Re: BBC Brighton bomb coverage

[SussexSpur]

Re: BBC Brighton bomb coverage

Anyone else watching this?
Am too young to really remember the event itself, but have been reading the recent coverage in The Argus and heard all the "war stories" in the office - but doesn't seeing the TV footage just make everything feel much more vivid. . . Especially seeing familiar scenes and sights on the seafront, yet with that slightly faded Eighties TV look - oh, and the fact the Grand Hotel's got a great gaping hole in it. . .
Shocking, yet fascinating stuff.

First I really knew of the Brighton bombing was my mum explaining to me as a kid, only vaguely sunk in. She and my dad are fervent Labour activists in the (until-recently) very Tory constituency of Finchley (famous for being Thatcher's constituency), but she wrote to Norman Tebbit to express sympathy and was touched by the handwritten letter he sent back in thanks.

Hmm. Strange, disturbing old world, innit.

 

[London Irish]

SussexSpur, good scoop for your mob on Saturday I thought. The BBC trailing behind the local press, love it!

 

[SussexSpur]

SussexSpur, good scoop for your mob on Saturday I thought. The BBC trailing behind the local press, love it!

Indeed. Thought it was very decent of the BBC to give us full advance access to their two programmes, two years in the making.

As well as our own research, which makes tonight's "Magee talks for the very first time about the bombing" no doubt a fascinating programme but no longer *quite* accurate in its boast.

Mind you, can take absolutely no credit myself, being a mere reader not a writer all along the Brighton bombing anniversary coverage way. Am just admiring it all.

 

[Deleted User X18H]

Anyone else watching this?
Am too young to really remember the event itself, but have been reading the recent coverage in The Argus and heard all the "war stories" in the office - but doesn't seeing the TV footage just make everything feel much more vivid. . . Especially seeing familiar scenes and sights on the seafront, yet with that slightly faded Eighties TV look - oh, and the fact the Grand Hotel's got a great gaping hole in it. . .
Shocking, yet fascinating stuff.

First I really knew of the Brighton bombing was my mum explaining to me as a kid, only vaguely sunk in. She and my dad are fervent Labour activists in the (until-recently) very Tory constituency of Finchley (famous for being Thatcher's constituency), but she wrote to Norman Tebbit to express sympathy and was touched by the handwritten letter he sent back in thanks.

Hmm. Strange, disturbing old world, innit.

The Brighton bomb still evokes painful memories for us Brigtonians and any way sitting watching the TV so you dont fancy going to watch the Albion then!!!!!!!

 

[Kev the Ape]

i really bloody wanted to see this but my sky plus didnt record it was it any good??

 

[SussexSpur]

Re: Re: Re: BBC Brighton bomb coverage

The Brighton bomb still evokes painful memories for us Brigtonians and any way sitting watching the TV so you dont fancy going to watch the Albion then!!!!!!!

Wouldn't want to deny an authentic Albion fan the ticket. . .

Don't worry, I'll be there in the Falmer (or maybe Withdean) away end for our first Premiership clash. . .

 

[SussexSpur]

i really bloody wanted to see this but my sky plus didnt record it was it any good??

Interesting, wouldn't say it was a must-see, but enthralling enough.
Second part on now, interview with Patrick Magee. Interesting to see/hear him talk, though he's squirmingly pleading the fifth on a few questions.
Find the archive footage the most fascinating.

 

[Beach Hut]

I was early turn in Brighton Ticket the night after - 06:00 shift.

When I got to the palace pier in the car I was stopped etc, showed my BR passes and proceeded having been advised what had happened.

When I got in the Ticket Office I told the night turn and he saud "Funny there was a load bang"

Priceless as the message about the bomb had not been passed to the Night Turn in the ticket office.

 

[SussexSpur]

I was early turn in Brighton Ticket the night after - 06:00 shift.

When I got to the palace pier in the car I was stopped etc, showed my BR passes and proceeded having been advised what had happened.

When I got in the Ticket Office I told the night turn and he saud "Funny there was a load bang"

Priceless as the message about the bomb had not been passed to the Night Turn in the ticket office.

