Introduction The Wind that Shakes the Barley is a film that was directed by Ken Loach and was released in 2006. It depicts the story of Ireland’s fight against the British during the War of Independence and the reaction of this and the subsequent Civil War in Ireland which followed the signing of the Anglo – Irish Treaty. The film has seen little criticism although some may argue that it is controversial but it has in general been very well received. The storyline within the movie showcases the tensions in Ireland not only with its long time conquerors, the English but also the strained relationships within the Irish themselves resulting from divided outlooks on Ireland’s future. Ken Loach – biography and motivation Ken Loach was born in England in 1936 and through a lot of his work he has highlighted his personal views as a social realist (Brooke, 1990-2014). He tends to support the underdog instead of the favoured body. He is often seen in the light of a notorious and very contentions political director and filmmaker. Loach has some military experience spending a few years national service with the RAF. It can be quite apparent that Loach likes the idea of broadcasting the victories of the little guy in his movies. It is because of this you can say that his own mentality and philosophy motivated him to interpret the story through the viewpoint of Republicanism in 20th century Ireland against his own nation’s line of events from the same period. Irish Republicans were