Northern Ireland. I have been to Northern Ireland many times and it's always been a great experience. I have only been there for a day at a time for a show and then onto the next place. The people are very friendly and it's one of the better audiences you'll get on a tour.
In all my visits there, I have never asked anyone about the history of the place, not wanting to bring anyone's blood to a potential boil. That being said, I have always been curious about Bloody Sunday, The Troubles, the IRA and what all that means to the people of Northern Ireland now. Depending on who you ask, the IRA (Irish Republican Army) were heroes fighting for the freedom of Northern Ireland or just criminal thugs who should be locked away or worse. It was an interesting concept to me, that some may see this group as patriots pushing back against an oppressive occupation. Some might say that's what's happening in Iraq at the moment.
I went to Northern Ireland to get a better understanding of what the last few decades had been like there and where things are now -- if there is peace or merely a cease fire. To be honest, I had no idea what we would get. What we ended up with was some of the most intense interviews we have ever conducted. By day we would travel and conduct interviews from all sides, trying to be objective and allow different points of view to be aired. By night, I would get e-mails from people who knew I was in town with very opposing views urging me not to believe what had been said by the ones they disagreed with. The whole experience was extremely heavy. Meanwhile, the countryside was beautiful and the food was great! I am still trying to get my head around all the things I saw and heard on this trip. I hope that what we present with this program will provide some perspective and inspire some thought.
Henry Rollins: Uncut from Northern Ireland
Friday, November 21st at 10:30pm EST/PST
IFC (Independent Film Channel)
A new Rollins documentary/live stage show every Friday night through the month of November only on IFC.