary contenders for Grand Designs' Home of the Year award
- Cancel your weekend plans to binge ‘macabre’ underdog police drama for free
- Who’s in the Gogglebox 2025 cast after Channel 4 adds five new households?
Meanwhile director and executive producer Michael Lennox spoke to The Hollywood Reporter about the consequences of the actions of the IRA at the time.
‘As sensitive and complicated as it is, I think it’s really important to look at subject matter like this, especially now, and talk about the past and how we process the past. I think that’s part of the way forward,’ he said.
Throughout The Troubles, more than 3,500 people died, while 17 people – known as the Disappeared vanished. Four of their bodies have never been found.
Deals of the Day
Dyson’s Black Friday sale is here! Save up to £550 on vacuums, Airwraps and hairdryers
Breakdown drama? There’s an app for that – and it gets you help in minutes
Emma is celebrating 10 years of better sleep with free bedding bundles worth hundreds!
Pack 60% more with these cubes that sell every 2 mins – and travel smarter, not heavier
Sick of shaving? This at-home device will save you hundreds on hair removal
Say Nothing is streaming on Disney Plus and will be available on Channel 4 from December 1.
Got a story?
If you’ve got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us [email protected], calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we’d love to hear from you.
Arrow MORE: The 6 extraordinary contenders for Grand Designs’ Home of the Year award
Arrow MORE: Cancel your weekend plans to binge ‘macabre’ underdog police drama for free
Arrow MORE: Kaya Scodelario: ‘Filming a Skins drug scene aged 15 made my guardian cry’
Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source TV NewsletterSign up and tell us which TV shows you love to watch to get personalised updates every morning.
Show Expand Options ? Select All Select All Big Brother Big Brother Britain's Got Talent Britain's Got Talent Celebrity Big Brother Celebrity Big Brother Doctor Who Doctor Who Great British Bake Off Great British Bake Off I'm A Celeb I'm A Celeb Love Island Love Island Netflix Netflix Strictly Come Dancing Strictly Come Dancing The Apprentice The Apprentice The Traitors The Traitors Email I agree to receive newsletters from Metro I agree to receive newsletters from Metro Sign UpSign UpThis site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply. Your information will be used in line with our Privacy Policy
