Time In Issue 10

IN TIME IN

EDITORAL

How do you make a positive out of a negative? To find a positive at all can be a one-person war against an infinite sea of troubles, to steal a line from Shakespeare.

It occurred to me while the Creative Writing Group were putting together issue 10 of Time In that everyone who had made a contribution wanted to do just that, make positives out of negatives. For example, the PAF mentoring programme provides a space, resources and support to those serving custodial and community sentences. Inside you can read The Three Degrees of Education based on extensive interviews with the tutors who have more than 15 years experience in making positives out of negatives through their delivery of education. The SO who created the aviary in order help improve the mental health of prisoners is a positive, and also Dr Shelly Tracey’s PAF commissioned research into the positives of engaging with the creative arts.

In our Creative Writing Class, we have new members; one young prisoner who left school aged 11, later aged 14 taught himself to read by focusing on one book. The process took a year as he sounded out the meaning of each word. Another prisoner found himself while unable to stop reading and rereading Oscar Wilde’s Ballad of Reading Goal. Wilde’s long poem about jail and punishment met his negative experiences with insight and alleviation towards positive outcomes. Prison may be publicly seen as a negative experience but this does not exclude positive experiences.

We here at Time In are in no doubt that education enables rehabilitation. Funding authorities must understand that money given to education is well spent. So, in particular, I wish to thank Governor Austin Treacy who supported this project at a time of crisis in funding. The art teacher, Allison Wilson who ensures our cover and art pages are always top quality. And Prison Arts Foundation who understands that the spark of creativity is a ray of sunlight brightening and helping inner growth. Finally, I want to comment on the contribution from prisoners, External Service Providers and Prison Staff who recognise the value in supporting the publication of Time In. How do you make a

ARTICLES: AF, PB, PM, SF, TMcC, FG, SB, DMcC

POETRY: DMcB, PM, CM, TMcC, LS, BL

DESIGN: JM

SPORT: IL

ART: GMcK, DMcC, JM, RD, PF

Contributions from prison staff and prisoners are acknowledged in Time In by their initials only.

LETTERS PAGE

Dear Time In,

Recently a lot of prisoners have been complaining about being unclean and covered in dirt going to visits. They go to work in the morning after getting a shower, and putting on clean clothes. However, even though they wear overalls and boots they still get covered in sawdust in the joinery or woodwork shop, covered in cement in the plastering shop, and covered in dust and adhesive in the tiling shop.

It is important to a prisoner to look well and at their best when going to see family. One prisoner in particular went to a visit and his girlfriend had to wipe off saw dust off his hair. He felt very embarrassed and when she asked him did he not bother getting a shower this morning he took a redner. In a way, it ruined his visit and when he told his friend on the landing, he said that the same thing had happened to him a few weeks back.

When you have a visit at two o’clock you come back from work at twelve, get your food and are locked up. You have no time to iron clothes or get a shower, so you have no choice but to go to a visit at two in the afternoon dirty and sweaty. Even though in most cells there now are sinks, it’s impossible to get a proper wash.

For many prisoners a visit is the highlight of their week. Prisoners want to

THEMOON,MARYT ANDME| BL

As I sit below the light

Of the comfortable old moon tonight

It shines through my window

Looking in at my life.

But as I open this cell door

I have a cold dark floor

You hold your family dear

In the darkness here.

keep their family in good spirits and it only makes their family worry when they think they’re not looking after themselves. Prisoners should be given time to get a shower and iron their clothes and look well for their family and friends before a visit.

SF

RISE IN TOBACCO PRICES

Dear Time In,

Recently there has been a rise in tobacco prices and a change to the packaging to fall in line with the EU legislation.

Some pouch sizes have been removed from the market for example 12.5g and 25g which means the EU have now brought in 30g pouches which cost £12.00, an increase of 50p.

To complicate matters, a standard prisoner’s wages are currently £11.00 minus £1.00 for TV rental and even worse a basic prisoner’s wages are currently £4.00 minus £1.00 for TV rental.

So with the way things are at the moment some prisoners are finding it extremely difficult to afford tobacco and if prisoners cannot receive visits or postal orders due to family circumstances, and in particular travel constraints, it will make life more difficult as smoking is one of the very few extras we get in a prison environment.

I believe due to this fact we should

DEDICATIONS

Time In would like to convey a special acknowledgment to two regular contributors and friends of the Creative Writing group in HMP Magilligan who passed away in 2016/17.

BL found his muse inside these walls and writing poetry especially helped lift himself up during very difficult times. He firmly believed that feeding the mind was the best way to do time.

To RA, who could extract from any piece of writing the strong and the weak sections and in highlighting this was

have our prison wages increased in line with the surge in tobacco prices or cut tobacco prices only within a prison environment.

TMcC

REINSTATE MUSIC CLASS

Dear Time In,

It is now coming up to two months since the music class was cancelled due to lack of funding. This is a shame as we really looked forward to it. As the time allocated was Friday afternoon, it was a great way to end the week as we all have jobs and work hard throughout the week. We were all writing our own songs with guitars in our cells as we’re all in separate houses throughout the jail. Friday afternoon was therefore a good opportunity to get together and show what we had been working on during the week, as well as having a bit of a jam. There is high quality digital recording equipment in the class and we have produced some professional sounding material, with the help of instructor, Paddy Nash.

Please reinstate the music class.

Contact Us

Time In would like to hear your response or feedback to letters and articles. Please contact us using the address on the back of the magazine.

able to pass on critical expertise to others. Sadly missed by the creative writing group

ALONG,LONGSLEEP, A FAMOUSSLEEP| E. DICKINSON

A long, long sleep, a famous sleep

That makes no show for dawn

By stretch of limb or stir of lid, An independent one.

Was ever idleness like this?

Within a hut of stone

To bask the centuries away

Nor once look up for noon?

The Three Degrees of Education

at Magilligan

Nelson Mandela wisely said that education ‘is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world’. Victor Hugo’s adage was that ‘he who opens a school door, closes a prison’. At the Education Annex Time In caught up with Sylvia, Rita and Jillian, who have been teaching in HMP Magilligan since 2001, 2002 and 2003 respectively.

