Reporting in a War Zone BY CHRISSIE McAULEY I went from being Chris Graham, newly released Mountjoy POW to reporter Maeve Armstrong – my by-line with Republican News from 1978-89. The name held its own wee story. Maeve, well, the Irish Warrior Queen herself no less! I was living in a war zone so it might be handy to have a warrior around me and Armstrong, that was my wee granny Julia’s maiden name. She was my real-life heroine, so between the two names, I hoped the strength of character they both encapsulated might rub off on me! Little did I know what I was getting into joining the ‘Rep News’ as we called it. I’m rushing ahead – it hadn’t been my plan to join the paper when I got out of Mountjoy in March 1978 – I’d gone into gaol at 19, one of the Cork 7 republicans tried in Dublin’s Special Criminal Court for possession of explosive components. Being the only woman in the group, I went to Mountjoy, the others to Portlaoise. Officially, there was no political status as such in Mountjoy so, as the only political prisoner there, I had to assert my political status every day until the regime begrudgingly acknowledged it. In the North’s prisons, it was a different story as our prisoner’s political status was removed to criminalise them and our struggle. The rest is history - H-Blocks, two hunger strikes, mass mobilizations on the streets, dead comrades and civilians, the rise of Sinn Féin, its democratic mandate secured, peace process – a tide turned forever in our struggle towards Irish reunification. When I was released and headed north to West Belfast, it was with a mind to defending our areas and our people again. So, when instead I was asked to take care of the security of the “Rep News” staff in order for the paper to be produced and circulated, I must admit I was a little perplexed. I clearly had a lot to learn about the significance of publicity in the struggle. I became a fast learner – the paper was underground, hounded by the Brits who wanted it silenced or at the very least, seriously disrupted. Collectively however, we weren’t going to let that happen. The voice of the oppressed – when it is provided a platform – is more powerful than any amount of repressive legislation or the lies of establishment spin doctors. I met Rep News’s motley crew who included among others Belfast republicans Jim Gibney, writer, and Danny Devenny (layout artist) – absolute salt of the earth. Danny Morrison too who merged the paper with An Phoblacht in January 1979 – a smart move. The paper had to be produced from a series of safe locations in Belfast because it had been shut down and several people, including Danny Morrison, arrested. The paper was literally produced on the hop – it was my responsibility to secure and organise a safe operating network around the paper’s team. I also ensured the mock-ups got to the printers every week – • Jim Gibney anphoblacht UIMHIR EISIÚNA 4 - 2020 - ISSUE NUMBER 4
• Comms from the prisoners in the H-Blocks and Armagh
others dealt with distribution across the North. This was a logistical challenge at times because there was always the threat of the Brits/RUC finding out which venue or home we were using. Sometimes, areas would be swamped with crown forces and there were some near misses regarding deadlines being met which delayed printing. Those good folks who opened up their doors to facilitate the paper getting onto the streets risked being arrested or worse, being set up for reprisals later on. At that stage, I wasn’t formally writing for the paper – I would transcribe the Comms coming into us from the prisoners in the H-Blocks and Armagh. The most powerful emotional memories I have to this day is about opening several of the comms with their tiny writing on toilet roll paper from Bobby Sands. You were the first person to see his words - and hear his voice as I imagined it in my head - graphically describing that prison hell he and his comrades were experiencing every day in the H-Blocks. Having been so soon out of prison myself, it tore through my heart and soul reading ‘I am Sir, you are 1066!’ first published in Republican News July 1st 1978 or ‘I fought a monster today’ October 7th 1978. (The Comms were signed Marcella, his sisters name so we knew they were Bobby’s.)
The most powerful emotional memories I have to this day is about opening several of the comms with their tiny writing on toilet roll paper from Bobby Sands
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