IRA prisoner remembered in powerful new drama

Kieran Nugent - the first blanketman

A powerful new drama highlighting the historic role of IRA prisoner Kieran Nugent, the first man to refuse to wear prison uniform in the H-Blocks of Long Kesh in 1976, is to be premiered in the Gort na Mona club in Belfast on Friday, 29 July.

The play, Ar an Phlúid is a one-person show, that will see local actor Brian Milligan depict the role of Kieran Nugent.

Speaking to An Phoblacht Milligan (23) explained that he knew very little about the prison struggle of the late 1970s and early 1980s until he was approached by members of the Gort na Mona Historical Society whose idea it was to stage the play.

From knowing little of the subject Milligan has shown a great enthusisam for the part and explained how he read the material about Kieran and spoke to other H-Block protesters who gave him insights into the man and the times.

"Kieran was brought to the H-Blocks and told the screws they would have to nail the prison uniform to his back. That act of defiance set the tone for what happened in Long Kesh over the next 5 years and it is what we want to capture in the play.

"I want the play to portray the brutality that was inflicted on the prisoners so from that point of view it is a challenge because I am playing the prison officers who carried out the beatings. I hope the script captures the tension and the fear that prisoners felt when they were waiting for the screws to come to their cells to carry oout searches or wing moves which always ended up in assaults.

"I want the paly to be something that will bring in young people and help educate them. I hope people will be moved by the drama in the way I was moved by it".

A second performance of Ar an Phlúid will be staged in the sports hall of St John's GAC on the Whiterock Road Saturday 6 August with doors opening at 6.30pm and curtain up at 7pm.