24th of April 2019 outside St Anne’s Cathedral Belfast, a large group of journalists formed a guard of honour which flanked the coffin of 29 year old activist and journalist, Lyra McKee.

Lyra was shot dead by the anti-peace process ‘New IRA’ while observing riots.  The shooting dead of this young woman just two months ago, was yet another dark moment in the history of this place.   Among that group of journalists outside the Cathedral were those who have faced no end of obstacles in trying to uncover the truth about other dark moments in the history of this place.

Having been through arrest, questioning, hearings, bail and seizure of work related materials, in recent days, documentary filmmakers Trevor Birney and Barry McCaffrey have been released from police bail.  A judge ruled, they could retrieve computers, files, phones and other material that had been seized by the PSNI.  This decision represents a victory for the journalists and press freedom campaigners and a humiliating climbdown for police.  The authorities will now face fresh pressure to find the Loughinisland murderers, the subject of the documentary at the heart of the issue in the film ‘No Stone Unturned’.

Documentarian Sean Murray, worked with relatives of victims, local campaign groups and journalist Ann Cadwallader, writer of ‘Lethal Allies: British Collusion in Ireland’ to produce the detailed and brilliant documentary ‘Unquiet Graves’.  Murray’s film gives an indepth account of the workings of the ‘Glenanne Gang’ responsible for scores of murders during the Troubles, who also feature in Gibney’s ‘No Stone Unturned’.

We need to reflect on these stories, consider and discuss – is ‘collusion’ off-limits? Are investigative journalists safe to work here?

Join us as we consider these and other important questions with renowned American documentary filmmaker Alex Gibney (Enron: the Smartest Guys in the Room, No Stone Unturned), Barry McCaffrey (Reporter, No Stone Unturned), Sean Murray (Unquiet Graves) Kathryn Johnstone (NUJ) panel moderator Susan McKay (Writer & Journalist)

Click here to book for this event taking place on Wednesday 12th June at 3pm in the Ulster Museum.