Dia duit! My name is Nicola Murphy, I am 21 and am from the quite scenic area that of Knockaderry which is a small village in West Limerick. I graduated in September from UCC with a BA in History and English. As I love both History and Media I chose to do the MA in History of Irish Media and Journalism, again in UCC as I was not ready to leave my new home! I did my final year dissertation on Irish Comedy and how it reflects Irish Society, this year I decided to change focus to another area which I love.
As I have a great interest in Irish history and in particular Ireland's long fight to achieve its freedom and a United Ireland, I wish to research and present a thesis concerning the Irish Republican Army (IRA) and their portrayal in the media. Initially I hoped to explore their portrayal in film however I am considering looking at the source of documentaries instead or perhaps attempting to localise my research so to achieve an original approach. I am from County Limerick, a county which I am aware possesses a strong Sinn Féin following particularly in the city. With this in mind I wish to consider local media outlets and how they have portrayed the IRA throughout the years perhaps highlighting a change in how the IRA are viewed as the IRA has changed over the years which may prove that a change has come about in how they are viewed by the public.
