Brian describes his periods of internment in Crumlin Road Gaol, The Maidstone, and Long Kesh.
He escaped twice, the second time he was beside Hugh Coney when he was shot dead. He reflects on the many decades Hugh’s family had to wait to finally get an inquest into his death.
Audio transcript
00:00:00.0 00:05:03.1 Arrested when munitions were found in club. Taken for deep interrogation. Charged with possession and remanded to Crumlin Road Gaol.
00:05:03.1 00:10:05.2 Last person to be detained on the Maidstone Prison ship by Faulkner. Last person to be interned by Faulkner before Direct Rule was introduced.
00:10:05.2 00:13:29.1 Put on the Maidstone Prison ship. Conditions terrible, hunger strike for better conditions. All moved to Long Kesh by helicopter. End of the Maidstone.
00:13:29.1 00:21:24.7 Interned in Long Kesh. Digging tunnels, planning escapes. Escaping through front gate.
00:21:24.7 00:25:29.5 After recapture taken for interrogation and severely beaten. Re interned in Long Kesh. October 1974 the camp is burnt.
00:25:29.5 00:30:23.4 Burnt camp ideal conditions for planning escapes. Preparations for escape tunnel.
00:30:23.4 00:33:01.2 Digging the tunnel, overcoming obstacles.
00:33:01.2 00:35:56.3 Tunnel completed. Plan to get hundreds out.
00:35:56.3 00:40:21.7 Final preparations. Meeting Hugh Coney. Going through the tunnel.
00:40:21.7 00:48:13.6 Coming out of the tunnel. Cutting through the wire. Escape discovered. British army closes in. Hugh Coney shot dead. Others captured.
00:48:13.6 00:53:08.3 Crawls on his own through field. meets other escapees. They travel throughout the night and get beyond the ‘security ring’.
00:53:08.3 00:57:26.7 Caught by British soldiers. Put in jeeps and returned to Long Kesh unharmed.
00:57:26.7 00:59:48.5 Inside Long Kesh. Beaten unconscious by prison governor and warders. Woke up in hospital.
00:59:48.5 01:01:59.0 Escape aftermath. The years after internment.
01:01:59.0 01:06:44.2 Inquest after 49 years seeking justice for Hugh Coney’s family. British soldiers gave evidence in support of the case. Hugh unlawfully killed.