'All the elements of a police state': John Montague's Ulster

Stray Bullets

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A look at John Montague's short story, The Cry. Set in 1959 it offers an opportunity to examine Northern Irish policing practices during the 1950s and 60s. The impetus for Montague's story was his actual witnessing the assault of a young catholic man by members of the Ulster Special Constabulary (B Specials). As such, The Cry offers a window into catholic fatalism and apathy at a time when there was a furthering fracture of policing between political and conventional roles. The former encouraged and maintained by the, at the time, Unionist hegemony.

As ever, included are a few anecdotes and incidents recalled from my service in the RUC.

For anyone interested the BBC adaptation of The Cry is available to watch here.

Bibliography

Montague, John, Death of a Chieftain, Poolbeg Press, Dublin, 1978

Farrell, Michael, Northern Ireland: The Orange State, Pluto, London, 1976

Mr Nelson, Commons, Debates, August 21, 1951, col. 2071

Mr McSparran, Commons, Debates, August 21, 1951, cols. 2088-2089

Mr Diamond, Commons, Debates, May 6, 1952, col. 673

Mr O'Connor, Commons, Debates, March 12, 1969, col. 309

Mr McAteer, Commons, Debates, March 18, 1952, col. 366

Hunt Committee, P. 19; P. 32

Minister of Home Affairs Bates, Commons, Debates, April 10, 1930, col. 762; March 16, 1932, col. 371

Minister of Home Affairs Craig, Commons, Debates, December 12, 1963, cols. 1667- 1668; December 18, 1963, col. 1823

Mr Fitt, Commons, Debates, March 27, 1968, col. 246

Mr Hanna, Commons, Debates, May 20, 1936, col. 1704

O'Connor, Fionnuala, In Search of a State: Catholics in Northern Ireland, Blackstaff Press, Belfast, 1993

Purdie, Bob, Politics in the Streets: The Origins of the Civil Rights Movement in Northern Ireland, Blackstaff Press, Belfast, 1990

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