{"id":3382,"date":"2015-07-07T16:16:57","date_gmt":"2015-07-07T15:16:57","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.longkeshinsideout.co.uk\/?p=3382"},"modified":"2015-07-07T16:16:57","modified_gmt":"2015-07-07T15:16:57","slug":"a-lifetime-of-tv-jha","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.longkeshinsideout.co.uk\/?p=3382","title":{"rendered":"A Lifetime of TV: JHA"},"content":{"rendered":"

A Lifetime of TV.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Serving out a life sentence means obviously that one is not out in society doing all the usual things that people do. Therefore so much of the historic events that took place are viewed by the life sentence prisoner by the medium of TV.\u00a0 TV viewing in the Crum was sporadic to say the least. I entered the Crum in \u00a01977 when the \u2018day in day out\u2019 \u00a0system worked. Republicans one day, \u00a0loyalists the next. When I say a day out I mean 3 hours out of the cell.\u00a0 Washing in the morning. Walking in the \u00a0afternoon and TV in the evening.\u00a0 The C wing rec\u2019 room was a large drab room with a black and white TV high up in the wall fixed securely on iron brackets. The room was always awash with noise and tension.\u00a0 I was in the rec\u2019 room one evening when the news came on about a Provo getting a\u00a0 natural life sentence.\u00a0 There was a quietness while the news sunk in to many of us sitting there. \u00a0Only 4 natural life sentences \u00a0were given during the Troubles. And I had been speaking to Basher and Billy earlier.<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

1977. I recall the 1977 FA Cup Final. (21st<\/sup> May) Whether you were a \u00a0Liverpool or United fan (or other) this was a big match. \u00a0As luck had it was our day out that Saturday. It was pure escape for 45 minutes on what I recall was a tight game by both sides.\u00a0 No goals by half time.\u00a0 The screws let us see the first half then locked us up for the second half. \u00a0Nice one.\u00a0 \u00a0The rest of the match was listened to by radio. For those who had one.\u00a0 The local connection for us was Sammy Mc Ilroy, \u00a0\u00a0Jimmy Nicholl and wee Mc Creery. \u00a0All United men.<\/p>\n

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1978. The TV incident of the year for me was the Lan Mon house slaughter. (17th<\/sup> February) \u00a0By this time I was in Compound 21 awaiting trial.\u00a0 The bombing took place at 9 pm \u00a0so the TV crews didn\u2019t have time that evening to broadcast the devastation. But C.21 was very news aware and we knew that something very bad had taken place. I was in the middle hut. We had been locked up for the night.\u00a0 We were used to,\u00a0 \u2018Here is a news flash\u2019 , remember them?\u00a0 There was a silence to hear what had happened, then a buzz of talk. People went to their cubes to discuss the latest atrocity. The horror of it was very visible the next day. \u00a0The dead , the injured. The funerals that would follow.\u00a0 1978. A year to forget. I was given my life sentence later that year.<\/p>\n

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1979. \u2018I don\u2019t like Mondays\u2019.\u00a0 (Jan 29th<\/sup>) \u00a0I was settling into prison life by starting my degree, getting serious about my training and producing quite a bit of art work. \u00a0Life in 21 was still busy with high numbers and many characters that lifted the gloom.\u00a0 We knew of the H Blocks and protests but that was still a distant worry. One way of coping with indefinite imprisonment was music. The Boomtown Rats had produced the album (remember vinyl albums?) – A Tonic for the Troops.\u00a0 The main song I recall is \u2018I don\u2019t like Mondays\u2019. (Although it was an excellent album all round).\u00a0 Apparently this was said by a 16 year old Brenda Spencer to explain why she killed 2 and injured many children in a very American type educational shooting.\u00a0 She walked into the Grover Cleveland Elementary school in San Diego with the Ruger rifle her father had bought her for Christmas. \u00a0Nice one Dad. \u00a0\u00a0It was a strange event to contrast our ongoing troubles. Sadly the type of event would become common in the USA. \u00a0(Whatever happened to her?)<\/p>\n

