The Sorrow and the Loss

Award-winning journalist and bestselling author Martin Dillon shines a light on the impact of the Troubles on the lives of women, amplifying voices long silenced by the din of history.

Through raw and compelling testimonies, he explores the overlooked perspectives of mothers, wives and daughters whose lives were brutally affected by the conflict. Some were directly involved in violence as members of paramilitary organisations. Many witnessed the ruthless murders of family members. All were profoundly and irrevocably affected by the bloodshed.

Among those who share their stories are a survivor of the 1974 Dublin bombings, the wife of a notorious UDA assassin, and the daughter of a murdered judge, their words reverberating with the intensity of their experiences. Dillon, the first person to expose the IRA policy of disappearing victims, delves into some of those brutal murders, including that of Jean McConville. He also unmasks the shadowy dealings of British intelligence and the impact of collusion on unsolved murders, exposing the layers of deception that have haunted families and communities.

The Sorrow and the Loss is an eye-opening and poignant exploration of this previously unwritten history of the Troubles, challenging readers to confront the harsh realities of a conflict where truth and justice remain elusive.