How do you find teaching in a prison environment?

‘You have a captive audience who want to better themselves,’ Sylvia said adding that ‘learners are willing to get a qualification to help their children and get a job.’ Rita enjoys teaching in Magilligan. ‘I find there is more discipline and staff are treated respectfully by the learners.’ Jillian also enjoys it but ‘understands that it is not for everyone. I find it rewarding, as well as challenging, frustrating, fun, tiring and gratifying… name the emotion and I think I experience it at some point (usually every day).’

Has education changed in Magilligan in terms of courses available?

Sylvia and Rita recall that originally there were very few courses. There were four college tutors teaching Literacy and Numeracy and were later joined by Paul who taught IT. Jillian explained that ‘Workshops were run by prison officers/ instructors and qualifications took longer. Resources were restricted, especially the use of computers, however in the past 18 months there have been many changes. We’re gradually crawling our way into the 21st Century.’

How can you encourage someone who has had a bad experience to give education another try?

Our tutor trio agree the first thing you do is reassure someone that their classes are not like school. ‘It’s more relaxed, friendly and we try to build confidence and let them know that no-one is judging them.’ They also explained what’s on offer is not 30 people of different abilities and interests trying to learn the same thing. Classes, both educational and vocational, are smaller (on average 6-10). Students have more time to spend with their tutor/instructor on a one-to-one basis if needed. Tutors genuinely want learners to succeed. What can a prisoner do if they are unsure about what they want to study?

Sylvia recommends an introduction class or taster sessions while Rita suggested that ‘any prisoner unsure about what to study can chat to the teachers. We find out what type of work they did and what would be beneficial on release. We try to make learning interesting.’ Jillian agreed adding that ‘they should ask their Class Officer to contact Pauline on 87591 or

Paul on 87504 and arrange a meeting with the teacher responsible for pastoral care. That just happens to be me! I also do a “wing walk” every 2 or 3 weeks on H1, H2, H3 and Halward.’

Surely you can’t gain an accreditation in a short space of time?

Sylvia explains that ‘Essential Skills run on a five week cycle and the workshops also run short courses’. Rita added that ‘the short cycles suit learners due to the length of time they have to spend in prison’. The tutors further explained that if you join Numeracy (Maths) or Literacy (English) you will complete an exam and, if successful, gain a qualification in approximately 5 weeks. Jillian added that ‘Full-time education means 9am – 12pm and 2pm – 4pm Monday to Thursday and 9am – 12pm on a Friday. A Level 1 or Level 2 qualification in any of the workshops should be achievable in 8 weeks. The Food Safety in Catering is a Level 2 qualification and takes 2 days and is a legal requirement for employees in the food/bar/hospitality industry.’

What are the options if a prisoner prefers a practical approach?

Our dedicated educators explained that the NWRC offer a wide range of trades including Horticulture, Carpentry/ Joinery, Furniture Making, Painting and Decorating, Welding and Fabrication, Plastering and Tiling. GCSE Art is available as a part-time course. Basically there is something to suit everyone.

In terms of employability, is work experience more important than education?

Sylvia believes that both run together to build skills. Rita agrees. ‘Often in order to obtain work experience you have to show you have completed some degree of education.’ Jillian added that ‘Maths, English and IT are vital but employers are also looking for a wide range of ‘soft skills.’ All agreed that the more boxes you can tick the better.

Jillian got the final word explaining that the Employability Skills teacher, ‘will be able to help with interpersonal skills, an understanding of relationships in the workplace, employer expectations, communication skills, teamwork and problemsolving amongst other things. Employability Skills will demonstrate work-readiness and a willingness to learn to potential employers.’

Would you like to use your time inside to better yourself? Many have discovered the benefits of education including the craic with fellow learners. Contact the Education department by making a request on your landing. Get Involved

PETS IN PRISON | PB

PECKINGORDER

In 1981 Sister Pauline Quinn, a Dominican Nun, was the first person to pair dogs and inmates. Sister Quinn recognized that the dogs had therapeutic effects based on her own experiences in a psychiatric hospital. The experiment began in Washington State and soon after was implemented in other prisons in the US. Staff noticed significant behavioural changes among inmates who were training dogs.

The positive therapeutic effect animals have on well-being has been well documented both academically and anecdotally, citing reduced depression and lower stress levels. Pets in prison are becoming increasingly commonplace and according to Inside Time there are currently 18 budgies being kept by prisoners at HMP Maghaberry, seven budgies at HMP Wakefield and two Guinea pigs at HMP Cornton vale.

One prisoner who kept a budgie in HMP Maghaberry before being transferred to Magilliagan said ‘When I had the bird in the cell I was more concerned about his welfare than my own. Then, when I had to come to HMP Magilligan I had to leave the bird behind. It was a tough thing to deal with knowing I had to leave it. I felt content knowing that I was caring for another living thing.’

INTERVIEWWITHSENIOR OFFICERWENDYGRAHAM

A Senior Officer (SO) based in H2 in HMP Magilligan made the decision to introduce budgies to help prisoners with long term medical needs. ‘Not all of the men are mobile,’ she said. ‘It gives them an interest in something.’

The SO approached the prison governor for approval and they agreed a budget. The furniture shop came on board to help draw up a plan for an aviary. The aviary is split into two sections the SO explained ‘one section for the budgies and the other for cockatiels, finches and canaries. You can’t keep Hook Beaks and Straight Beak birds together as they tend to fight.’

The SO explained that she keeps birds herself so she brings experience to the project. She further added that in due course she hopes to introduce quails into the aviary. ‘Quails are bottom feeders and help keep an aviary clean. They also get on with both the hooked beak and straight beak species.’

Some of the long term prisoners that move from Maghaberry to Magilligan will be able to bring their budgies with them. ‘You form an attachment to the bird, and there is evidence that prisoners are more settled while it also improves their mental

health.’

The budgie is native to Australia and the Time In team asked SO Graham about weather concerns. ‘You can have four seasons in one day here,’ she replied. ‘We have ordered a special type of tarpaulin that blocks out the wind and the aviary is well insulated.’