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1980 Iranian embassy storming. (5th<\/sup> May)\u00a0 The TV event of the year for me interrupted watching Alex Higgins in the final of the Embassy World snooker Championship in Sheffield.\u00a0 Out of the blue the live coverage was disrupted by events unfolding at South Kensington,\u00a0 London. \u00a0We knew of the siege but no one had seen what was coming. \u00a0The hostage takers had executed one hostage and dumped his body. A group of us stood around the TV in the middle hut wondering what was going on.
\nIt was no surprise when the news came through that all but one of the 6 terrorists had been killed. It was a stunning success. All but one of the 26 hostages were rescued.<\/p>\n

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1981. ( 5th<\/sup> May. )\u00a0\u00a0 Those of us in the cages or compounds had Special Category Status. The British government had recognised the special nature of the troubles and granted those\u00a0 involved in the troubles a recognition. \u00a0From the Crum\u2019 most of the men, \u00a0Gusty leading the UVF\/ Red Hand group, went to the Nissen hut style POW camp at the Long Kesh- an old RAF air strip. From 1976 there was a process of criminalisation or the blatant retelling of a plain fact that most of the paramilitaries were not criminals but those involved in inter communal conflict.\u00a0 The H blocks kicked in around 1976. Various protests, \u00a0\u00a0no work, no wash and dirty had taken place. There was only one protest left to bring the situation to a head. We were all too aware that was happening over the wall in the H Blocks would touch us sooner or later.\u00a0 I recall that brinkmanship was the order of the day. \u00a0There had been one abortive hunger strike. Surely Sands would not die? I was up at 7am on the 5th<\/sup> of May. I took the only radio out of our middle hut to the study hut so that I would not wake anybody. I put Radio Ulster on and it didn\u2019t take long. Belfast was alight after Sands had died in the early hours. The rest is part of our sad history. \u00a0There wasn\u2019t a mummer in the cages.<\/p>\n

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1982 \u00a0(23rd<\/sup> May) HMS Antelope. \u00a0The Falklands war was a TV war. We often watched the 9 o clock news to see what had happened that day.\u00a0 There was one TV between 30 men. We would stand and listen before heading off to our cubes. There were many iconic images from that summer ; the HMS Coventry, HMS Sheffield,\u00a0 Sir Galahad.\u00a0 The Belgrano. We got used to John Nott,\u00a0 Brian Hanrahan and of course Maggie.\u00a0 A quiet year. Marking time.<\/p>\n

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1983.\u00a0 25th<\/sup> September.\u00a0 1983 was a strange year. The new romantics were shuffling of the stage while synthpop was making inroads.\u00a0 It was a year of mixed music with UB40, the Police, and Human League all hitting the musical heights.\u00a0 Sinn Fein were on the rise with Gerry A winning west Belfast. George Bush and wife visited Dublin while his government sent Cruise missiles to Greenham Common, England. The cold war was heating up.\u00a0 The prison was relatively quiet after 10 republicans had starved themselves to death. It was a good summer with days spent in shorts and sandals. There was no immediate indication in the cages that something big had taken place \u2018across the wall\u2019. Sunday was always a quiet day in the cages. No visits, no classes, no football.\u00a0 We didn\u2019t even hear the shooting that took place. But the news soon caught up with what turned out to be one of the largest British prison escapes. One of the\u00a0 consequences was even tighter security. For everyone.<\/p>\n

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1984. 6th<\/sup> March. The \u00a0Miners\u2019 strike. \u00a0Our numbers were starting to drop. A new name has started to enter our discussions. Apparently there is a brand new super prison that\u2019s going to open at Maghaberry. Another disused airstrip. Is there not enough prison sin our wee country? Ronnie Reagan came to Ireland and \u00a0John stalker was looking at the shoot to kill. The prisons had gone of the front page.\u00a0 Big Benny Redfern from Compound 17 died during an escape attempt in the cages. Many of our men were entering their second decade in prison.\u00a0 Another power conflict was being played out in mainland Britain. It had the air of a war that moved on a daily basis. Arthur Scargill became the love him hate him figure beloved of the printed media.<\/p>\n

