I'm looking to get a more intimate understanding of what The Troubles were like (specifically during the mid-1970s) and thought that journals and diaries kept during that time would yield the most insight. Unfortunately, I don't know where to go to get anything like that or even where to start looking. I was wondering if anyone here in /r/AskHistorians might be able to point me in the right direction. Thanks!
Ooh you've actually got a tricky one here. The Troubles are a few decades too young for you to start getting diaries etc. available to the public. Many of the people in that event are still alive, and archives generally don't open sensitive records (like diaries and letters) while people they effect are still living. There was a big dustup at the start of the year over oral histories on The Troubles being used to prosecute people for example. This stuff's just too hot yet.
You might like this site where people share their oral histories though? For diaries and letters you're unfortunately just going to have to wait a decade or two for people to pass away. :/
"Eyewitness To History". Contains many first person accounts of interest. Not all from diaries per se.