Solidarity to Student Protesters: Captive Columns – an untold account of prison life: Rights in a New Ireland

 

Solidarity to Student Protesters

In the late 1960s the major national andinternational issues of the day that helped shape my politics were theanti-Vietnam War movement, the anti-apartheid struggle against the racist SouthAfrican government and the civil rights movement in the North.  In allthree the activism of students was central to raising public awareness andopposition to injustice.

Today students are again at the heart of an ant-warmovement. In the USA students at over 100 university campuses have taken astand against the genocidal war of the Israeli government against thePalestinian people. In scenes reminiscent of anti-war demonstrations almost 60years ago the images of riot-clad and armed police brutally arresting over2,000 students, college professors and academics on US campuses has shockedmany. Film footage and photographs from 4 May 1970 of the shooting dead of fourstudents at Ohio Kent State University have been replayed again and again onsocial media as anti-war supporters express their opposition to what is nowtaking place in the USA.

In Britain and Ireland and in parts of Europe, as well asin Canada, Australia and other states similar protests are now taking place atUniversities, including Trinity College in Dublin.

The demands of the students are simple – a permanent end tothe war, the release of all hostages – including the 6,000 held by Israel – andfor universities to disinvest from Israel. Well done and thank you to all ofthose students taking part in these peaceful, non-violent protests.

 

Captive Columns – an untold account of prisonlife

Cumann na Meirleach Poblachtach Éireannach/ TheIrish Republican Felons Association celebrated its 60th birthdaylast weekend.

The first part of last Friday evening’scelebrations was given over to Danny Morrison who hosted two conversations. Thefirst was with Síle Darragh and Mary Doyle and focussed on their experience inArmagh Women’s Prison. The second was with Colm Scullion, Jackie McMullan, andJazz McCann. This centred on Bobby Sands, Joe McDonnell and Kieran Doherty whothey knew well in the H-Blocks. The discussions were insightful, informativeand inspiring.

Afterward I was asked to introduce my good friendGino aka Eoghan Mac Cormac who has just published a new book ‘Captive Columns –an underground Prison Press 1865-2000’.

In all my dealings with Gino he has been verypositive, cheerful and funny. He is also very clever. Especially with words ínGaeilge agus Bearla. From cross word puzzles in the H-Blocks, to regular contributionsto our Irish Unity magazine Éire Nua – to designing republican jigsaws to hisrecent books of poetry and prose. He is the author of Cáibín an Phápa – a novelwritten during his final years in prison and Pluid which both won Oireachtasprizes. On the Blanket, Macallaí Cillín, the Pen behind the Wire, Gael agusGéibheann have also been published and now he has delivered ‘Captive Columns –an underground prison press 1865-2000’.

This new book published by Greenisland Presstells the extraordinary story of how republican prisoners, held in the mostdire of conditions, succeeded in circumventing the prison regimes to producenews-sheets and newspapers. Beginning in 1865 Gino has identified over 60 suchpublications. Sometimes they were single pages, single editions and whimsicalproductions. On other occasions these journals were thirty to forty pages inlength. Some were in English and others in Irish and occasionally they hadillustrations. They were all subject to the challenges of prison life – some foundduring searches – others subject to censorship, sudden transfers and sometimesexecution. That any survived at all is remarkable and often down to the cleverways in which copies were smuggled out of the prisons.

From the mid 19th century throughto the H-Blocks and Armagh in our own time toilet paper and prison prayer bookshave been the stable source of most of these publications. In the 1970s/80’sand 90’s cigarette papers were widely used.

But in his detailed research Gino brings us backto a young Cork Fenian John Sarsfield Casey who was transported to Australia in1867. He had already spent more than two years in prisons in Cork, Mountjoy andlater in Pentonville in Britain. In the latter the prison regime employed aseparation and silent system turning Pentonville into a huge silent tomb wherecommunication between prisoners was forbidden. Circular cages or rectangleswere constructed in the exercise yards and for 45 minutes each day the prisonercould walk without seeing another prisoner.

Casey later wrote; “plotting was the natural consequence of the isolation we were detainedin – necessity the mother of invention…Each prisoner is furnished weekly with asupply of brown tissue paper for WC purposes. Letters and words might be formedby pricking the paper with a needle and holding it between you and the light;the words then became quite intelligible.”

This was the just the beginning of asophisticated system involving republican prisoners recording their thoughts onscraps of paper and sharing them with comrades.

Gino’s book records the evolution of this processover 135 years through the Fenian prisoners held in English jails to the TanWar and Civil War, the 1930s, 40’s and 50s and then into our own period ofprison struggle beginning in 1969. It is an amazing story of human endeavour -of men and women overcoming adversity.

It is very fitting that Gino dedicated CaptiveColumns to Brian Campbell another great writer, editor of Scairt Amach, theCaptive Voice and An Phoblacht. I also want to reference Jazz McCann whoseparately from Gino wrote a book – ‘6,000 Days’ – which like Gino’s ‘On theBlanket’ details the brutality of the prison regime and the courage of theblanket men during that protest. It is a matter of wonderment to me that Jazzand Gino produced two very different accounts of unique, moving and evocativereflections and memories of a shared time in the same wing, at the same time.Both books are compelling and accessible story telling.

For me these two books exemplify the power of theimagination and memory and of the written word and the personal and individualunderstanding of events, personalities and personal experiences which areunique to the H Block Blanket protests. So too with Laurence McKeown’s ‘TimeShadows.’ There are other books about the Block. Armagh women like Síle Darraghand produced their accounts also and that is important.

‘Captive Columns’ is a work of important anddetailed research and scholarship of the highest order. It and the other booksI have mentioned are available in An Fhuiseog 55 Falls Road, BT12 4PD www.thelarkstone.ie; and online at www.sinnfeinbookshop.com

 

Rights in a New Ireland

Lastweek the British government’s Legacy Act took effect and a group ofinternational human rights experts published a major report accusing theBritish state of operating a “systematic” practice of impunity to protect stateforces. In the same week people interested in human rights packed intoSt Comgall’s – Ionad Eileen Howell. The Conference was organised by SinnFéin’s Commission on the Future of Ireland.

The impressive panel waschaired by Ailbhe Smyth, campaignerand activist and included Dr Shannonbrooke Murphy Associate Professor in Human Rights at St Thomas University inCanada; Colin Harvey, Professorof Human Rights Law in the School of Law, Queen’s University and Daniel Holder,Director of the Committee on the Administration of Justice.

The contribution of panellists and audiencemembers clearly identified the need to put in place strategies thatpromote understanding. These must include a robust, internationally complianthuman rights system of laws and governance that incorporate rights, freedoms andresponsibilities; that guarantee civil and political rights; democratic,social, economic and cultural rights; children’s rights; language and culturalrights; environmental and developmental rights.

The Tories have spent 13 years eroding theprotections of the Good Friday Agreement. As a result there is No Bill ofRights; No Civic Forum in the North; No all-Ireland Civic Forum; No North-SouthCommittee of the two human rights commissions and No all-Ireland Charter ofRights. Clearly, there are many challenges ahead to undo these decisions. Bepart of this conversation. Reach out to others. The people of this islanddeserve a citizen centred, rights based society. London won’t give us this.Self-determination will if those of us who want real change plan for it. Thatis what last week’s conference was about. Be part of it. 

A video of the conference is available at https://youtu.be/wT4lj94yHjE