Xmas in the Kesh

Posted on 10/05/2012 by Compound| 1 Comment

Xmas in the Kesh.

This is my 10th Xmas in the Kesh. For most of the others it is their 13th or 15th. As usual Xmas is that curious mix of having a great time while still being the worst time of the year. People recall previous happier memories and realise that we’re here for at least another year.  Some have a minimum of 35 Christmases to look forward to. The run in to Xmas day is the same. People putting a good spin on it. This year is different.  Some of the lifers have got home for the first time. While it gives hope to them for the rest it’s a curious mix of happiness,  jealousy and resentment.  We say in earnest ‘Hope you have a good time out there’ and in our guts and hearts we wish it were us.

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Posted in prison life

The Titanic Boys

Posted on 10/05/2012 by Compound| Comments Off on The Titanic Boys

The Titanic Boys Preview

 

 

On Friday last I was lucky enough to attend a short preview of the forthcoming Martin Lynch play—The Titanic Boys due to open up in the Opera House in August this year.  Originally entitled-The Guarantee Boys-the drama tells the true story of four young Harland and Wolff apprentices who were handpicked to sail on the ill fated vessel to ensure the smooth running in the various departments.  They were actually selected by Thomas Andrews himself just weeks before the Titanic sailed.  Although this was only in preview form the short 15 minute excerpt was moving and powerful enough to anticipate the full length version.  The four young actors on show were a delight and performed the short piece with commendable vigour.  As well as Lynch’s expected informative and witty script to look forward to there is an added bonus of a musical input.  And like the Dancing Shoes drama—George Best story—from 2010 Martin has employed a top class collaborator in J.J. Gilmour.  The two songs performed in this review certainly live up to the standards of Dancing Shoes and hopefully are the sign of things to come.  Some of the other cast members and production team were in the invited audience and there was a palpable air of anticipation.  Although not performing on the day, seasoned local actors like Paddy Jenkins and Jimmy Doran were “ champing at the bit “.  Martin Lynch has nothing to prove within the theatre world of Northern Ireland and at times has had the audiences here eating out of his hand and begging for more.  From Chronicle of Long Kesh to The History of the Troubles—from Dancing Shoes to Dockers he rarely fails to hit the heights.  It is my opinion that come August we may be party to his greatest creation yet.

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Posted in The Arts

A Day in The Life….

Posted on 09/05/2012 by Compound| Comments Off on A Day in The Life….

The first of an occasional feature detailing the day to day life of a former Compound man.

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Posted in prison life

A Return to Compound 19

Posted on 08/05/2012 by Compound| Comments Off on A Return to Compound 19

A RETURN TO COMPOUND 19 – 2007

(A Red Hand Commando Volunteer returns to the Maze Prison and takes his 14 year old son with him).

 

During the summer of 2007, 17 years after I had been released on ‘License’, I was presented with the opportunity to return to the Maze/Long Kesh prison. I jumped at the chance, especially as I was able to bring my son with me. Accompanying me on the visit was a fellow prisoner and long time friend who brought along a work colleague. Completing the group was another close friend and his son.

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ACT Justice Conference 2012 – Brian Gormally

Posted on 08/05/2012 by Compound| Comments Off on ACT Justice Conference 2012 – Brian Gormally

 

At the ‘ACT Initiative’ Justice Conference, held at the Ramada Encore, Belfast,21/04/2012, one of the guest speakers was Brian Gormally. Brian is the Director of the Committee on the Administration of Justice, Northern Ireland’s leading Human Rights NGO. For over a decade before that, he was an independent consultant working mainly in the community and voluntary sector – specialising in Justice, Human Rights and Equality issues. He was Deputy Director of NIACRO for 25 years until 2000 – working with communities, alienated young people, ex-offenders and prisoners’ families.

He has published and presented extensively on Justice, Community Policing and conflict resolution issues – particularly on politically motivated prisoner releases, victims of terrorism, dealing with the past and restorative justice. He has been involved in international peace-related work in South Africa, Israel/Palestine, the Basque Country, Italy and, more recently, Colombia. He has also worked on a number of projects on equality and human rights with the trade union movement and on the Bill of rights with the NI Human Rights Commission.
Below is a copy of his presentation to the conference.

