The recent shootings in Northern Ireland has evoked unity among the people in condemning the sad and mindless killings. At times of hardship in the wake of a recession, however, the idyllic peaceful pact of the last decade now seems more fragile than ever. While the majority has come to prefer the truce and learn to live together despite differences in ideologies, for some, the time is ripe to instill fear once again.

One of today’s dominating news headlines in Ireland has been the stepping up of security at the borders between the Republic and Northern Ireland, at the threats imposed by smuggling of explosives. The direction is currently from the south to the north but regardless, this doesn’t bode well for anyone that lives on this island.

News of explosives aren’t new. Even in Dublin, combing through the archives of the Irish Times, there are plenty of articles pertaining to discovering of hoax devices, of live devices, and of dismantling of viable devices. Like this, reported last weekend. What I find puzzling though, is the seemingly blanketing of successful explosions.

A few months ago, while I was out at the cinema with a friend, my housemate sent me a message to inform me that part of the road leading to our place had been cordoned off. She heard someone around whispering about an alleged explosion. By the time I went home though, the area had been clear and had this just been any other day, I wouldn’t have thought anything had taken place there at all. Next day, curious over the incident, we scoured through news sites and found nothing at all. We then supposed the alleged explosion was just a rumour and left it at that.

However, a couple of days ago, another friend, in a different part of the city, witnessed a car explosion before his very eyes. Concerned for his own safety, he legged it away from the site. Again, me being me, curious over the incident, was on the lookout for news articles again yesterday. Guess what – I couldn’t find anything!

Is it me or is this too weird? That devices found or dismantled made it to the news, but except for a few eyewitnesses nothing had been reported on cases of explosions in the city? Since when is there a shroud of secrecy around incidents like this? Is this an attempt “to protect” the people of Dublin from unnecessary worries or panic? Are these incidents something of utmost secrecy? (Will I get into trouble for even questioning this right now?)