Binding: Paperback
Date Published: 26 Nov 2025
Voices from Inside - the hidden journals of Long Kesh is a collection of journals/papers which the author edited and typed up on an old black typewriter within the Cages of Long Kesh in the 1970's when he was an Irish republican political prisoner within a British gaol camp on the outskirts of Belfast. Long Kesh became an iconic symbol of the conflict which brought armed struggle and military oppression for 30 years from 1970-2000. Over the length of time 30,000 prisoners went through the Cages and the H Blocks, in its time Long Kesh witnessed the Camp burned to the ground and two days of rioting in '74; a 5 year long protest which included refusal to wear prison clothes and just a blanket in their place; the no wash and dirty protest which led to excreta pasted on to the cell walls; daily ritual beatings by bigoted loyalist prison warders (Screws); and eventually the hunger strikes which led to the deaths of 10 republican prisoners in '81; two years later the largest prison escape in western Europe witnessed 30 IRA prisoners burst out through the front gates of Long Kesh. All this time republican prisoners had their own education system which had always been part of republican history over the years. Well stocked libraries, lectures on politics, history, current affairs, international struggles, there was also a great emphasis on learning the Irish language with each Cage having a dedicated Gaeltacht Hut which had total immersion in the language. As part of the education programme Cage Papers were produced which were handed out around the Huts; the author himself edited and typed up the papers for several years in the mid 70's and then smuggled one copy out past the prison guards and they have been preserved for the past 50 years. In 2025 the author has donated the papers to his Alma Mater, NUI Galway, to be kept in their Special Collections section in the library for future use by undergrads and postgrads studying 20th century Irish history. The papers/journals will be available in hard copy and also digitised on the university site. Along with this process the author has brought out his 4th book, Voices from Inside' with this one featuring all of the Cage Papers that had been smuggled out 50 years ago. The book also contains Irish language notes from the Gaeltacht Hut and photos from the Cages during the 70's. Many of the prisoners who are photographed and wrote articles for the Cage Papers have now passed on, some killed during the conflict. This book was for them!