Actor Lola Petticrew’s controversial Ifta speech didn’t give the full picture of the political landscape in Ballymurphy
Lola Petticrew with the Ifta for Best Lead Actress in a Drama. Photo: Getty
Lola Petticrew’s Best Lead Actress in a Drama win at the Iftas was deserved. But, when the actor dedicated the award to “the kids of west Belfast” and declared that one in three lived in poverty because of “the legacy of war” and “Britain’s hand in Ireland”, it was hard not to look for a sick bucket at the sight of the audience applauding.
Most of these people have never set foot in Ballymurphy, yet they were happy to accept a half-narrative and lend their weight to it publicly.