Candles in the Dark

Based on interviews with medical professionals who lived and worked through the Troubles as well those with whom they came into contact, it highlights the strains and ethical tensions that the Troubles in Northern Ireland placed on the medical profession. Based on the experiences of those in hospitals, surgeries and prisons within the province, Candles in the Dark is both a significant record of the issues faced and a testament to the integrity and dedication of the vast majority the medical professionals involved.

This report is based on the Nuffield Trust’s 2002 Rock Carling lecture by Dr James McKenna, former Chief Medical Officer for Northern Ireland, and is augmented by additional research and interviews carried out by Farhat Manzoor and Greta Jones of the University of Ulster.

This report will be of interest to health leaders, researchers and all those interested in medical ethics or the recent social history of Britain and Ireland.