Trouble Songs - Music and Conflict in Northern Ireland book to be previewed at Belfast City Hall event

Written by Belfast-based music journalist and broadcaster Stuart Bailie, ‘Trouble Songs – Music and Conflict in Northern Ireland’ features interviews with Bono, Christy Moore, The Undertones, Stiff Little Fingers, Orbital, Kevin Rowland, Terri Hooley, The Rubberbandits and The Miami Showband survivors reflecting on the events of the conflict.

The soundtrack includes remarkable work by John Lennon, Paul McCartney, Sinead O’Connor, The Pogues, The Cranberries and Elvis Costello.

The ‘Peace and Beyond’ conference will bring together practitioners, academics, policy makers and young leaders from all over the world to mark the 20th anniversary of the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement and Stuart has been invited to give an exclusive reading from ‘Trouble Songs’ at a special gala event at Belfast City Hall.

“I absolutely believe that music made a difference,” Stuart explains. “Music has been a persuader, an agitator and a peacemaker in Northern Ireland. It changed the direction of my life in 70's Belfast and I’ve seen it happen to hundreds of other people. There were many factors that led to the Good Friday Agreement, but in my account, music helped to get us over the line. I’m looking forward to taking part in the conference and offering an alternative hearing of the conflict.”

'Trouble Songs' will also form part of the wider Peace and Beyond Arts Fringe where a small selection of works made by artists, writers and theatre makers since the Good Friday Agreement was signed 20 years will be featured at the extraordinary Riddels Warehouse building on Ann Street, Belfast from Tuesday 10 April – Friday 13 April - see www.britishcouncil.org/peace-and-beyond/arts-fringe

‘Trouble Songs – Music and Conflict in Northern Ireland’ will be published on 11 May 2018. The book is priced £14.99 and is available to pre-order now from www.troublesongs.com