One Last Scene - Derry Girls and Writing Ceasefire

[@PillarofGarbage]

Check out the rest of the One Last Scene playlist 👉 kzbin.info/aero/PLd7v7nQLQGwJDu11IQtTbh1-1i__UfKhf Or help support my work on Patreon: www.patreon.com/pillarofgarbage oh, and embarrassing correction: section one should probably be titled "Ménis", not "Ménos". Apologies! I went to a state school. The mistake's not a huge one, because it _kiinda_ works as a pun _on_ Ménis, but that pun is an unintended one. Oops!

[@BridgetBrennan-m5m]

My favorite part of the final episode was Grandpa Joe’s advice to Erin. “And what if it does? What if no one else has to die?” The oldest character on the show, who may not even live to see the effect of the referendum, telling a young one to think about their future.

[@onaraisedbeach]

One of the most beautiful endings to a show of all time. It acknowledged the impossible contradictions in peoples' hearts and gave hope for the future in spite of it all. Made me want to cry and applaud at the same time.

[@thomaswitten5086]

the finale to Derry Girls is the most emotionally powerful piece of art I have ever seen. I literally can't even watch this video about it without crying

[@MrWillcapone]

The belligerents were no doubt scolded into a ceasefire by Sister Michael.

[@laragallahue7127]

As someone born and raised in Ireland Derry girls means a lot of me - how Americans treat my country is interesting 😅 but Derry girls gets Ireland for good or bad. The girls act like girls I knew and same with rest of the family

[@lorcannagle]

Rammstein played in Dublin last month, and notably they didn't play the UK on this tour. So there were a lot of British people in town to see the band and on our way to the RDS, my friend Kolli and I got to talking with a couple of Scottish guys. One of them mentioned that he found it interesting that people in in Northern Ireland had accents similar to Scottish ones. I said "you know why that is, right?" "No?" "It's the settlement of Ulster. About 300 years ago Ulster was the last part of Ireland to fall under British control and they had a load of loyal Scottish families move over and take over the land." He had no idea, and asked me for advice on something to get caught up so I said Derry Girls. He'd never heard of it so I explained it was on Channel 4, it was a sitcom set right at the end of the Troubles and is really funnny and gives a good grounding as to what Northern Ireland really was like at the time. I'm a couple of years older than the Girls, I was about six months too young to vote in Ireland's 1995 divorce referendum, so the Good Friday Agreement is one of the first things I voted on in 1998. Even as a kid in Dublin the Troubles touched your life every once in a while - we'd visit friends or family in Donegal and pass through Northern Ireland, having to cross the border and face the potential of your car being searched by soldiers. Seeing foot patrols, little heavily armoured guard posts and barracks, armed police hanging out the back of armoured cars. In 95 I went up to Q-Con, a gaming convention in Queen's University Belfast and stayed with friends of the family, the father of the family was a member of the SDLP, one of the more prominent parties in NI politics at the time, he took great pleasure in pointing out the undercover policemen outside the house on his security detail and demonstrating the bullet-resistant glass in the house by throwing a ball at it full-force. The day I was leaving the mother took me around the city in their car, showing me the preparations in Unionist territory for the upcoming parade season. That year saw the start of the serious violence during the parades, with riots and massive property damage. I recognised some of the roads we drove down on the news, on fire. My friends who grew up there all have stories of how the Troubles directly impacting their lives, one lived on a street with a Loyalist safehouse and the knowledge that nobody would say a word to the RUC or the soldiers. The relationship between the cause of Ireland and Irish Republicanism can't be separated from violence. My great-grandfather fought in the 1916 rising and I can't lie and say I'm not proud of my family heritage, he helped win our freedom. If he'd died in the fighting or if his sentence of execution hadn't been stayed, I literally wouldn't be here now. It's imposible to say that the IRA were wrong to decamp to Northern Ireland and attempt to protect Catholics living there as NI was a literal apartheid state for some time. It's also undeniable that the actions of the IRA lead to the normalisation of violence as a tool of politics in the country, the UVF may predate the troubles but they wrre more than willing to match the IRA for irregular warfare, and they lead to the more extreme groups like the LVF and the INLA, and all the little splinter groups still fighting their little wars across Northern Ireland to this day. Northern Ireland is a very strange place, it still bears open wounds from the decades of fighting, performative resistance like Republican murals that call for unification with the Republic now, on a trip to Carrickfergus last year we drove down Prince Andrew Way, festooned with dozens of flags bearing his face - in 2023! (there was a debate the prior year as to whether to rename the road or not) The police in Northern Ireland still go armed, and when you're there for a protest that technically contravenes the parades act you become very aware of them even as they tell you they're not going to arrest you now, but they reserve the right to later. But it is a much more peaceful, much safer place right now as compared to 30 years ago. the Omagh bombing would take place a couple of months after the end of Derry Girls' story, which would ultimately be the last major death spasm of the old way, but sadly would also be the deadliest incident in the Troubles.

