Striking back to an uncomfortable past

The protest against South Africa’s apartheid regime was one of the most compelling stories of 1985. Workers were arrested during the strike outside Dunnes on Henry St, Dublin, says Michael Clifford.

The excavation of the past has not been a comfortable exercise for the nation. So much has been discovered that remained hidden for decades. The potential of so many lives was buried under stifling mores and warped power structures. So many were effectively sacrificed because they represented an uncomfortable truth that was publicly denied.

But what of the past that was lived out in plain sight? How do some events from 30 years ago look through the lens of hindsight? And more to the point, how would events unfold today if similar circumstances arose?