Tell Them Everything

by Margaretta D'Arcy

Genres: Ireland, Nonfiction

127 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1981

About the author

Margaretta Ruth D'Arcy was an Irish actress, writer, playwright and activist.

D'Arcy was a member of the Irish association of artists, known as Aosdána, from its inauguration and was known for addressing Irish nationalism, civil liberties, and women's rights in her work.

D'Arcy was born in London on 14 June 1934, to a Russian-Jewish mother and an Irish-Catholic father. She worked in small theatres in Dublin from the age of fifteen and later became an actress.

In 1957, she married English playwright and author John Arden, and they frequently collaborated. They settled in Galway and established the Galway Theatre Workshop in 1976. The couple had five sons, one of whom predeceased his mother.

Abridged from Wikipedia

Reviews

[Simon J Alvey · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an interesting account of something that I didn't know about, a no-wash protest by women prisoners in Armagh in the 1970s. But its writing is full of deadening political language, and it is always hard to read unalloyed support for the IRA. There were moments of great interest, without great linguistic flourish.

[D Clancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really visceral account of a "stay" in Armagh Gaol. The little details of horrific conditions and interactions between people trying to navigate their personal lives through all the chaos of various politcal campaigns are a hard read but compelling.

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

D'Arcy is a feminist and play-write. This is her account of three months spent in Northern Ireland jail along with a group of female IRA prisoners. D'Arcy comes across as quick to judge and a bit of a loose cannon as well as self-important. The political prisoners, however, come across as incredibly dedicated and organized.

[Deirdre · Rating 3 out of 5]

A shocking but accurate account of the writer's somewhat limited knowledge of and encounter with Republican women prisoners in Armagh jail during the dirty protest. It is recommended for anyone who wants to find out more about the reality of what incarcaration really meant for Republican women and the commitment they displayed under horrendous conditions.

[Alessandra Simmons · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very important memoir account of the no-wash protest in Armagh women's prison in the North of Ireland during the 1970s. Devastating, thoughtful, evokative. Read it.