Aahana Swrup
The story of Jean McConville’s harrowing abduction and murder becomes one of the many storylines explored in Joshua Zetumer’s true-story-inspired historical drama show, ‘Say Nothing.’ The show follows a dramatized account of the events that transpired in 20th-century Northern Ireland through the eyes of a Belfast resident and a Provincial IRA member, Dolours Price. Although Dolours carries out operations within the paramilitary organization to fight for Irish reunification against the British forces, at times, she has to turn the battles inwards to neutralize the IRA’s supposed inner enemies and traitors.
Consequently, Dolours’ story entangles with Jean McConville, a mother of ten who is brutally abducted from her home one night in 1972, never to be seen again. The show highlights the tragedy around the death of Jean McConville at the hands of the IRA, who maintain the woman’s position as an informant despite official debunking of the allegations. As such, the narrative sheds notable light on Helen McConville, Jean’s daughter, who seeks justice for her mother’s death to this day.
Helen McConville Suffered in the Aftermath of Her Mother’s Disappearance
Born to Jean and Arthur McConville, Helen was one of the older sisters in a family with ten children. In 1971, the family moved to West Belfast’s Divis Flats and lost patriarch Arthur shortly after due to his cancer diagnosis. As such, Jean remained the sole guardian of Helen and her siblings. However, the same came under threat on a December night in 1972. That night, a group of masked men and women abducted the mother from her house with her children—barring Helen—witnessing the event. The older McConville, 15 years old at the time, had gone out to get fish and chips for the family. In the 20 minutes it took her to make the meal run, her mother had been abducted.
In the aftermath, the McConville children awaited their mother’s return. However, despite a short period of media attention, the police are said to have never properly investigated the event. Given the socio-politically tumultuous time of the era, rumors easily sprang. Some alleged Jean deserted her family. However, a more widespread understanding persisted that the IRA had likely abducted the single mother due to suspicions of her being an informer for the British authorities. Meanwhile, at 15, Helen stepped in to look after her younger siblings, occupying Jean’s parental role in her absence. Robert, her eldest brother, had been deemed a terror suspect, interned at 17, and her older siblings moved to their grandmother’s house.
Without any money, outside help, or resources, Helen had no means of searching for her mother and looking after her family. During this time, she held out hope that her mother was still out there, especially after a stranger handed her Jean’s purse, which contained 52p and three of her rings. Nonetheless, in 1973—six weeks after her mother’s disappearance—Helen finally contacted Welfare. Thus, the McConville siblings ended up in different homes, with Helen arriving at Nazareth Lodge, a Nun-run children’s home in Ravenhill Road, Belfast.
Helen McConville Got Married at 18 to Seamus McKendry
Nazareth Lodge wasn’t a pleasant experience for Helen McConville. The children’s home had a strict environment and frequently doled out physical punishment to the children. The same, paired with the recent trauma of Jean’s abduction and the subsequent forced familial separation, spelled out a traumatic time for the older McConville sibling. Nonetheless, the place ended up bringing Helen to Seamus McKendry, who worked at the Nazareth Lodge as an apprentice joiner. The duo’s paths crossed again two years later at a working men’s club, where Helen worked as a waitress. As the two re-entered the same orbit, their relationship blossomed. By the mid-1970s, at 18 years old, the two got married. Yet, as Helen McConville—now Helen McKendry—continued with her life, the trauma of her past lingered.
Reportedly, Helen suffered from depression and worried about bordering on alcoholism. Eventually, she decided to tackle her past and participated in a radio interview in 1994, where she confronted the IRA for her mother’s death and demanded admission of the same from the organization. By then, the Northern Ireland Peace Process was in motion, resulting in a Provisional Irish Republican Army ceasefire. Her public confrontation of Jean’s murder compelled others in a similar situation as Helen to come forward about their own missing loved ones. Numerous individuals had gone missing in Ireland during The Troubles. Those who were suspected to have been abducted, murdered, and buried were labeled “The Disappeared.” Thus, in 1994, the McKendry couple founded the Families of the Disappeared group.
Helen McKendry Wants the IRA to Withdraw Allegations Against Her Mother
In 1999, the IRA admitted to the killing of multiple individuals who belonged to the group The Disappeared, including Jean McConville. Simultaneously, an Independent Commission for the Location of Victims’ Remains was launched to investigate the cases of the Disappeared and locate their remains. Despite their admission and apology, the IRA couldn’t give the exact locations of their victims’ covert burial sites. Consequently, the search for the deceased continued. Eventually, on August 27, 2003, a civilian accidentally discovered Jean’s remains at Shelling Hill Beach, County Louth.
Thus, the McConville family finally got to grieve over their mother properly. Although there was some initial dispute among Helen and her siblings about the details around Jean’s reburial, she was ultimately buried in Holy Trinity Cemetery at Lisburn, County Antrim. Meanwhile, the investigation into Jean’s murder saw some arrests but only one aiding and abetting charge against Ivor Bell, IRA’s former Chief of Staff. Nonetheless, no one has yet been convicted of her murder. On her part, Helen believes that Gerry Adams, the politician, had involvement in Jean’s death. Two former IRA members, Dolours Price and Brendan Hughes, have accused Adams of the same.
Still, Adams continues to deny any involvement with the IRA or Jean McConville’s death. Additionally, even though the authorities arrested and interrogated him for four days, they ultimately released the politician without charge. As such, Jean’s murder case remains unsolved. Since their admission, the IRA has apologized for Jean McConville’s murder but continues to maintain their allegations that she was an informant despite official investigations concluding otherwise. As a result, Helen and the rest of the McConville family are seeking a withdrawal of the allegations against their mother.
Helen Plans to Sue Sinn Féin in Her Fight For Her Mother’s Honor
In 2022, Helen McKendry launched a fund-raising appeal to support her intentions of suing Sinn Féin, the Irish political party. Helen and Seamus McKendry believe Sinn Féin to be The IRA’s political wing during The Troubles. For the same reason, they want the political party to pay reparations for the family’s loss. In just a few days of launching their GoFundMe campaign, the McKendrys surpassed their initial £10,000 goal. In the aftermath, Seamus shared the family’s intentions of hiring an accountancy firm to handle the finances behind their legal campaign.
Furthermore, Helen has shared intentions to use any leftover funding not utilized in legal actions to set up a memorial for Jean McConville. While she would consult the general public on the type of memorial, she is inclined towards an annual writing award for the youth. As such, more than half a century after her mother’s death, Helen continues to honor her name and hold her dear in her memory. For the same reason, she shared her criticism of the FX show, ‘Say Nothing’ during its production. “I’m not too happy,” Helen told The Irish News in July 2023. “If you are supposed to be telling a story, you have to tell the truth, not what you make up as you go along.”
Helen further criticized the show for profiting out of the grief of others. Although she has been critical of this rendition of her family’s story, she has also said she would support a piece of media around her family as long as “they tell it right.” As per the last known reports, Helen remains in Northern Ireland with her husband, five children, and multiple grandchildren. Although she is moving past the crime against her family, she continues to fight for justice and restitution.