The budgie or budgerigar (Melopsittacus undulatus) is also known as the common parakeet or shell parakeet. According to the The Budgerigar Society naturalist, John Gould, introduced the small grass parakeet to England in 1840. The budgie is a popular house pet due to their small size, low cost and ability to mimic human speech. In 1894 Australia banned the exportation of budgies, and Europeans breeders continue to from their existing stock.

ENDANGERED ANIMALS

Time In was surprised to learn that a large number of animal species are listed as endangered in Ireland.

BIRDS

Skylark, Golden Eagle, Linnet, Quail, Cuckoo, Turtle Dove, Curlew and the House Sparrow.

FISH

Mackerel, Brown Trout, Atlantic Salmon, Plaice, Minke Whale, Bottlenose Dolphin, Killer Whale.

MAMMALS

Red squirrel, Irish Hare, Otter, Pine Marten, West European Hedgehog.

GALLERY

Anumber of the art students completed the Art GCSE recently. The themes this year were based around organic form and structure. GMcK based his GCSE on scenes of flowers, such as lilies and roses, and integrated these with human form, specifically faces and skulls. DMcC utilized the themes of music and the structure of music by recreating iconic paintings and integrating his personal connections. JM focussed on scenes of spiral shapes and similar shapes, making everything from

jewellery to furniture. PF concentrated on bubbles and insects and he produced spider webs using different mediums and an insect made out of a computer mouse. RD used animals integrated with the female form and created fashion items such as dresses. The work produced this year is to the highest of standards and the diversity of materials and mediums illustrates the talent and potential across these many different art forms and disciplines.

PRISON ARTS MENTORING | AF

The Prison Arts Foundation (PAF) is Northern Ireland’s only prison charity who ‘champion the arts’ within Northern Ireland’s criminal justice system.

The aim of PAF is to release the creative potential of those serving custodial and community sentences and those at risk of re-offending by engaging professional artists to teach, enthuse and give inspiration through writing, drama, visual art, craft and music.

Through PAF’s two different mentoring opportunities, there is support for those who have been through (or going through) NI’s criminal justice system who want to develop their arts based activities and skills by having one-to-one mentoring sessions with a Mentor.

The Mentoring Scheme is defined as ‘a relationship of mutual respect between a more experienced artist (the mentor) and a less experienced artist (the mentee), where emphasis is placed on process. It is a twoway relationship, where the mentee’s role is to drive the process and the mentor’s role is to respond as an active witness to the mentee’s artistic development.’

As it’s a two-way relationship, here at Time In we got in touch with both mentors and mentees from the programme to get their views, opinions and feedback on what it’s all about from both perspectives.

First we spoke to PAF mentor Carlo Gébler who has been involved in prison arts for over twenty years.

as and when they wish at anytime (within reason). Would you recommend it to other artists and why?

Every text that has ever been written is unique: it may be like another piece of writing in tone say, or, if it is pastiche, it will deliberately echo a pre-existing text, but it is not and never can be the same as any other piece of writing. It must be new, it must be novel. And this wonderful fact has this wonderful benefit: since every piece of writing is new, every transaction between a mentor and a mentee will be fresh – of course it will be because the focus is a new piece of writing. And this, in turn means that as mentor you are never bored. Ever. And there are very few things in life about which one can say that. Very few. And that’s why I’d recommend being a mentor. You’re never bored (as stated) plus you always learn something from every transaction: every new piece of writing teaches the teacher something. Fact.

CARLOGEBLERMENTORINTERVIEW

Have you found the mentoring programme challenging?

If your interest is helping others to write then the setting or context within which you are giving your counsel doesn’t matter; so, to that extent, no challenge is involved. Whether I am working inside a prison or outside in the community the issues remain the same (if it’s writing that I’m engaging with). In other words, regardless of where I find myself, clarity, specificity, chronology, voice, tense, et cetera remain my focus. What works best about the mentoring programme?

The fact that one is not obliged to operate according to a schedule determined by others. Mentor and mentee can meet

Do you believe that you have helped your mentees remain focused on their art discipline?

That is the intention but you will have to ask those with whom I have engaged whether I have helped. I would like to think that I have tried.

What advice would you give someone who is thinking about applying?

Work out what you know you know and then determine how you can express what you know. That done the next step is to identify works of art that you can use to illustrate and communicate your beliefs. It’s one thing to talk in theory about how a work of art functions but theory is not enough: you need the concrete. So in my case I not only talk about how to tell a story (whether fiction or non-fiction, and whether in poetry, drama or prose) but I will also always have examples to hand that show how stories have been told.

Why did you decide to mentor for PAF?

It is always good to get out of the study and into the world and turn your face to the sun and to feel its lovely heat.

THEKEYSTOPRISONARTSFOUNDATION’S SUCCESSFULMENTORINGPROGRAMME

Six months into a one year pilot programme and the Prison Arts Foundation (PAF) mentoring programme is proving successful with offenders and ex-prisoners. The innovative programme further demonstrates the crucial role that artistic disci-

plines have to play in the community and in rehabilitation.

The majority of those who have applied were encouraged to do so by their Probation Officer. Some applicants were encouraged by their Art Teacher in prison or by PAF’s Artist, Writer or Musician in Residence before they were due for release as well as a number of referrals from NIACRO.

Time In spoke to PAF’s programme coordinator to clarify a few points.

Who supervises the sessions?

One of the primary aims of PAF’s mentoring scheme is for our mentoring sessions to be community based. Our matched mentors and mentees typically work one-to-one and decide on a mutually agreed meeting place such as a community centre or arts venue.

What, if any feedback, do you give to Probation?

It is the policy of the PAF Mentoring Programme that monthly phone or personal contact is made with all parties in each match including the Mentor, Mentee, and in some cases Probation staff. The monthly information gathered by PAF covers dates and times spent participating in Mentoring activities, a description of those activities and an assessment of the success of the match from all perspectives. In the case of match difficulties or concerns, appropriate discussion and intervention must be undertaken to improve or resolve prob-

lem areas.

Can the PSNI ask you about the mentees?

It is the policy of our Arts Mentoring Programme to protect the confidentiality of its participants. A Mentee’s or Mentor’s right to privacy is respected by PAF. Requests for confidential information from other organisations such as Probation, PSNI etc. must be accompanied by a signed release from the Mentor and/or Mentee. We have a Confidentiality and Data Protection policy in place.

