The Year of Chaos

The Year of Chaos by Malachi O'Doherty is a frank and incisive exploration of the most tumultuous period of the Troubles, a time defined by unprecedented violence and political turmoil in Northern Ireland.

In the eleven months between August 1971 and July 1972, Northern Ireland experienced its worst year of violence. No future year of the Troubles saw such death and destruction.

The 'year of chaos' began with the introduction of internment of IRA suspects without trial, creating massive disaffection in Catholic communities and provoking an escalation of violence. This led to the British government taking full control of Northern Ireland and negotiating directly with the IRA leadership. Operation Motorman marked the invasion of barricaded no-go areas in Belfast and Derry, which subsequently dampened down the violence a year later.

Throughout this period, Malachi O'Doherty was a young reporter in Belfast. He worked in the city and returned home at night to a no-go area behind barricades, where the streets were patrolled by armed IRA men.

Drawing on interviews, personal recollections, and archival research, O'Doherty takes readers on a journey through the events of that terrible year. From the devastation of Bloody Sunday and Bloody Friday to the failed talks between leaders attempting to break the deadlock, this book serves as a stark reminder of how political and military miscalculation can lead a country to the brink of civil war.