Kieran Nugent
Encyclopedia
Kieran "Header" Nugent was a volunteer
in the Provisional Irish Republican Army
and best known for being the first IRA 'blanket man' in the H-Blocks. When sentenced to three years, Nugent refused to wear a prison uniform and said the prison guards would have to "...nail it to my back".
was exploding into turmoil. On 20 March 1973 as a 15 year old he was standing with a friend on the corner of Merrion Street and Grosvenor Road, when a car pulled up beside them and one of the occupants asked them for directions. Another occupant of the vehicle then opened fire with a sub machine gun. Kieran was seriously wounded after being shot eight times in the chest, arms and back by loyalists
. A friend Bernard McErlean, aged 16, who was standing nearby was shot and killed.
and spent five months on remand in Crumlin Road Prison. When he was eventually tried, the case against him was withdrawn and he was released. He became an active volunteer until his arrest and imprisonment, without trial, on 9 February 1975 under Merlyn Rees, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
. He spent nine months in Cage 4 of Long Kesh prison camp until 12 November 1975. He was imprisoned again after his arrest on 12 May 1976, and sentenced to three years imprisonment on 14 September 1976 for hijacking a vehicle and, upon entering the Maze Prison
, refused to wear a prison uniform. He was not provided with alternative clothing and wrapped himself in the blanket from his cell beginning the "Blanket Protest".
He was soon joined in his protest; Jackie McMullan
was the next prisoner to don the blanket, followed by six more republican prisoners from the Beechmount area of Belfast
. By Christmas 1976 the number had risen to over forty prisoners on protest.
From this moment on republican prisoners emulated him and this started five years of prison protests in pursuit of political status
, which ended in the 1981 Hunger Strike
and the death of seven IRA and three INLA
prisoners.
Volunteer (Irish republican)
Volunteer, often abbreviated Vol., is a term used by a number of Irish republican paramilitary organisations to describe their members. Among these have been the various forms of the Irish Republican Army and the Irish National Liberation Army...
in the Provisional Irish Republican Army
Provisional Irish Republican Army
The Provisional Irish Republican Army is an Irish republican paramilitary organisation whose aim was to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and bring about a socialist republic within a united Ireland by force of arms and political persuasion...
and best known for being the first IRA 'blanket man' in the H-Blocks. When sentenced to three years, Nugent refused to wear a prison uniform and said the prison guards would have to "...nail it to my back".
Life before prison
Kieran Nugent's childhood came at a time when Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
was exploding into turmoil. On 20 March 1973 as a 15 year old he was standing with a friend on the corner of Merrion Street and Grosvenor Road, when a car pulled up beside them and one of the occupants asked them for directions. Another occupant of the vehicle then opened fire with a sub machine gun. Kieran was seriously wounded after being shot eight times in the chest, arms and back by loyalists
Ulster loyalism
Ulster loyalism is an ideology that is opposed to a united Ireland. It can mean either support for upholding Northern Ireland's status as a constituent part of the United Kingdom , support for Northern Ireland independence, or support for loyalist paramilitaries...
. A friend Bernard McErlean, aged 16, who was standing nearby was shot and killed.
Prison life
In the coming years he joined the IRA as a young man. He was arrested, aged 16, by the British ArmyBritish Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and spent five months on remand in Crumlin Road Prison. When he was eventually tried, the case against him was withdrawn and he was released. He became an active volunteer until his arrest and imprisonment, without trial, on 9 February 1975 under Merlyn Rees, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, informally the Northern Ireland Secretary, is the principal secretary of state in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State is a Minister of the Crown who is accountable to the Parliament of...
. He spent nine months in Cage 4 of Long Kesh prison camp until 12 November 1975. He was imprisoned again after his arrest on 12 May 1976, and sentenced to three years imprisonment on 14 September 1976 for hijacking a vehicle and, upon entering the Maze Prison
Maze
A maze is a tour puzzle in the form of a complex branching passage through which the solver must find a route. In everyday speech, both maze and labyrinth denote a complex and confusing series of pathways, but technically the maze is distinguished from the labyrinth, as the labyrinth has a single...
, refused to wear a prison uniform. He was not provided with alternative clothing and wrapped himself in the blanket from his cell beginning the "Blanket Protest".
He was soon joined in his protest; Jackie McMullan
Jackie McMullan
Jackie "Teapot" McMullan is a former volunteer in the Provisional Irish Republican Army who took part in the 1981 Irish hunger strike.-Background and IRA activity:...
was the next prisoner to don the blanket, followed by six more republican prisoners from the Beechmount area of Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
. By Christmas 1976 the number had risen to over forty prisoners on protest.
From this moment on republican prisoners emulated him and this started five years of prison protests in pursuit of political status
Political status
In international law three categories of Political status are usually recognized:#Independent countries e.g.: France, Canada#Internal independent countries which are under the protection of another country in matters of defense and foreign affairs, e.g.: Netherlands Antilles, the Faroe Islands,...
, which ended in the 1981 Hunger Strike
1981 Irish hunger strike
The 1981 Irish hunger strike was the culmination of a five-year protest during The Troubles by Irish republican prisoners in Northern Ireland. The protest began as the blanket protest in 1976, when the British government withdrew Special Category Status for convicted paramilitary prisoners...
and the death of seven IRA and three INLA
Irish National Liberation Army
The Irish National Liberation Army or INLA is an Irish republican socialist paramilitary group that was formed on 8 December 1974. Its goal is to remove Northern Ireland from the United Kingdom and create a socialist united Ireland....
prisoners.