Comments on The Pensive Quill: When I thought I couldn't be shocked..

Emmet Doyle's piece about his recent visit to ...

2012-10-30T12:13:10.947Z

Emmet Doyle's piece about his recent visit to the north of Ireland's Maghaberry Prison is timely and makes grim reading, coming as it does 14 years after the Good Friday Agreement was signed in Belfast. One of the main reasons for the signing of the GFA was to ensure that what is happening today within Maghaberry became a thing of the past.

Who would have thought imprisoned Irish Republicans would once again be living in the inhumane conditions Emmet describes in his article. Who would have thought men and women like Gerry McGeough and Marian Price would still be incarcerated in a British jail on the whim of an English politician. Have the British government not learnt a dam thing from the north's comparatively recent and bloody past?

Emmet who works for Pat Ramsey, an SDLP member of the NI Assembly for Foyle, accompanied him when he entered the jail on a recent visit to see a number of his constituents who are being held there. Whilst there he was given a first hand account from the republican prisoners who are protesting over the number of forced strip-searches taking place, especially when they are being taken down for visits and are at their most vulnerable.

Understandably the prisoners oppose strip searching, seeing it as a form of humiliation. They say there is no need for it as there is technology available which can do the job in a civilised manner, the BOSS chair. (body orifice security scanner)

The BOSS chair is a scanning system that picks up anything which is concealed within the human body. Similar technology is used at airports before people go air side. Despite the potential dangers which exist, all passengers are not strip searched as there is adequate high tech apparatus to do this job.

One must ask why the British government has not introduced similar technology to search republican prisoners in Maghaberry. The danger of this protest spirally out of control unless a compromise is reached by all parties is gradually becoming obvious to all fair minded people.

Yet the UK Coalition government refuses to act in a conciliatory way, aping the hard line of the Thatcher administration in the early 1980s which ended with 10 dead hunger strikers, and violence and chaos on the streets of the north. It hardly helps that the mainstream media in London is engaged in a conspiracy of silence when it comes to reporting the events in Maghaberry.

Ó Donnchadha, this article should help answer you...

2012-10-25T18:48:33.577+01:00

Ó Donnchadha,

this article should help answer your question

I noticed this morning Pat, and undoubtedly Emmet ...

2012-10-25T15:54:50.869+01:00

I noticed this morning Pat, and undoubtedly Emmet Doyle, are again hounding the prison authorities over further, infantile, violations of Irish in custody's rights.
Fair do's to them both, as marty say's a man who was hounded by 'so called' Republicans, standing up for the human rights of all prisoners interned by the brits while their leadership talk guff about less pressing matters.

I wholeheartedly agree with Anthonys comments, tha...

2012-10-25T11:25:45.922+01:00

I wholeheartedly agree with Anthonys comments, that is why it is so important to have unbiased visitors to these places,especially here when in the circumstances we find ourselves ie., republican prisoners are in general under guard by loyalist screws,who have the states blessing to harass and humiliate these men.I shook Pat Ramseys hand in Derry a while ago and I would be glad to shake Emmet,s also, this society could do with a lot more of these people,I would also like to commend here that other Derry wannn! Pauline Mellon she to also has worked her butt of in the campaign for Marian Price. Such good decent people are hard to find,they remind me of monsignors Dennis Faul and Murray.

Emmet i remember the conversation re jail situati...

2012-10-25T09:48:32.367+01:00

Emmet

i remember the conversation re jail situation. Don't recall the 'Quill' getting a mention. Anyhow...keep the phone bill through the roof, the governer prefers your voice to his wifes!! lmao

Emmet, 'regardless of the reasons for their i...

2012-10-25T08:30:18.665+01:00

Emmet,

'regardless of the reasons for their incarceration' just about sums up the real commitment to human rights that lies behind your work. Paddy Cooney's world of 'Prisoners have no rights' should be banished from penology forever and a day. Every prisoner should have inviolable rights. Prison staff should no more be free to abuse prisoners than bus drivers should be free to abuse passengers. They are supposed to be an integral part of a public service not a gang. Great piece all round. Keep at it.

Thanks guys, I am humbled by your comments. We wo...

2012-10-24T21:40:13.977+01:00

Thanks guys, I am humbled by your comments. We work very hard to let the men know they are not alone, regardless of the reasons for their incarceration. Having been in a few times now, I can't help but feel a sense of hopelessness and despair, and that's just me. We genuinely work around the clock, I took two calls over the last three days both well after 9pm about prisoners issues, both relayed to Governors and other sources within ten minutes and rectified within 24 hours. I think I can speak for both of us when I say it is now a personal issue, and it genuinely doesn't bother me if I was to get a call from any prisoner in any prison, it's about human rights and respect for the basic needs of the person.

As for you larry, I said this to you today! Loving the beard wee man, keep up the good work.

Emmet, i'm only seeing this now, you never men...

2012-10-24T20:15:31.337+01:00

Emmet, i'm only seeing this now, you never mentioned it today. Great article and i agree with marty. Michaelhenry, SF should take a severe redner.

Emmet, this is such a good piece. Both you and Pa...

2012-10-24T19:47:59.234+01:00

Emmet,

this is such a good piece. Both you and Pat Ramsey have done such a good job in highlighting the prison issues. It is to your integrity that you have done this without letting the perspective of the people in prison bear on your approach. Not everybody is able to do this. Without the type of work being done by you and Pat the position of the prisoners would be much worse. Everything you write about jail conditions enhances a better understanding.

Marty I agree, and thanks to both Pat and Emmet f...

2012-10-24T19:05:40.327+01:00

Marty

I agree, and thanks to both Pat and Emmet for their work into going into the jail. In England there is almost total silence about this dreadful situation, it is a disgrace and far from a joking matter Michael.

LOL Mickeybroy fraid not a cara but Emmet and Pa...

2012-10-24T19:05:16.579+01:00

LOL Mickeybroy fraid not a cara but Emmet and Pat Ramsey have been to the fore in highlighting the plight of Marian ,Martin and the other republican prisoners,and not because they have been embarrassed into saying something,their contribution I believe comes from a genuine concern and the rest of that party and indeed your own could take a leaf from the book that these men helped open in helping highlight this injustice and humanitarian issue.credit where credit is due.

The impossible has happened- i am shocked-nearly c...

2012-10-24T17:18:36.394+01:00

The impossible has happened- i am shocked-nearly cant type these words- Marty is a stoop-lol-

Much appreciated Marty, high praise indeed.

2012-10-24T16:16:49.995+01:00

Much appreciated Marty, high praise indeed.

I give Emmet grief over on FB but credit to both h...

2012-10-24T12:12:23.921+01:00

I give Emmet grief over on FB but credit to both him and Pat and they do the business in a manner that makes me believe they are genuinely concerned and not just scoring "brownie" points, might go a bit easier on the lad now ,let him enjoy his pot noodles in peace, great post Emmet there,s hope for yet a cara ,and big Pat he has endured some shit over the years yet when republicans need help the most it doesnt come from those who claim and should know better but from a man hounded by republicans no so long ago Pat Ramsey has my utmost respect .