Description

Written by leading authority Dr. Ruán O’Donnell, Special Category (Vol 2: 1978-1985) is the definitive history of Irish Republican prisoners held within England’s maximum-security prison system during the height of the Troubles.

Long Description:

Discover the hidden history of the “prison war” fought outside of Ireland. Special Category: The IRA in English Prisons (Volume 2: 1978-1985), published by Irish Academic Press, offers a groundbreaking academic assessment of a critical, yet often overlooked, front of the Troubles.

Author Dr. Ruán O’Donnell utilizes declassified state archives, secret republican correspondence, personal memoirs, and fresh eyewitness accounts to piece together a gripping narrative of resistance behind bars. This volume covers a massive period of prison unrest, detailing the Wormwood Scrubs riot (1979), the Brixton breakout (1980), and the pivotal Albany mutiny (1983).

What’s inside this historical volume:

• Comprehensive insight into British penal policy and Irish diplomatic standoffs.

• Detailed breakdowns of rooftop protests, hunger strikes, sabotage, and escape plots.

• Perspectives from the judiciaries, prisoner solidarity groups, and declassified government files.