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1985 13th<\/sup> July\u00a0 \u00a0Live Aid. The last of the fixed sentence men left the compounds. 6 had been sentenced to 20 years each in 1975. We were left with only lifers.\u00a0 The prevailing mind-set was that we were all staying until the troubles stopped. \u00a0However \u00a0this year seen 2 juvenile lifers being taken to the \u00a0Crum to prepare for release.\u00a0 Did a chink of light just come on? \u00a0I had my first case review. I got knocked back 2 years. The prevailing mind-set was that we were all staying until the troubles stopped. We all had done something to raise money for Live Aid.\u00a0 Make handicrafts and sell them. Money sent to charity. We did watch Barry Mc Guigan win the world title.\u00a0 Nerves wrecked.\u00a0 But the13th July was a glorious Saturday. Up early and to the gym to \u00a0get training completed. \u00a0An early run. And it was an early start. \u00a0A long day of good music. \u00a0A great excuse to sit in front of the box all day. Quo. Bowie. Cars. Queen. Even better we could watch the American part later on that evening.<\/p>\n

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1986 January 28th<\/sup>.\u00a0 Challenger disaster. I recall the day as being bright and dry. The Mad Major ( our term of endearment)\u00a0 had called me in and said \u2018did you see that\u2019. \u00a0I was into the whole space thing. This was through the day.\u00a0 Could not believe what we were seeing on TV along with the rest of the world. \u00a0A strange year. Men were getting their cases reviewed but the sting in the tail was getting a 2 year knockback.\u00a0 I declined mine. What was the point?\u00a0 A long year that seen our numbers drop as some men voluntarily left to go to the dark side- the H blocks.\u00a0 The Sticks (official IRA) had already gone to the Crum because they were down to single figures.\u00a0 I got my degree this year and started on my Honours.<\/p>\n

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1987. 8th<\/sup> November. \u00a0The year starts with all sorts of rumours about the end of Special Category.\u00a0 There are tensions as some men are due for release. Others are not. \u00a0I got another case review, I didn\u2019t go out. I got put back another 2 years. \u00a0Most of us carry on training, studying and completing handicrafts. Much of it is now at a very high standard. Some have gained qualifications in football , coaching and athletics.\u00a0 The Remembrance Day slaughter hits the world headlines. I recall Maggie T being there in Enniskillen. Hardly one of the main arenas for the troubles. Some of us wonder was it a deliberate act of revenge for what happened in Loughgall on the 8th<\/sup> May.\u00a0 There is a feeling of going backwards. Some men wonder what impact these outside events will have on reviews?<\/p>\n

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1988. \u00a019th<\/sup> March. A year to change everything. \u00a0I had just spent my 11th<\/sup> Christmas in prison. \u00a0The NIO had deniable talks with the prisoners in the cages. A gentleman\u2019s agreement. Leave the Nissen huts, the jungle of \u00a0razor barbed wire and \u00a0go to the H-Block and out you go.\u00a0 After a new set of reviews, \u00a0of course. Bit of a trust issue there but it was agreed by the large majority.\u00a0\u00a0 We ended up in H2. There were 3 events this year which just rolled into one. First Gibraltar, (6th<\/sup> March), \u00a0then Stoner at Milltown (16th<\/sup> March). \u00a0Then the true horror of what had been happening for years. Savagery,\u00a0 barbarity, madness, suffering, death.\u00a0 Two (more) humans are killed in broad daylight for the world to see.\u00a0 Were things getting better or worse?<\/p>\n

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1989. \u00a09th<\/sup> November. I was in the H Blocks but I had been granted, like most others, \u00a0Christmas Parole.\u00a0 Amazing. \u00a0The world seemed to be changing with ours.\u00a0 The writing was on the wall. Special Cat\u2019 \u00a0aka Political status, \u00a0was ending.\u00a0 A new world waited. I was transferred to the Crum to prepare for release. My focus was on my family and settling back in but the Cold war had loomed large and heavily over all of us on the \u201880s. Yet here was a clear symbol of division becoming redundant.\u00a0 The Berlin wall was breached. People crossed through unharmed.\u00a0 Time magazine said it was an unparalleled year. South Africa, China, Iran, Poland. The world had changed. The Berlin wall was down.\u00a0 The walls that had held me for over a decade was also down. I came out to a different world in so many ways.<\/p>\n

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