[@PillarofGarbage]

super interesting comment & perspective, thank you for sharing!

[@IvanDobski]

Man, I love all your videos, but this one might just be your best. I grew up in Cork. In Ireland, yes, but far away from The Troubles up North. We'd see on the news the latest it-for-tat killings and escalations in tensions and violence and it seemed like it would just go on and on and on. I was just too young to vote in the referendum (I turned 18 in late '98) but what I think I'd forgotten about that period, and what Lisa McGee's brilliantly written finale showed was just how brave the people up there were to take that chance for peace. On both sides. To let the killers of their loved ones out of prison early, in the hope that future families would be spared the pain they went through, was an incredible display of compassion, and empathy and hope when the level of trust and tolerance between the respective communities was oftentimes so low. It really was a miracle. Great analysis as always sir, especially drawing the parallels with Priam and Achilles, that was a great take! Very much looking forward to what you're planning for next year. Nollaig shona dhuit!

[@PillarofGarbage]

Thanks so much for sharing this, and for the kind words. Merry Christmas!

[@ko379]

the finale made me cry, and this video almost did too. i loved your tying in of the Achilles stuff, great job. The shot near the end of derry girls where the last person to disappear around the corner is erin's baby sister, following her family who just secured a more peaceful future for her, really gets to me.

[@cillianennis9921]

The first episode of Derry girls perfectly sums up the attitudes of Northern Irish parents. Like some may be more lenient but I know that even if your way to school is out they'll drive you there like recently with the bus strikes I have to get a ferry to school & was still driven to school when the bus's where off.

[@trinaq]

Happy Holidays! Thank you so much for this video. Derry Girls is a true classic. I love how relatable all of the characters are, and even if you didn't grow up during the time period in Ireland, it still resonates. Though it's primarily about the gang getting into mischief, we're still reminded how scary and unpredictable it was growing up during the Troubles.

[@GrainneMhaol]

This is a really thoughtful and beautiful essay on one of my favourite shows. Maith thú.

[@PillarofGarbage]

Thank you!

[@sharks2571]

I didnt realise that this final episode touched relatively unconnected people as much as it touched my family. Im from Northern Ireland, born in Belfast and raised by northern irish parents- one catholic, one protestant. You would never know it by talking to me though- our family moved to Australia when i was young as our parents couldnt bear the idea of us growing up in the violence and sectarianism. Every time i watch this episode i weep. My father who still lives in Australia wept. My mother who moved back to Belfast wept. It so perfectly captures the pain of our history and the hope of our future. Thank you Lisa McGee ❤

[@CleverRiley9]

My great uncle was in Óglaigh na hÉireann. Im immensely proud of him for fighting for the freedom of the six counties. But something he always told me is his proudest act as a soldier was voting for the Good Friday agreement and when he and his unit were ordered to dump arms. And when i watched this show and its finale, especially seeing the sheer pain in some characters voting for the referendum I thought of him and knew he would've been one of them was an extremely moving moment.

