The Prison Struggle

The Prison Struggle section brings together 226 items spanning from 1971 through to the 2000s, documenting one of the most significant and contested dimensions of the broader republican campaign. The material covers the full arc of the prison protests: internment without trial introduced in August 1971, the hunger strikes in England in the mid-1970s, the blanket and dirty protests at the Maze and Armagh, the 1980 and 1981 hunger strikes, prison escapes, and extradition campaigns. Formats include leaflets, posters, booklets, newsletters, and newspapers, reflecting the wide range of organisations and individuals who produced material in response to conditions of imprisonment and the political status question.

Taken together, the items in this section constitute a primary source record of how the prison protests were communicated, organised around, and commemorated by republican and solidarity movements over three decades. They document not only events inside the prisons but the extensive campaigns mounted outside them, and in doing so reflect the centrality of the prison struggle to republican politics throughout the period.

1971


Fight Internment (1971) (1)

Internment Order (24 November 1971)

600 Imprisoned Without Trial (1971)

1972


Anti-Internment News No2

Anti-Internment News No4

Hand Drawn Proclamation (Long Kesh)

Internees Say No to EEC Poster

Barbed Wire Bulletin (January 1972)

1973


The Hut 60 Bullitin (Circa 1973) (5)

Joe McCloskey Release Order (1973) (5)

Spoil Your Vote (1973)

Roisin McLaughlin Extradition Leaflet (1973) (1)

1974


Michael Gaughan Poster

Michael Gaughan NFÉ Poster

Political Prisoner Poster

Smash Internment Poster

Michael Gaughan Letter (1974) (6)

Hibernia Internment Supplement (August 1974)

Freedom’s Way (1974)

Mayo Hunger Strike Card (1974) (1)

Michael Gaughan Autopsy Report (1974)

Mísneach (February 1974)

Mísneach (May 1974)

1975


Published by the Prisoners Aid Committee

Long Kesh Christmas Card

Faoi Glas (1975) (1)

An Síoladóir No 2 (May 1975)

Long Kesh Poems (1975) (7)

1976


Frank Stagg and Gerard Mealey Leaflet

Frank Stagg

Long Kesh Christmas Card

Support Frank Stagg and Gerry Mealey Poster

An Eochair No 12 (1976) (6)

Political Status Leaflet – Armagh Gaol (1976) (1)

Our Own Voice (Long Kesh 1976)

Frank Stagg Message (January 1976)

Frank Stagg Death Certificate (1976)

In the care of Her Majesty’s prisons – Hugh Feeney (1976)

Christmas Message Magilligan Camp (1976)

PAC Bulletin (July 1976)

PAC Bulletin (Oct Nov 1976)

1977


Prison Struggle Booklet (1)

Blanket Protest Poster

H Block The Facts (September 1977) (1)

Hunger Strike Portlaoise Poster (1977)

PAC Leaflet on Amnesty International Protest (December 1977)

PAC News (Oct Nov 1977)

PAC News (December 1977)

An Eochair


An Eochair No 1 (1977)

An Eochair No 4

An Eochair No 13

An Eochair (No 10)

An Eochair (No 14)

An Eochair (No 9)

1978


Appeal to Voters Poster

Smash H-Block March Leaflet

H Block – The care and welfare of prisoners in Northern Ireland (1978)

H Blocks (Christmas 1978)

H Block (Easter 1978)

Prisoner Release Notice (July 1978)

Long Kesh Concert (1978)

H Block Report

Train Robbery Trial Leaflet (1978)

Smash H-Block Leaflet (1978)

POW Bulletin (06 January 1978)

Prisoners Aid Committee Letter (September 1978)

PAC News (April May 1978) incomplete

PAC News (June 1978)

PAC News (February 1978)

1979


Smash H-Block Poster

H Blocks Letter (1979)

H Block Christmas (1979)

Beansaor (December 1979) (6)

SaorBhean No 3 (1979) (6)

Bobby Sands Prison Comm (1979)

1980


Prisoners in English Jail Booklet

Brendan Hughes Poster

Hunger Strike Poster

Support the Armagh Women Hunger Strikers Poster

What you can do Leaflet

H-Block – An Affront (1980) (4)

H-Block Committee Meeting Minutes (1980) (4)

Remember the Prisoners (1980s) (1)

H-Block and its Background (1980)

We are a risen people (1980) (6)

Hunger Strike Booklet (1980) (6)

IRSP Hunger Strike Bulletin No 3 (1980) (6)

Political Status Now Booklet (1980) (6)

Women Protest in Armagh Gaol (1980) (1)

Veterans Support Hunger Strike (21 November 1980)

For Information for Visitors – Maze Prison (September 1980)

The Children of 69 (1980)

H-Blocks The Facts (Circa 1980)

United Nations Action (09 December 1980)

Statement on Ending of Hunger Strike (19 December 1980)

Government of Portugal Backs the Hunger Strikes (18 December 1980)

British Renege on Commitments (30 December 1980)

Hunger Strike Statement (11 December 1980)

Lenadoon Hunger Strike Action Committee leaflet (1980)

1981


1981: The Year of the Hunger Strikes

1982


Bobby Sands Anniversary Poster

Vote Joe O’Connell

The Armagh Women (1982) (2)

Seamus McElwain Election Stickers (1982)

1983


H Block (Christmas 1983) (1)

