May 6, 2021
In 1976 Ciaran Nugent became the first man to refuse to wear the prison uniform when Political Status was removed from Republican and Loyalist prisoners. Ciaran and hundreds of prisoners who came after him wore nothing but the prison blanket. Lorcan Collins examines the history of the five year battle for POW Status for IRA and INLA prisoners in Long Kesh Prison. Special guests are Blanketmen Chopper McCotter and Laurence McKeown who endured a 70 day hunger strike in 1981. This is part one which deals with the period 1976 to 1978 when the No Wash Protest began.