Athchairdeas Reuniting

Yesterday I met for coffee with an old friend and fellow blanketman. I hadn't seen Tommy since 1980. Tommy spent time on the hunger strike in 1980 called off in controversial circumstances by the late Dark Hughes.

I was delighted to see Tommy again and certainly won't wait as long to see him. We met with a very warm embrace as is customary with those who shared the trauma of the blanket protest. As Tommy said "There is a depth of connection from the shared experience which will forever be." Texting him after our coffee I added "There is a depth of comradeship that binds us all together regardless of the journey which took us there."

We had a great chat, catching up on old times, also filling in to some degree on what we'd been up to since. We only had a half hour as both of us needed to be off to other business. Tommy to the physio and me to an inspiring Art and Craft project which Forbairt Feirste are facilitating with local company ProGaa and Coláiste Feirste.

Tommy, born and raised in Moyard, told me how his journey to the H Blocks began when his mother ended his childhood idyll of football and fun with the news that a neighbour had been shot and that it was time to flee their home as things were volatile and dangerous.

Tommy became a loyalist combatant. It was great to see him again.