How long can you be mentored for?

First Steps Pathway: between 2&7 Mentoring sessions typically over a 2/3 month period.

Creative Futures Pathway: 10 Mentoring sessions with their Mentor over a maximum period of 12 months.

Can you help with issues around funding for further education?

PAF have small bursaries to help cover some costs involved in the mentoring pathways. The First Steps bursary is £150 and the Creative Futures is £250. To date mentoring activity expenses have included purchasing art related equipment and materials, and covering entrance costs to performances or shows. The bursary can be used to pay for arts related training, courses or class fees that is requested by the mentee.

Can you see the scheme lasting for a number of years?

PAF received a grant from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation to pilot the Mentoring scheme up until December 2017. PAF will provide an evaluation which demonstrates that the arts have wideranging benefits for offenders and their communities, potentially reducing reoffending. An external evaluator will help assess the effectiveness of the scheme and the impact on those we support.

It is hoped that monitoring and evaluating our programme will help PAF to:

 Demonstrate success of the project

 Show others how effective each mentee’s project has been

 Learn about what works and doesn’t

 Gather evidence to help make the project more effective in the future

‘IFYOU

WANTTOCHANGE YOURLIFESTYLE,YOUCAN CHANGE.’

In order to gain further insight into PAF’s mentoring programme the Time In team interviewed two ex-prisoners who have been matched with a mentor. SG and CJ have positive experiences to share.

Our first question related to how they benefited from the programme. SJ said that he got a lot out of the programme while ‘the bursary has helped me purchase art materials and the experience you get from working with your mentor is great. I have learned new painting techniques and challenged myself; my mentor has encouraged me to set outside of my comfort zone.’ CJ explained that ‘PAF has really helped me with my confidence and I have loved every minute of the programme.’

What happens if you can’t get to a session?

SJ, ‘ring your Mentor! I found my mentor very flexible and we worked our sessions around both our commitments.’ CJ agreed saying that ‘schedule changes can be made by phone.’

Carlo Gébler, PAF Mentor

PRISON ARTS MENTORING (CONT’D)

What if you need resources, like art materials, writing materials, computer access?

SJ, ‘the bursary helped me purchase art materials. My mentor helped me decide what to order from the Specialist Craft Arts Catalogue and PAF placed the order for me. I also purchased some sketch pads and pastels myself. I kept my receipts which were reimbursed by PAF along with my other expenses. PAF’s creative hub has no internet access or printer We can use the computer and printer in PAF’s office but having it in the hub would be of real benefit. The hub does have lockable storage for all my art materials, which is great as it saves me carrying stuff to and from home.’ CJ, ‘I would ask my mentor and she would order what I need online or go to a stationery shop.’

Where do the sessions take place?

SJ, ‘My mentor and I have visited exhibitions around Belfast, and all our creative/practical sessions have taken place in PAF’s creative hub.’ CJ, ‘The session always take place in the art-room in a local community theatre space.’

Do you find your mentor inspiring?

SG, ‘Yes she is indeed!’ CJ, ‘I find my mentor very inspiring. She has shown me art forms I have never even heard of.’

Has the scheme helped you readjust on the outside?

FLASHFACTSTODATE(JUNE2017)

 10 Mentees matched with Arts Mentors

 27 Artists complete two day Arts Mentor training

 3 mentees selected for Creative Futures Pathway

 5 mentees selected for the First Steps Pathway

 2 mentees progress onto Creative Futures Pathway

 Art form of interest for applicants – Art 75%, Creative Writing 15%, Music 10%

 Location of applicants: County Antrim 36%, County Armagh 8%, County Down 20%, County Fermanagh 4%, County Londonderry 16%. Outside of NI 4%. Still in Custody Hydebank 4%, Maghaberry 4%

 Youngest applicant 21 years old, oldest 64 years old. Gender – 28% Female, 72% Male

 25 enquires about the mentoring scheme, 21 completed applications & 6 mentees in the screening stage of application

 1 mentee successfully completed the First Steps pathway

 No one has dropped out of the programme!

SG, ‘Yes, between my course at college and working with my mentor it has definitely helped. But it’s really down to the person themselves, if you want to change your lifestyle, you can change.’ CJ, ‘The scheme has really helped me adjust to being back out of jail. I would love the scheme to last longer than 7 sessions.’

What advice would you give someone who is thinking about applying?

SG, ‘Go for it! The mentoring programme opens doors for you; you get to meet new people, if you’re sitting on your own it’s a lot harder.’

CJ, ‘PAF staff and my Mentor have inspired me and gave me the confidence to pursue my love of art. If you apply you won’t be disappointed. I just heard that a piece of my art which I created in one of my mentoring sessions has been accepted for exhibition at the NI Mental Health Arts & Film Festival in Belfast. I’m so excited to attend the launch of the exhibition with my Mentor and see all the artworks inspired by this year’s festival theme “Time to Change”.’

ELIGIBILITY

Sounds interesting? Do you engage with an artistic discipline such as art, crafts, writing, music, ceramics, poetry, performance and drama among others? If so it’s likely you are eligible to be mentored.

To check if you are eligible contact us today.

Apply for Programme

You can ask for an application form or for further information from the PAF Artist in Residence if you are in prison, your Probation officer, Sentence Manager or contact PAF directly:

The Prison Arts Foundation (PAF), Unit 3 Clanmil Arts & Business Centre, 2-10 Bridge Street, Belfast, BT1 1LU

02890 247872 office@prisonartsfoundation.com www.prisonartsfoundation.com @PrisonArts1

Registered Charity NIC101557 and limited by guarantee Company No. NI607881

‘GROWING&THRIVING THROUGHART’

The article title is from a comment made by an individual who took part in a research study into the benefits of participating in a PAF (Prison Arts Foundation) art programme. She was sharing her experiences of how taking part in art classes in custody helped to transform her life and give her confidence and a focus for the future.