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Posted in Current Affairs

The Reluctant Cardinal

Posted on 08/05/2012 by Compound| Comments Off on The Reluctant Cardinal

THE RELUCTANT CARDINAL

 

The controversy rumbles on and there remains a possibility that it will become even more protracted.  Cardinal Sean Brady remains resolute in his refusal to resign in the wake of damning revelations relating to his involvement in the cover up of the abuse allegations against former fellow priest Father Brendan Smyth, in 1975.  At that time Brady was part of a Catholic Church investigation team sent to interview 14 year old Brendan Boland who had accused Brendan Smyth of systematically abusing him.  Brady asserts that he was only there as a “note taker” to the main investigator Monsignor Francis Donnelly.  However in light of a recent BBC documentary it has emerged that he was much more than a note taker and that in fact he withheld valuable information that allowed not only Brendan Smyth to continue in his side line of paedophilia, but many other clerics to operate unhindered in a similar fashion.

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Posted in Current Affairs

This week In The Papers 4

Posted on 08/05/2012 by Compound| Comments Off on This week In The Papers 4

THIS WEEK IN THE PAPERS 4

What planet do these Judges we have here live on or are they all the same wherever you go? This week provided a couple of examples of how these guys are totally detached form the real world. Justice Weir,  in Belfast last week, told the PSNI to stand on their ‘own two feet’ and ignore advice from community reps. He was deliberating over a bail application by two Belfast men and when prosecution lawyers informed the court that the PSNI had relayed details of community concerns if these men were released – he ‘took a blue one’. Is listening to communities more not one of the building blocks of a new form of Policing? Weird! Also, Barney McElholm jailed a guy for three months after he had said he would like to blow Barney up! There must be thousands of these types of threats issued by drunks every weekend – and nobody ends up in Jail over it. Come on guys chill out!

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Posted in Current Affairs

Billy Hutchinson elected leader of PUP

Posted on 04/05/2012 by Compound| Comments Off on Billy Hutchinson elected leader of PUP

Billy Hutchinson elected leader of the PUP

Billy Hutchinson entered community work in 1990 as the director of the Springfield Inter-community Development Project, a cross community forum which brought together republican and loyalist   communities to explore ways to address social issues using community relations, community development and conflict resolution.

Billy was elected to the Legislative Assembly in 1998 representing North Belfast. He is also a former member of the Belfast City Council, representing the Oldpark electoral area for two Council terms.

He has now returned to the community as the coordinator of the Mount Vernon Community Development Forum and has received accolades for his work in a range of community capacity building programmes and working with excluded communities.

He has also worked in a number of Countries examining the role of armed groups both nationally and internationally the most recent being Iraq.

Billy stood for the leadership of the Progressive Unionist Party on the 15th October 2011 and was duly appointed leader.

Billy is a Social Science graduate and holds a post graduate diploma in Town Planning. He served a four year term as a lay member of the Department of Education and Training Inspectorate and had responsibility with his colleagues for inspections of all education sectors in Northern Ireland.

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Posted in Loyalism Today

This week in the papers 3

Posted on 04/05/2012 by Compound| Comments Off on This week in the papers 3

THIS WEEK IN THE PAPERS 3 – 29/4/12

Some interesting stuff in the papers this week – from Johnny Evans to Denis Donaldson, Stephen Nolan to Martin McGuiness – all good stuff. There were a few stories that made me smile – I’m sure you did as well – if you read them. Let me start with Stephen Nolan. Nolan’s new weekly TV show started this week – in my opinion it wasn’t a great start – the guy looks likes two guys and he seemed quite nervous. But it was Friday’s Belfast Telegraph review by Joe Nawaz that had me smiling. Joe called Nolan ‘the cake loving Mother Teresa of chat’ – some would say this is a great description – and said he watched the show in ‘extra wide-angled awe!’ – Brilliant. Funny enough the result of a poll conducted by the show found that 57% of respondents agreed that punishment attacks were, sometimes, acceptable – quite a shock to Nolan – I think he’s now searching for a different ‘pulse of the people’ – the one he thought he had has let him down.

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Posted in Current Affairs

The Loyal Dublin Volunteers

Posted on 03/05/2012 by Compound| Comments Off on The Loyal Dublin Volunteers

IN June 1935, a Dublin Board of Works employee was among a group working at part of the Dublin GPO (General Post Office), the men having been assigned to remove presses from the cellar of the GPO Customs Parcels Section, located at 10 Parnell Square.

When several presses were removed however, some mortar appeared insecure, and when touched, collapsed. Upon further investigation the employee realised he had uncovered a large cavity several feet long. Within it, in perfectly dry conditions, lay a massive arms cache. He had discovered over 90 rifles and over 2000 rounds of ammunition.

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Posted in History