[@friendstastegood]

I watched your video about Somerton's second non-pology and you mentioned this video in it, and I have never watched a single episode of Derry Girls, but I wanted to give it a chance since you said you worked hard on it without seeing a return. And I'm really glad I did, I was hooked all the way through. This video is wonderful and I hope you get to see it take off and get the audience it deserves.

[@PillarofGarbage]

Thanks so much! This is still one of the videos I’m most proud of & it makes me very happy to see any number of people are still watching it now :)

[@janedoe3043]

I never heard of this show and the ending made me cry jus shown by you. That's powerful.

[@100air]

Derry Girls is such a brilliant show (I'm from Northern Ireland) and I'm so glad to see an analysis of it. Perfectly put.

[@laragallahue7127]

I deeply appreciate you tru not explain the troubles all to much even as Irish person it complex issues not even me after years of learning Irish history school can full explain. Derry girls I think captures the werdniess of being in war but not in war at the same time that my grand parents talk about to me

[@PianoCatProductions]

Pillar of Garbage as someone exhausted by the pain in our current moment, feeling hopeless, like we can do nothing to stop the pain, and just helplessly wanting people to see the humanity in each other you've made me cry. It's soft tears that have been needing to come only stopped by my own burnout. So thank you

[@gewitterhund3164]

What i really like about your videos: You don't need to have seen a film or show which you talk about to get your point(s). Again: Thank you, keep it up. 👍

[@PillarofGarbage]

This is great to hear - I was a little concerned this video might be inaccessible to those unfamiliar with the topics. Glad to hear that isn’t the case - thank you!

[@gewitterhund3164]

@@PillarofGarbage Actually: I will watch this show now. I am curious. So you also gave me an idea what to watch next 😎

[@Garchompers]

Thank you for this. Derry Girls is one of my favorite shows, and seeing such a great video be made about it, while also using the show to talk about the current atrocities taking place and about how people might eventually be better to others, and take a step toward a future where some people aren’t under the constant threat of violence, I think that’s a really great way of keeping in the spirit of the show.

[@kylaaaTV]

Great essay dude. Got a little misty eyed all over again

[@NineNerdYards]

Hell Yeah!! About to start on my "One Last Scene Video" now.

[@franzferdinand1782]

I think on top of hope there's action... they don't just want a better future, they have to go and vote on it, and make hope into a reality for themselves. I think Derry Girls can montage unlike any other show. Documentary footage and the news clips used add a layer of history to the show, make it more real. Really good video. Made me want to go read the Iliad.

[@011marylin]

Thank you for using your platform for this thoughtful and beautiful analysis that reminds us of the rhymes of history

[@mikaylaeager7942]

This was beautiful. I needed this. Thank you for making it.

[@LightGlyphRasengan]

Oh my God now I'm crying on my lunch break 😢

[@PillarofGarbage]

rewatching all these clips over and over & putting this video together had me sobbing like an idiot, I know the feeling haha

[@jaykaye594]

'Cause the dreams ain't broken down here now, they're walking with a limp. Merry Christmas.

[@PillarofGarbage]

🎄

[@abhishekverma4029]

kzbin.info76Z3XArileo?si=XJ2dssmZcgfM6oVT

[@Joshjohnbrennan]

Incredible video, never actually watched Derry Girls but definitely putting it on the list now

[@lorienator]

Great video. I even teared up at just being reminded of that last episode! Thank you

[@hugenerd4041]

This video was incredible and very thought provoking. So well put together. Well done.

[@NoNotThatPaul]

Excellent video on a brilliant show

[@obara7366]

OMG, MY BOY IS PART OF THE BIG BOY PLAYLIST! We dreamed of times like these!

[@neilholmes8200]

I love how Grandpa Joe says what he thinks doesn't matter, but in reality it does, Erin took his words to heart, they mattered a lot

[@aliminator1310]

Merry Christmas, Pillar of Garbage!!

