A lifer's Christmas inside
By Laura Friel
Harry Maguire, one of the Casement Accused, was arrested in 1988
and sentenced to life imprisonment in 1989, in one of the most
controversial cases heard in the Six Counties.
Despite the fact that no one was ever charged or convicted of
actually firing the shots which killed either of the two British
soldiers, five men were convicted of murder on the grounds of
common purpose.
d despite international condemnation of the Casement trials,
only one of the five, Patrick Kane, had their conviction quashed
on appeal.
Originally from Ardoyne, Harry Maguire lived in West Belfast's
Andersonstown for over 20 years. At the time of his arrest his
two children were at the tender ages of nine and six years. With
Christmas approaching Harry, who is not eligible for Christmas
parole, spoke to An Phoblacht.
``Obviously every prisoner is thinking about their families.
Christmas is family orientated. Separation is difficult, and has
to be coped with at any time of the year but Christmas brings it
into sharp focus.
``My own two children, Leontia and Odhran are eighteen and fifteen
years of age now. This is the ninth Christmas I have been
separated from them. I have very happy memories of my own
childhood. Memories of sharing Christmas with my mother and
father. It is a sad reflection to know my children won't have
similar memories. ``
In 1995, prisoners were allowed access to telephones. Harry
recalls the impact of being able to phone home at Christmas. ``I
remember it was just great. You should have seen the queue! I
telephoned my kids on Christmas Eve and it was really a big
event. I remember it as a great moment, talking for the first
time in years to Leontia and Odhran on Christmas Eve.
``We all felt the same but of course it also heightened the sense
of separation. I just longed to be home with them that year. Of
course Christmas is a hard time for families of prisoners. The
expense of Christmas puts a lot of stress on prisoners' partners.
There are 24 POWs on this wing and you hear a lot of talk about
money worries in the run up to Christmas.''
``A lot of the lads will be getting parole this year, which is
great. Just over half of this wing will not be getting parole.
It's just a question of making the best of it. It's not all doom
and gloom.''
Harry describes how the prisoners will celebrate the day. ``We'll
be decorating the wing probably this week. There'll be a bit of
cleaning and a bit of tidying going on. On Christmas Day we all
make an effort. The tables are arranged together and covered with
sheets. It'll look like a wedding reception, if you know what I
mean. We all eat together and spend the day like a family unit.
No doubt there'll be a bit of craic.''
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