Dr Shelley Tracey carried out the inquiry into the impact of PAF’s programmes in the criminal justice system. The research focused on the views and stories of individuals who have taken part in PAF arts programmes in custody and after release. Shelley is a researcher, writer and creative writing facilitator who moved to Northern Ireland with her family from South Africa over twenty years ago. According to Shelley ‘there are very few existing personal accounts by people who have taken part in programmes such as these, so the research was a platform for their voices and stories.’

Regarding her methodology Shelley explained that the research participants consisted of a group of creative writers in HMP Magilligan including the writer-in-residence, and six individuals with experience of PAF’s programmes. These six included a musician, a writer, three visual artists, and a writer who is also an accomplished artist. Most of these individuals took part in other arts classes outside their personal specialisms, such as creative writing, acting, poetry, crafts, pottery and visual art. Shelley added that ‘the research findings suggest that participating in the arts in custody helps to develop a sense of self-worth and confidence. This was also true for other students and inmates who attended PAF’s arts programmes in HMP Maghaberry, HMP Magilligan, and Hydebank

Wood College.’

The interviews lasted between an hour and a half and two hours, and an analysis of the participants’ visual art, writing and music helped to identify the underpinning themes. The interviews weave together the individuals’ story of their experiences of the arts in custody and their aspirations for their writing, art and music.

SUPPORTTHROUGHART

The group interview in Magilligan not only revealed the broad range of writing skills which the participants have acquired in their classes, but also the mutual support and camaraderie between the writers. Most of the participants in the group have won awards for their writing; this was also true for the other individuals who took part in the interviews. A common thread was the positive contribution made by PAF’s artists, writers and musicians in residence. Dr Tracey said that ‘they encouraged participation in the arts, provided useful information about the world of the arts outside, and identified and built on individual strengths and talents. Some have continued to mentor individuals in their specific art forms after release, either informally or as part of PAF’s mentoring programme.’

Support for the arts varied in the

three institutions. While the performance of a play by inmates in one institution was obstructed by prison staff, a governor in another institution actively encouraged involvement in the arts. He organised a team of inmates to develop an exhibition about the holocaust. This experience had a profound impact on the attitudes and perceptions of one of the individuals who took part in this project, as he revealed in his interview.

Shelley believes that ‘crucially, the inquiry gave artists, writers musicians and playwrights the opportunity to reflect on the importance of the arts in their lives, as well as highlight their achievements.’ More opportunities for reflections are recommended.

Shelley wanted to thank everyone who took part. ‘Your openness and commitment to your art made it an enriching experience.’

Dr Tracey has also worked in adult literacy, at Queen's University Belfast, and in the voluntary sector with young people & parents' groups and has held several awards from the Arts Council NI. She is interested in all aspects of the arts, and attends exhibitions, concerts and plays regularly. She believes in the power of the arts to enable communication, for selfexpression and uniting people.

Greetings from London. This postcard is entitled ‘Where the Trees Weep’

In the small town of Ypres in southern Belgium there’s a memorial arch that marks one of the most tragic military campaigns in history. During the First World War hundreds of thousands of young conscripts marched down the road towards Menin where their foes awaited them in trenches. Many of these young brave men were never to return.

The countryside around Ypres in Flanders witnessed some of the most ferocious fighting of the First World War. Over several years entire divisions of troops, each many thousands strong, marched with the British army into mortal danger. Many of these soldiers were only teenagers. Some were little more than boys and the youngest was John Condon from Waterford in Ireland. He was only twelve when he enlisted but was a big lad for his age. Claiming to be sixteen he was soon sent into battle with very little training. He was killed shortlyafter his thirteenth birthday.

For four long years the troops embedded themselves

into trenches just a stone’s throw across no-mans-land from the German machine-gunners. Occasionally an enemy shell would score a direct hit and everyone inside the trench would be buried where they fell. The entire area around Flanders suffered from heavy rain and the countryside was reduced to a quagmire of mud and the blood of the innocent. In all, nine hundred and eighty thousand died fighting with the British during that catastrophic campaign.

After the war it was decided that a permanent memorial should be built to honour the sacrifice of those who had never even been given a proper grave. Today The Menin gate stands as a proud memorial to their great courage. It’s a large arch that crosses the expanse of road that those young conscripts marched along as they went to meet their fate. Adorned with wonderful engraving skills along its walls are the names of all fiftyfive thousand men who were buried where they died and never got a proper grave of their own.

Honest Jim

Engulfed in the mud in which they fell, the arch now marks their final place of eternal rest. These are Eng- lish, Irish, Welsh, Scots, Indians, Australians and more besides. It’s a beautiful monument and is always kept spotlessly clean with regular bouquets of poppies and wreaths laid at its base.

Every evening of the year there’s a solemn memorial beneath the arch complete with recitals, buglers and drummers. It is always marked with the upmost respect and ends with the sounding of the last post. As the standards are lowered you can hear a pin drop. After the service the crowd, maybe a hundred strong, disappear into local restaurants and taverns. Military veterans, relatives of the dead, tourists and locals alike all re- member the fallen over a beer or maybe a whiskey. They intermingle easily and you find yourself thinking if they could intermingle like this all the time would we ever have wars at all?

Around Ypres there are a horde of military cemeteries; British, French, American and German too. The big- gest, Tyne Cot, is marked with twelve thousand small white tombstones. This is an American graveyard but

all the cemeteries are equally poign- ant. Each cross bears the young sol- dier’sname, halfofthemonly teenagers. As you walk around the battlefields today everything is so peaceful. The fields that witnessed some of the worst carnage in history are tranquil and deserted. The sun- shine bathes the long grass and the wind blows gently through the leaves on the trees. Yet as you stand and look around you are mentally transported to a bygone era and your unchained imagination becomes vivid in front of your eyes. The wind whistling through the leaves on the branches reminds you of the cries of the dying and it almost seems as if the trees themselves are weeping. This is a soul-destroying place and what hap- pened here isawful.

Honest Jim

Honest Jim, a former Creative Writing member in HMP Magilligan, now resides in London

Here is a small bit about Irish Travellers who were once known as Tinkers. The term Tinkers comes from their occupation as tinsmiths and metalworkers from the Irish “ceard” (smith) or “tinceard” (tinsmith). This name is now considered derogatory and is offensive to the Travelling community.

