Educational Media Reviews Online

One Island Two Irelands chronicles the tumultuous history of Ireland. The film examines the on-going strife between Northern and Southern Ireland, Protestants and Catholics. The film is divided into two parts. Part one covers the years 1916-1969 and part two covers the years 1969-1995.

The film seems to only skim the surface of the violence and the segregation that is Ireland. The director, Jean-Michel Meurice, attempts to cover too large a timespan for the length of the video. Although the viewer gets a general sense of life in Ireland over the years it seems there is something missing. The audio quality is inconsistent with fluctuating volume probably caused by the convergence of footage of varying sound quality. The narration of the film is choppy which makes for a jerky movement through time. The film lacks a smooth flow from year to year and from event to event.

The choice of footage by the director is to be commended although there are a few scenes that tend to be a bit unsettling. The viewer does get a sense of the economic, social and human toll that this religious separation has taken on Ireland and its people. The situation in Ireland can be compared to the United States in the days of segregation or to South Africa in the days of apartheid. One pronounced feeling that the viewer is left with is that aside from religious differences the people of Ireland share the same heritage. This makes for a frustrated people who must try to come to terms with a commonality among all the difference.

The film is best suited for use by students of history and sociology, and for academic library collections although not recommended.