The memories of two Fermanagh journalists who reported during the Troubles feature in a compelling new book launched last week.

In Reporting the Troubles sixty eight renowned journalists, including Denzil McDaniel and Trevor Birney, tell their stories of working in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, the victims that they have never forgotten, the events that have never left them, and the lasting impact of the experience of working through those years.

The landmark book by acclaimed journalists Deric Henderson and Ivan Little was launched in Belfast last Thursday night and focuses on one of the most turbulent periods in recent history.

Published by Blackstaff Press the book has been described as “a remarkable act of remembrance that is raw, thought provoking and profoundly moving.”

Mr. McDaniel, a former editor of The Impartial Reporter, writes about his memories of reporting on the Enniskillen bombing in 1987.

“In the highly-charged days after the bombing, Gordon Wilson’s words of forgiveness for his daughter’s killers struck a chord that epitomised the spirit of the two communities coming together in Enniskillen, where Protestants and Catholics called for peace at candlelit vigils,” he writes.

Mr. Birney, who started his career at this newspaper and went on to work for Downtown Radio and UTV, shares his memories including a visit by Bill and Hillary Clinton to Belfast in 1995.

“Their final engagement, the lighting of the Christmas tree at Belfast City Hall, remains the only moment peace was truly celebrated on Northern Ireland’s streets,” he writes.

Other journalists who have contributed to the book include Kate Adie, Martin Bell and Nicholas Witchell of the BBC; ITN’s John Irvine; Alex Thomson of Channel 4, NBC’s Bill Neely, Sean O’Neill, The Times, Richard Kay, Daily Mail, Robert Fisk, The Independent, John Mullin, Daily Telegraph; RTE’s Miriam O’Callaghan, Tommie Gorman and Katie Hannon; Justine McCarth, Sunday Times and Sam Smyth, Mail on Sunday.

Others include Eamonn Mallie, David McKittrick, Susan McKay, Brian Rowan, Suzanne Breen, Wendy Austin, Noel Doran, editor of the Irish News and Gail Walker, editor of the Belfast Telegraph.

Mr. Little, who formerly worked for UTV and ITN, and Mr. Henderson, the former Ireland editor of the Press Association, began their daily newspaper careers with the Belfast Telegraph in 1973. They spent nine months compiling the book while US Senator George Mitchell wrote the foreword.

‘Extracts from Reporting the Troubles compiled by Deric Henderson and Ivan Little. Published by Blackstaff Press, priced at £14.99 and available from all good bookshops.'