Irish Travellers are often confused with Gypsies in England. Both groups have for centuries coexisted and have a lot in common, such as cultural interchange and limited intermarriage, yet each remains a distinct people. The main difference is that Irish Travellers speak with an Irish tongue, and English Gypsies with an English tongue.

THE TRAVELLERS’

According to the Wikipedia there are 23,000 Traveller’s in the Republic of Ireland and another 1,500 in Northern Ireland. It is estimated that there are 7,000 Irish Travellers in the USA. However, I personally believe these numbers have risen.

Irish Travellers belong to a distinct ethnic group. They have their own language, beliefs and customs which have been strengthened over the years due to exclusion and marginalisation from the “settled” communities.

THETRAVELLERS’LANGUAGE

The language travellers use is known by different names: Shelta, Gammon or Cant, and can be spoken between Travellers. Sadly, it is slowly dying out as well as Traveller customs and social beliefs. Scholar Kuno Meyer studied the Travellers’ language and he believed that Shelta was “once possessed by Irish poets and scholars, who probably were its original framers.”

WAY | SF

Long before the modern trailer or caravan, Travellers used wagons. Although they were often cold and cramped and lacked privacy they did the job and were easily set up and maintained. They made life straightforward and they could pack up at any time and move on. A lot of the time Travellers moved due to the abuse and discrimination encountered on a daily basis.

There are five main types of wagons: these include the Bo Topped wagon, two versions of which were the Spindle-Sided, Potter’s four-wheeled cart and the two-wheeled Sleeping Cart. The most common type of wagon used was the Barrel Top wagon. I’ve recently made a model of a Barrel Top wagon (see bottom left) because my grandparents had one. My family have black and white pictures of the one they owned.

Traveller Facts

C.E. 1100s: Travellers first recorded in Ireland

1498: Four gypsies travel to the new world with Christopher Columbus

1505: Parish records in England show Travellers already living there

1530: Gypsies are forbidden to enter England under Henry VIII. Those already there are deported

1650s: Last known hanging for the crime of being a gypsy, in Suffolk, England. Gypsies are deported to America

1714: British Gypsies are shipped to the Caribbean as slaves

EARTH UNCOVERED |AF

Water World: Seen from space, Earth’s blue waters are it’s most striking feature.

According to National Geographic, Earth has the distinction of being the largest of the “terrestrial” planets, being 7,926 miles in diameter and 24,901 miles in circumference at the Equator. Due to its rotation, it swells around the “waist” and is not completely spherical.

The Earth’s moon circles at a distance of 238,855 miles. The moon is the solar system’s largest natural satellite, relative to the size of its parent planet.

Earth is the only planet in the Milky Way to have active plate tectonics. Forming continents, causing earthquakes, fuelling volcanoes and shaping mountains, Earth’s tectonic movements have had a dramatic impact on life on this planet. Earth is also the only planet with a liquid water ocean and therefore occupies a unique niche in our solar system.

That uniqueness, along with the liquid water, the protective magnetosphere (what actually protects the planet from harmful radiation) and the presence of free oxygen in the atmosphere have enabled life to flourish on its surface and in its oceans.

Climate is defined as the statistics of the Earth’s weather conditions measured over an extended period of time. The equilibrium of the incoming and outgoing radiation from the Sun determines the Earth’s mean temperature.

Compared with the size of the planet, Earth’s atmosphere is a thin coverlet, but it’s vital to retaining warmth and sustaining life (as we know it). If there was no atmosphere, the average surface temperature would be -18°C, meaning water would be permanently frozen and therefore life untenable.

HUMANIMPACTONCLIMATECHANGE

Much of the warmth is a result of the greenhouse effect. The greenhouse effect is a normal and beneficial feature of the Earth’s atmosphere, helping to keep the planet a steady 40°C warmer than it would be otherwise. What is not normal, nor beneficial, is the recent development of human-driven global warming.

Since the beginning of the industrial revolution in the early in 19th century, burning fossil fuels have added increasing amounts of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. The result is a steady worldwide rise in temperatures: about 0.5°C at the end of the 20th century, although there has been no warming for the past 15 years, a fact that puzzles scientists.

Scientists and industry researchers worldwide are investigating ways to reduce harmful atmospheric conditions from power stations and motor vehicles which produce more than 15% of fossil-fuel-based emissions. But is it too little too late?

Fast Facts About Earth

 Distance From The Sun: 93 Million Miles

 Rotation Period: 23.9 Hours  One Year: 365.3 Days

 Diameter: 7,926 Miles

 Moons: 1

Avery rare phenomenon occurred recently on one of the Irish Islands, Achill Island. In 1984, the islanders of Achill woke up to find that their well loved and enjoyed Dooagh Beach had been washed away during a freak storm, leaving nothing but bare rock where the lovely sands once stretched.

Thirty-three years later, a freak tide somehow managed to wash up hundreds of thousands of tonnes of sand to the very spot where the beach existed, recreating the stunning 300m long vista. A lot of hotels and guesthouses had closed down after the beach had been stolen by the waves. However, the return of the sand will see an unexpected but welcome increase in tourism to an island with a population of fewer than 3,000, its main economy being tourism.

SANDDUNESYSTEM

And for all of us doing time here at Magilligan, the sands just up the road from us provide an interesting dynamic on how sand, specifically in the form of sand dunes, can play a vital role in the eco-system.

The Magilligan-Umbra Reserve is an example of dune and grassland slack habitat. Situated eight miles northwest of Coleraine, 1,069 hectares of unique habitats are of special conservation value with many distinctive species, making it a place of particular value and importance.

The dunes act as a natural coastal defence, which is much more cost-effective than hard engineering alternatives. This scheme also reduces flood risk, soil erosion, improves access for people, providing recreational opportunities and encouraging green tourism.

SPECIALSPECIES

They are home to species including Marsh Helleborine, Bee Orchid, Pyramidal Orchid, Fragrant Orchid, Frog Orchid, Northern Mining Bee, Small Eggar Moth, Scarce Crimson and Gold Moth. Current threats to the landscape would include invasive species and scrub encroachment, however, we need not worry about a freak storm taking away the expanse of dunes at Magilligan just yet, but if it does arrive, please would it take the jail away with it too?