[@PillarofGarbage]

Merry Christmas!

[@AbisexualCarpenter]

Truly great video. Quite moving even if I haven’t watched the show, though now I want to. Makes me think of a lot of issues currently going on in my country and my life and that maybe it’s time to try to reach a ceasefire with some relatives this Christmas. Will be hard but let’s give it a shot. Thanks

[@PillarofGarbage]

Best of luck!

[@edgar-sama642]

I didn't believe a "one _ scene" crossover would happen again, I'm so excited!!!

[@PillarofGarbage]

pop culture analysis fans eating 🍽️

[@MartinDeHill]

I should watch Derry Girls again

[@annemxma]

great video and beautiful conclusion !!

[@pillarofdavidson]

Fantastic essay!

[@benwasserman8223]

Between this show and Bellfast, there’s a lot of stories about the Troubles that American audiences really don’t know much about.

[@NoNotThatPaul]

I watched and loved Derry Girls, very good show

[@Dej24601]

Beautifully written! ✌️☮️💖🤝

[@silversamantha]

This is good, and clever too. Love the Seamus Heaney reference ❤️

[@razorednight]

I remember the IRA ceasefire. And I remember that it nearly all came to nothing. The UK Conservative government insisted that Sinn Fein could not take part in negotiations until the IRA surrendered its weapons. The IRA said that wasn't going to happen. The crasefire failed, the fighting resumed. It took a change of government and a willingness to compromise on both sides to break the deadlock. It was necessary to recognize that The Troubles was a war, and that when a war comes to an end the prisoners of war are released.

[@cactuscian]

Season 3 finally came to Netflix so time to watch this 🛐🛐

[@CatchMeUp]

D'ya know what? I finished Fintan O'Toole's "We Don't Know Ourserlves" this month. I've also finished teaching David Malouf's utterly beautiful 'Ransom' as a re-creation of Achilles\ and Priam's meeting to 18 year old leaving year students in Year 12 this year. I'd taught that between 2016-2023 with the main contexutal reference being the author's own shelving of the project as the poet's only response to the rush to violence evident in the War on Terror. Not once did I think of the end to the The Troubles whilst I was as the transplanted third-generation Irishman here in Aus as the context. If only I knew enough to make O'Toole's connection to the Irish spriit of finding a way to bury the nationalist death-drive (alongside the Loyalist one) to the signing of the peace. You bastards. You utter fucking bastards. "We ended up, not great, maybe not even especially good, but better than either - not especially bad ourselves." Well done. I'm in fucking tears, you magnificent fucking bastards, you found a way to do it.

[@WalkmanWillWalkAllOverYou]

A Beautiful End to such a Hilarious and Heartwarming Show.

[@Kye9842]

That's a picture of Gaza at 21:39 , right?

[@PillarofGarbage]

yep

[@Kye9842]

@@PillarofGarbage noice 🇵🇸. Ty for the response!

[@jackofallclaws6672]

Merry Christmas, Happy early Kwanza and a Happy New Year, everyone!

[@soniaiboyako4023]

Almost managed to keep the whole video about the actual show and the Troubles but it's too hard to do that it seems lmao unfortunately makes the whole video feel like a pretext ngl... Seems like you put some research into the Derry Girls side of things at least so there's that !

[@user-lp3ew1xb5u]

nice video thank you

[@mariannedarrow7227]

Merry Christmas PoG. An excellent video, very topical.

[@PillarofGarbage]

🎅

[@jackdoyle7453]

The troubles weren't caused by Britain's colonial history. Such a moronic Shinnerbot talking point to regugitate.

[@Kye9842]

Nah, they were. Womp womp

[@harbivore451]

In a great many ways the British control over Ireland was the model for the rest of the colonial empire. The empire and Ireland are very closely linked.

[@jackdoyle7453]

@@harbivore451 lol, indeed perhaps not in the way you think though. Look up the Wellesley family. Don't worry we'll wait...

[@yetsket5631]

What caused it then genius?