The Stripping Naked of the Women Prisoners in Armagh Prison (1983)

1984


Stop Strip Searching in Armagh Jail Booklet (Circa 1984)

Strip Searching Booklet (Circa 1984)

1985


Portlaoise Prison Booklet (1985)

1986


Irish Prisoners Appeal (24 March 1986)

Irish Prisoners Appeal (08 July 1986)

Irish Prisoners Appeal (Date Unknown)

Stop Strip Searching in Maghaberry (1986)

1987


Inside an English jail (Book)

Louth Hunger Strike Memorial (1987)

Questions of History by Irish Prisoners of War (1987) (1)

1988


Extradition News (February 1988)

1989


The Irish Prisoner (1989)

Autumn 1989 (Vol 1, No 1)

Winter 1989 (Vol 1 No2)

The Captive Voice (August 1989) Signed by Prisoners

Birmingham Six


Birmingham Six Committee Newsletter No 1

Birmingham Six Committee Newsletter No 2

Birmingham Six Committee Newsletter No 3

Birmingham Six Committee Newsletter No 4

Birmingham Six Committee Newsletter No 5

Birmingham Six Committee Newsletter No 6

Birmingham Six Police Walk Free (1990s)

1990


Irish Political Prisoners in Europe (Autumn 1990) (1)

Would Fianna Fail Extradite These Men (1990)

Dessie Ellis Hunger Strike Leaflet in Irish (1990)

Justice for Dessie Ellis March (November 1990)

Spring 1990 (Vol 2, No 1)

Summer 1990 (Vol 2, No 2)

1991


Booklet highlighting the plight of female Republican Prisoners

RSF Hunger Strike Commemoration

Éirí na Gealaí (1991) (3)

Irish Political Prisoners in Europe (December 1991) (1)

The Beechmount Five (1991) (1)

Irish Political Prisoners in Europe (April 1991) (6)

1992


Long Kesh 1992 Prisoners Concert (2)

1995


Saoirse Leaflet (1995)

Whitemoor Prison Protest Leaflet (1995)

1996


Coiste Dublin Newsletter (August 1996)

Coiste Dublin Newsletter (July 1996)

Winter 1996 (Vol 8, No 1)

Winter 1996 (Vol 8, No 3)

Prisoners Dependents Dance (December 1996)

1997


Joesphine Hayden Leaflet

Political Hostages Leaflet (1997)

Summer 1997

1998


Internment Rally Poster

2000s


IPSC Leaflet (1)

Tommy Crossan (2001)

Hunger Strike 25th Anniversary Events Leaflet (2006)

Crisis in Maghaberry (September 2003)

Misc


H-Block Poster

Wanted for Murder Poster

Lifers Booklet (1980s)

Stop Strip Searches Leaflet (1980s)

Remember the Prisoners Leaflet

Irish Prisoners in Europe (1)

Justice for Marian Price

Nicky Kelly News

British renege on hunger strike commitments (4)

H-Block – Can we remain silent (4)

Nicky Kelly is Innocent (1980s) (4)

Wanted for Murder and Torture (4)

Greater Clonard Ex-Prisoners Association (2006)

Prison Posters Collection

Armagh Jail Faul (1)

H Block – The care and welfare of prisoners in Northern Ireland (1)

H Blocks Letter (1)

H Block Conveyor Belt (1)

Armagh Mass leaflet (1)

Jim Clarke (1)

Robert Russell Leaflet (1)

Britain’s Hell Hole (1)

H Block Maltreatment (1)

Armagh Prison (1)

Paul Kane Poster (1)

Free the Guilford Four Leaflet (1)

Republican Prisoner of War leaflet (1970s)

Justice for Marian Price (2012)

County Wicklow H Block/Armagh Committee

Release Sean Kelly Postcard (2005)

Expac News (No 43)

Expac News (No 44)

Coiste (Jan-March 2007)

Coiste (Dec 2005)

Coiste (May-Sep 2006)

Coiste (Oct-Dec 2006)

The Boys Behind the Wire – Jim McCann

Stop Extradition Campaign (1980s)

Release all IRA Prisoners Leaflet (2000s)

Hunger Strike Memorial Card (1980s) (6)

Irish Prisoners in English Jails (6)

On the Blanket (6)

IRPWA Leaflet (6)

Political Status Leaflet (6)

Craigavon 2 Leaflet (6)

Hunger Strike Memorial Card (1980s) (6)

1981 Hunger Strikes – 25th Anniversary (2006)

Free all Political Prisoners

Saoirse Leaflet (1990s)

Irish Republican POW Campaign Britain Booklet

Nicky Kelly Leaflet (1980s)

Smash H-Block Poster

Portlaoise Prison – Can We Remain Silent (1970s)

How Long is Life Leaflet

Why Nicky Kelly Should be Released

Open Letter to Fianna Fail Members

Irelands Trial of Shame

Political Asylum for Joe Doherty

Nicky Kelly Leaflet 1 (1980s)

Failte Abhaile Booklet (2008) (1)

(1) Donated by @irish_republican_archive

(2) Donated by Paddy Fox

(3) Donated by Seán Ó Cadhla

(4) Donated by Tallaght Sinn Féin

(5)Joe McCloskey, 1st Battalion, B Company. Internee, Cage 6.

(6) Donated by the J and L Sweeney Collection

(7) Donated by Gilles Le Biez

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