Oliver tells us about life growing up in County Tyrone. His father had been interned in the 1920s and a brother was interned in the 1950s. The family faced harassment, particularly from the B Specials.
Oliver recounts his own internment period and the assaults he received from the RUC and was part of the court case in Strasbourg that the Irish government took against the British government for torture.
He describes life in Long Kesh and reflects on the legacy of it among many who are now suffering from mental trauma.
He tells how being a former internee marked him and his family for on-going harassment for years.
Audio Transcript
00:00:00.0 00:02:02.6 Early childhood growing up in Gortnagargan, one of 12 children. Father interned in 1920, brother interned in 1950s. Ongoing harassment from RUC.
00:02:02.6 00:03:55.7 Involvement in Civil Rights campaign. Interned in Sept 1971. Badly beaten by Special Branch.
00:03:55.7 00:06:06.6 Moved to Crumlin Road Prison, overcrowded conditions. Transfer to Long Kesh.
00:06:06.6 00:12:01.8 The morning he was interned, taken to Palace Barracks by British army. Recalls tactics used by RUC Special Branch when beating them. Feared he would be killed.
00:12:01.8 00:15:00.0 Being part of Civil Rights Movement, attending marches. Family harassed by B Specials and RUC, some of them neighbours.
00:15:00.0 00:17:46.4 Describing the morning he was lifted. Relating how his internment impacted upon the children.
00:17:46.4 00:22:00.0 Describing the experience of internment. Without family and friends help they wouldn’t have been able to keep the farm.
00:22:00.0 00:23:48.8 Experiences after release within the community.
00:23:48.8 00:27:26.1 Recounting court case taken against Britain at the ECHR. Going to Strasbourg to give evidence. Outcome of case.
00:27:26.1 00:31:52.1 Recalling what happened in Strasbourg. The outcome of the ECHR ruling and its legacy.
00:31:52.1 00:34:56.6 Reflecting on impact of internment on former internees and their families. Visiting local families and seeing how badly some people had been affected.
00:34:56.6 00:38:03.9 Local singers and groups giving a concert in Long Kesh Christmas 1971. Recording an LP.
00:38:03.9 00:40:57.4 Getting weekly visits and coordinating the parcels of baked bread from among the local families. Food in Long Kesh.
00:40:57.4 00:41:59.9 Christmas Day relatives marched to Long Kesh.
00:41:59.9 00:45:35.3 Describing the internees routine and structures.
00:45:35.3 00:49:06.8 Making craft items for family and friends.
00:49:06.8 00:51:47.0 Items stolen from home during British army raids. On-going harassment after Oliver was released.