Paddy McMenamin's 'Voices from Inside-Hidden Journals of Long Kesh' set for launch

Dr Joe Kelly - historian, author and teacher - will launch Paddy McMenamin's latest book in the new GAA centre in Termon this Friday at 7pm.

The book is titled 'Voices from Inside-Hidden Journals of Long Kesh'. It contains 15 journals which Paddy edited and typed up within the cages in Long Kesh in the 1970s and smuggled out with the help of his Dad - and they have been kept in a shoe box for the past 50 years.

In recent years, University of Galway was interested in obtaining the collection and last August, Paddy donated the Cage Papers to the university, and they in turn, have put them into their Special Collections Archives for future undergrads/postgrads to use in their study and research of 20th-century Irish history.

READ NEXT: Stunning Féilire 2026 by Gaoth Dobhair man living in Dublin

An official handover took place in the Hardiman Library with several academics present including History Lecturer Lawrence Marley, whose dad Larry organised the escape of 38 prisoners from the H Blocks in 1983 and was later murdered by loyalists; History Prof Breandan MacSuibhne a Donegal man and author of 'End of Outrage', Archivist Barry Houlihan, University Librarian Monica Crump, Head of Archives and Special Collections Caitriona Cannon; former Head of History at University of Galway Mary Harris made the official launch of the new book.

The Cage Papers are a primary source and offer a unique perspective on life for Republican political prisoners in the 1970s. The collection takes its place in the Special Collections along with those of former President Mary Robinson; Brendan Duddy, 'Back channel peace negotiator; civil servant Maurice Hayes and barrister and civil rights activist Kevin Boyle, among many others.

The Papers have been digitised by the University of Galway and are available worldwide online. The book, Paddy's fourth since Covid, contains every journal of the collection, 100 photos from the Cages, Irish language notes, poetry and song and €5 from each book sale will go towards the Termon fundraising drive to further develop the magnificent work already completed earlier this year.