Previous | Next :: The Troubles : Child with Burning Cars Divis Flats : Belfast : Northern Ireland | June 23, 2011, 7:03 pm

Here is a new one for Amin who reckons I only ever shot one picture in Belfast.(the one on yesterdays blog post) :-)).

This was by anyones standards a way tough place to grow up. The notorious Divis Flats complex is now all demolished except the Divis Tower, this was a heavy duty Republican stronghold with serious IRA activity. The first child to die in the troubles died here, 9 year old Patrick Rooney. The RUC police recklessly used a sub machine gun from an armoured vehicle in response to IRA sniper fire and killed the child.

During the height of the troubles the British Army put an observation 'Spy Post' on the roof of Divis Tower the tallest building. They took over the top two floors...... but the area was so dangerous to the soldiers they could only be resupplied or relieved by helicopter there was no way they could come down the stairs.

Like I said this was a grim..... Tough, tough place to grow up....... This kid in the picture was already tough enough to threaten wimpy looking journalists coming on to his patch. In the next frame I am ducking right down the camera is all askew and the wheel wrench the kid is holding in this shot is flying through the air towards me. It was a near miss.

Cheers Jez XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

www.jezblog.com