Gulladuff to host launch of books on prison protests

Two books, which have been described as 'invaluable resources' on the prison struggle through the years of the blanket and no wash protest, will be launched in County Derry later this week.

Eoghan Gino Mac Cormaic's two books – one in Irish and one in English – entitled 'Pluid' and 'On the Blanket' cover the prison protest in the H Blocks and Armagh Gaol between 1976 and 1981.

A native of Derry's Waterside, Mr Mac Cormaic, who now resides in Galway, spent 15 years in prison and five and a half years on the Blanket and no work protest sharing wings with many prisoners from County Derry.

Gulladuff Hall will host the launch of both publications this Friday, August 19 at 7pm.

During the event, which will be chaired by Sinn Féin MLA Emma Sheerin, Mr Mac Cormaic will talk about the events from those dark days and will recount the many stories of humour and comradeship among those on protest.

Speaking to the County Derry Post last night, he said: “On the Blanket: an A to Z of Prison Resistance has an unusual take on the 1976 to 81 protests. Using the alphabet as its chapters I have chosen words which were important in understanding the protest. The A of 'arrival' , or 'agóid' (protest) right through Boards, Comradeship, and so on. Some chapters are bleaker than others and some will give the reader a huge sense of how we kept sane, kept our morale up and faced the policy of criminalisation head on.

“I wanted a book that would take the reader right into the wings and to give families a chance to see that despite all we remained hopeful.”

Mr Mac Cormaic continued: “This visit to Gulladuff will be important for me to meet old friends and comrades. We were all close comrades for five years. Five of the hunger strikers who died were from County Derry. Sadly on my last visit there I was with an old friend and wing mate from the Blanket protest, Tommy Donaghy, back in 1991, just a day before he was murdered. Around 400 to 420 prisoners were on the Armagh and H Blocks protest and more than 150 of those have since died so it is important that their stories be told.”

Eoghan's book 'Pluid' won the 2021 Oireachtas award for adult literature while 'On the Blanket (An A to Z of prison resistance)' has been described as 'taking the reader right into the prison wings and giving a unique first had account of the protest'. 

Friday evening's launch in Gulladuff follows on from the very successful book launch of 'Free Statism and the Good Old IRA' by writer Danny Morrison back in February.

On Friday evening, those in attendance will have the opportunity to purchase both of Eogahn's books – 'Pluid' priced at £10 and 'On the Blanket' priced at £13.