Hazel Doupe and Lola Petticrew in 'Say Nothing' CREDIT: Rob Youngson/FX

‘Say Nothing’ ending explained: what happened to Dolours Price and Jean McConville?

Spoilers ahead

by · NME

Lola Petticrew and Maxine Peake lead the cast of historical drama series Say Nothing.

Based on the book by Patrick Radden Keefe, the series follows the true story of sisters Dolours (Lola Petticrew) and Marian Price (Hazel Doupe), who grew up in Belfast during the Troubles and became volunteers in the Irish Republican Army.

The series spans multiple decades and centres around the disappearance of Jean McConville, who was kidnapped and murdered by the IRA in 1972.

Say Nothing is created by Josh Zetumer for FX, and is available on Disney+ in the UK. Other cast members include Anthony Boyle, Josh Finan and Michael Colgan.

What happened to Jean McConville in Say Nothing?

‘Say Nothing’ covers the Troubles in Ireland CREDIT: FX/Disney

Jean McConville was abducted and killed by the Irish Republican Army (IRA) for allegedly passing information to British forces. In the penultimate episode, her body is discovered, over 30 years after she originally disappeared in 1972.

While no one has ever been charged for her murder, the series depicts events based on the findings of Say Nothing’s author Patrick Radden Keefe.

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According to Keefe and the show, Dolours doesn’t share any details about McConville’s death on the Belfast Project tape recordings because she is protecting her sister, Marian, as she was the one who fired the gun.

In the final episode, Dolours, Marian and Pat are present at the murder, after the men who were originally meant to execute McConville couldn’t go through with it. While they initially agreed to shoot her once so the responsibility wouldn’t rest entirely on one person, Dolours is unable to pull the trigger and misfires on purpose. Marian then takes it upon herself to shoot and kill McConville.

As shown at the end of the episode, an investigation by the police ombudsman in Northern Ireland found no evidence that Jean McConville was an informant.

Another statement at the end of the show highlights how four of the 17 people who disappeared during the Troubles have yet to be found, namely Joe Lynskey, Columba McVeigh, Robert Nairac and Seamus Maguire.

What happened to Dolours Price?

In the final episode, Dolours Price completes the recordings for the Belfast Project, and claims Gerry Adams had given the order to kill Jean McConville (Adams has denied ever being involved in the IRA or the murder of McConville).

Dolours later gives an interview to the Irish News, telling them that Jean was believed to be a British informant. Shortly after the interview, Dolours, who has struggled with alcohol and drug addiction, dies from a toxic mix of prescription drugs. Her last scene shows her seeing a vision of Pat outside her door, who comes to her with one last job.