THE SANDS OF TIME IN |

LISTOWEL COMPETITION 2017

MHMP Magilligan writers have continued to do well in the all-Ireland Listowel Writers’ Week competition. Building on previous years’ successes two prisoners received 1st Prize in the Short Story Advanced category and 1st Prize in Intermediate Poetry Category. Listowel Writer’s Week Literary festival established in Kerry 1970 is considered one of Ireland’s foremost festivals. In this issue of Time In we have included both winning entries for your enjoyment.

y name is Francis K. Manfred and I have followed this same ritual for twenty years. In an effort to cajole me the dim-witted staff have attempted to strike up a friendship by calling me Frank. I detest the abbreviation. Frank is the name of someone who shares rides in their car. I do not share my space with anyone, hence my revulsion at having to sit in this gaudy, God-awful room surrounded by the mentally insane. They named it St Martin’s after a saint who was noted for his compassion to the deranged. Naturally there are strict rules. No sharp objects, no loose change, hot beverages purchased must be contained. I have often wondered at the grand opening was a pair of plastic scissors used to cut the ribbon? Orderlies patrol the perimeter of the room like armed sentries ready to pounce. I wouldn’t touch any of the crazies. God knows what one would catch.

I straighten my bowtie and flatten the creases in my trousers. I am precise by nature. At home my work sits aligned in neat bundles. I am an author, cursed with the burden of a sharp wit and intellectual prowess. I delve into the troubled psyches of the twisted figures who haunt my dreams then burst to wash the pages with their plight. Surrounded by drivelling maniacs in this visiting room feeds my subconscious no doubt. I am noted for my tales of the macabre. My brother, having shared insight into his fellow inmates, has fuelled my thrillers. Gruesome, gory, ghastly are all accolades associated with my work but I am a mere mirror of the horror here.

Take the man to my left. Eighty with a hump that Quasimodo would envy, Mr Withers appears to fit the mould of a senile old codger. He drools as his daughter yacks on. Mr Withers seems incapable of committing any atrocity. Yet I and my brother have witnessed this benign old man strike with the butt of his cane. The beating he inflicted was only abated by the violent intervention of three orderlies. Mr Withers is my inspiration for an exceedingly grisly fable I concocted which my readers lapped up with relish.

On my right is a sufferer of dissociation disorder but who I call a nut case. Today he is dressed as a fireman replete with a yel-

low hat and a fire extinguisher constructed from paper. Doctors here actually encourage the inmates to express themselves though their apparel! On the first of each month Bob, or whomever he believes he is that day, will sneak around the caged windows probing for signs of weakness. Then he will rush at the grille, arms flailing, like a rabid rhino with rabies. When his forehead meets the metal Bob bounces like a rubber ball tumbling backwards to stop at the feet of an orderly. ‘Bright Bob’ was my bestseller three years ago.

This morning is fairly void of visitors, vacant spaces home to the ghosts of inmates no longer interned. One brings to mind a departed friend of my brother who did not survive the summer. Augustus Reynolds was born in the same year as my brother and I. I had the dubious pleasure of convening with Augustus when his father visited. At first glance he appears quite sane but take a second to linger and one will note a deadness in his eyes like a shark. I once asked my brother about the nature of Augustus’s crime. He relayed a tragic tale which I shall not disclose except to say that Augustus rightly deserved to be locked in this place.

I recall the last time I saw him alive. I was wearing my blue bowtie. I detected a whiff of cologne which struck me as odd. Augustus seemed preoccupied while waiting for his visitor. I am punctual and arrive precisely on time unlike my slovenly brother. I kept one eye on the door and the other on Augustus as he fiddled with his hair. When his father arrived he rose to greet him but I noticed a sadness in those black eyes.

“Where is she?”

The question was tinged with the fragility of fear but also hopeful expectation. His father shook his head.

“She didn’t want to come after all.”

I would later discover that Augustus had a wife. She had never visited before but had promised to do so on that day. Augustus learned that another man had taken his place both as husband and father. The news was not all bad for his wife’s new lover was a Christian, devoted to God, his new family and the sanctity of marriage. Something positive out of a difficult situation. It proved to be too difficult as Augustus was found swinging in his cell. He did not survive the month which was his namesake but I believe his ex-wife is doing well.

“Orderly,” I call. “Will my brother be long?”

Giving a sardonic smile reserved for infants and idiots a behemoth waddles towards me. He squats to meet me at eye level as if I’m handicapped and strapped into an infernal wheelchair. “Frank, what did I tell you before? Sit patiently or I’ll have you

removed.”

This irksome beast is Trev as he likes to be known. I call him Toe Rag.

“Toe Rag,” I begin. “I’ve had enough of your unpleasantness. Mind your manners or I will be forced to call the authorities.”

Ignoring the fact that he is twice my dimensions, I get up to stand toe to toe with him. I grin inwardly as his smile vanishes and he dissolves into a state of panic. We are joined by two orderlies.

“Everything okay, Trev?” one of them asks. I keep my stance firm against the bully. One thing I despise is the oppression of the weak. My knees are secretly quaking but I remain strong. This is a family trait. The genetics of two identical twins varies little. Toe Rag is biting his lower lip, a sign I count as weakness.

“Trev, take five. Francis, sit back down please.”

The voice is female. I say female and not feminine for its owner is far from such. If Toe Rag can be termed burly then Linda could be described as mammoth. Linda is the exception to the average pond scum working here. What she lacks in beauty her personality balances out. I do not use the word ‘personality’ in the same social banality bandied about as in ‘she has a nice personality’. Such sentiments are as meaningful as the adjective ‘interesting’ is to the critique of literature. No, Linda is personality personified in that she is peppered with enough pleasantness and seasoned with enough stringency to balance the scales of a fine human dish. Her sincere smile rounds off a truly desirable being but her inner beauty far exceeds the physical. I confess to having a soft spot for the lady. She has shown my brother respect when others have been cruel and I admire that.

