The IRA and behind the scenes.

 In a fascinating insight into behind the scenes of the IRA - a film of the dirty war is recalled in - The Secret Army on BBC iPlayer. The film that has only now been seen publicly for the first time is engrossing and disturbing in equal measure. An American academic wanted to film the IRA and to see how it operates in Northern Ireland. In addition it was meant to be a tool for fund raising in America, where there is a large Irish diaspora, especially in New York. The chap in charge of the project was Bowyer Bell. The IRA was meant to oversee the final version and give it clearance. The BBC reporter Darragh Macintyre did a brilliant job bringing all the stuff together. There were interviews with IRA past members during the Troubles and some were still alive, but looking old and decrepit. Some claimed Bowyer Bell was actually a CIA clandestine operative and also working for MI5. However there was no conclusive evidence that he was. The film had been stored in the Harvard university archive and this was its first public outing. A must see history of Northern Ireland.