Fascinating seeing the footage of the day itself and the aftermath.
Thatcher looking about as shaken as she probably ever did, before the day she was booted out.
Denis Thatcher, without underplaying how terrible it was, seemed almost stereotypically stoic, almost seeming cheerful, though obviously not really.
"Quite a thump", he described it as.
Hmm. Quite a description.

 

[Beach Hut]

It's amazing when you think it through - if Maggie had been taken out things would certainly have been different.

 

[upnorthnow]

i was working at the Grand a year to the date of the bombing, there was a concern the IRA would try again, i was a tad nervous that night

 

[Gritt23]

I thought it was a fascinating programme.

For me the most surprising part of it was just how intelligent Magee seemed. Like all terrible figures you kinda imagine them as crazed animals, who just found an outlet for their evil sick ways, but this man came across very different.

Relatively quietly spoken, calm, assured, never shouting, swearing or losing his temper. I found that quite chilling.

 

[SussexSpur]

I thought it was a fascinating programme.

For me the most surprising part of it was just how intelligent Magee seemed. Like all terrible figures you kinda imagine them as crazed animals, who just found an outlet for their evil sick ways, but this man came across very different.

Relatively quietly spoken, calm, assured, never shouting, swearing or losing his temper. I found that quite chilling.

True, sort of. Though for a supposedly "Magee opens up" interview he seemed to clam up quite a lot, frostily refusing to answer certain questions. Couldn't understand why he'd answer some questions yet remain quite so protective when it came to others. But then again, interesting to get an insight into a life so far beyond the ordinary - with plenty of secrets most of us could never hope to understand.
Was impressed by the interviewer, in fact - challenging without being as showily hostile as many radio/TV presenters like to be, thus losing listenability at the same time.

 

[pasty]

i was working at the Grand a year to the date of the bombing, there was a concern the IRA would try again, i was a tad nervous that night

How long were you there? I started in October '86 and was there for 18 months.

As for the McGhee interview, I spent most of it ranting and raving at the telly. How he tried to justify pure and simple murder as legitimate just wound me up too much. And don't even start me on the fact he's been let out as part of the peace process.

 

[Gritt23]

I just find it amazing how he can seem perfectly sane, intelligence even, and yet see the events from the diametric opposite to the vast majority of us on the mainland.

He genuinely believed he was a soldier of war. The IRA to him are the (Irish Republican) ARMY, with the Army part of it being a very key factor. Believing they were driven to this as the only way to stop the "murders and tortures by the British police and armed forces."

It really made me stop and think. I can't possibly agree with him, but it does make me wonder how much went on (and certainly goes on today) over there that is not reported to us in England.

Has so many parallels with the hatred of the West by millions of people in the Middle East. What have we done to generate such hatred, can all these people be misguided?

Really set me thinking.

 

[Mick Beard BHA]

I just find it amazing how he can seem perfectly sane, intelligence even, and yet see the events from the diametric opposite to the vast majority of us on the mainland.
He genuinely believed he was a soldier of war. The IRA to him are the (Irish Republican) ARMY, with the Army part of it being a very key factor. Believing they were driven to this as the only way to stop the "murders and tortures by the British police and armed forces."
It really made me stop and think. I can't possibly agree with him, but it does make me wonder how much went on (and certainly goes on today) over there that is not reported to us in England.
Has so many parallels with the hatred of the West by millions of people in the Middle East. What have we done to generate such hatred, can all these people be misguided? Really set me thinking.

Good post Gritt23. To answer your question about how much doesnt get reported over here, the answer is, of course, feckin way more than we could ever believe.

Did anyone record these programmes? I tried to and my vcr didnt work. Likewise, my backup(work colleague)'s video recorder didnt work either. D'oh!

 

[CAFC Matt]

i really bloody wanted to see this but my sky plus didnt record it was it any good??

We had the same problem. Very annoying

 

[GUNTER]

What I found a bit startling is how far up their own arses some of these tory peers are.

When a fireman who had broken through the rubble to reach a woman who had been trapped for hours and her husband killed (which she did not know at the time) he shouted to her to tell him her name to which she replied "Lady Berry" which he said surprised him!

 

[GUNTER]

Also, can anyone tell me why this was shown a couple of days ago rather than on the 20th anniversary on 12th October?

 

[pasty]

I belive the day it was shown was the 20th anniversary of the day he planted the bomb.