I retake my seat and the tension subsides. Soon Toe Rag and the orderlies depart leaving me stranded with my original dilemma. Where is my brother? Until now I have failed to mention him in detail but there is method to my madness. Knowing me is to know him. Born minutes apart, my elder sibling and I are identical in more than appearance. We share the same passion for fine cuisine, have a love affair with the written word and drool at the mention of a night at the opera. There are major contrasts, however. I have a fondness for apples, he for oranges. I delight in the company of canines, he felines. I despise popular culture. He is an avid soap fan and a daily digester of the broadsheets. Neither of us delights in sport but through his skirmishes in the back pages of the tabloids my brother can hold his own in a City v United debate. On Friday mornings like this we are equally placed in space and time and the reasons for being in this juncture are forgotten momentarily. Two siblings meeting for tea and crumpets, with a Kit-Kat having to substitute for the latter.

I check the clock. Half the allotted time has gone already. I

WAGTAIL

Outside today I walked in squares,

And watched a wagtail twist and weave, Black on white, the uniform he wears.

He had no fear, no rush to leave

But marched with sprightly step. He paced And paused and pecked, morsels to retrieve.

Then from the North a chill wind raced, And Wagtail rose, and sang and caught The breeze and left. And on I paced

In squares, and with each pace I thought, That I, like Wagtail, one day too, Would rise, and sing and leave. I brought

My mind back to the square and knew, That turning left held just one view.

glance in the direction of the green door leading to the dormitories. My brother has relayed the general layout behind the emerald veil. A landing leads through three sets of grilles until one would merge with the other inmates. I had imagined a scene from that Cuckoo’s Nest film. Serene melodies piped to sooth the plethora of disjointed souls wandering listlessly. Electric shock therapy in the dreaded upper rooms for the rowdy and restless. My brother assures me matters are much more mundane. With many here unable to speak more than a few syllables I dread to think how group therapy plays out. Drib-

L I S T O W E L C O M P E T I T I O N

bling, drooling, demented divergents – oh how the deranged bring out the alliterative man in me. If a dog loses its mind and snarls and tears at every passer-by not a moment’s thought is given to its destruction. Why not the same for those at the apex of the food chain? My words may seem cruel and perhaps confusing considering my sibling’s plight but he too would agree. When the mind is warped beyond repair then far better to end it quickly. Prolonging suffering is more barbaric I’d say.

A case in point. Sitting opposite me is Clive. Clive is in deep conversation with James. James listens intently until Clive has concluded before contributing. A normal diatribe I’m sure you’d agree. Except James is Clive and Clive is James. In befuddled pity the senior staff have allowed this freak with the label schizophrenic access to the visiting room to meet with himself. He acts both parts, even switching seats and accents to play the roles. And I wonder who is the insane one here; the patients or those in charge of their care?

I sit in despair as the clock nears midday. The hour is nearly gone and my brother seems to have disappointed me again. The orderlies inform the visitors it is time and I straighten my bowtie. Mr Withers’s daughter Winnie waves to her father as he is helped away beyond the veil. She catches my eye and with a step of trepidation comes towards my table.

“Good morning, Francis,” she says.

“Good afternoon,” I correct her with a polite nod.

“He didn’t come to see you again?” she says. I shake my head.

“Maybe one day.”

She leaves me with a soft touch on my hand and her warmth stays with me as Linda approaches.

“I’m afraid it’s that time, Francis.”

Song writing is a natural instinct and in prison it’s an escape that keeps me focused. The tougher aspect is learning new chords and rhythms. Accessing new material and sounds is important and not always easy to find. You miss getting feedback from peers, fellow songwriters and mentors which can help your work grow.

Music ultimately connects us all regardless of our backgrounds. My advice to anyone starting out is to pick a topic and let the words flow. SF

The seconds have silenced me. Visiting hour is up. I stand and flatten the creases from my trousers. As Linda leads I glance over my shoulder one final time. For twenty years I have followed this ritual. We are met by a new orderly named Jeff.

“Is he still waiting for his brother?” Jeff asks.

Linda nods. We are standing at the green door. A buzzer sounds and it opens inwards.

“Wasn’t the brother a famous author? Wrote dark thrillers?”

Linda nods again.

“Why does he never come to visit?”

Linda taps my shoulder and reaches out. It is the signal.

“Because he’s dead,” Linda says as I remove my bowtie and hand it to her. “Francis killed him.”

I walk through the veil ready to face another week inside. “Until Friday morning,” I say. “And visiting hour.”

LETTHEMUSICFLOW

GONE

Good morning, so happy to see your face, Oh how I missed that taste, of you

I’m feeling, like I’ve lost my way, Since you’ve been, with someone new The road away, still leads me back to you

There’s many things that I have found I’m always lonely, when you’re not around

You make me laugh, even made me cry, When you turned away, not blinking an eye

Why please tell me why

Chorus

Why did you say, you loved me

Promised me promises, that wasn’t real

Tried to teach me, right from wrong

But in the end, I found you gone (gone x6)

Good evening, so you’ve had your say

You might have guessed, I don’t want to stay

I’m packing up, and I’m moving on

Be out of your hair, by the end of this song

Bridge

Why did you tell me lies

We could have had a life

No don’t cry, probably a lie (repeat chorus)

In England and Wales over the last ten years the number of foreign nationals in prison has doubled and now represents 14% of the total prison population. In March 2017, according to the Northern Ireland Prison Service, there are currently 134 foreign nationals including sentenced and those on remand. Alongside the religious diversity there are a huge range of nationalities and languages to be considered as well as the opportunity to learn about other cultures.

Some Romanian Phrases

Hello – Bunã

Good morning – Bunã dimineaţa

Excuse me – Scuzaţi-mã

Thank you – Mulţumesc

Goodnight – Noapte bunã

I love you – Te iubesc

Thank you very much – Mulţumesc foarte mult

Please – Te rog

discovered insulin. Eugen Pavel invented the Hyper CD-ROM. Aurel Persu was the first engineer and car designer to build a car with wheels inside its aerodynamic line. Petrache Poenaru invented the fountain pen.

When most people think of Romania they picture Transylvania, Romanian gypsies, Dracula and Vlad the Impaler but here are some fascinating facts that you may not know.

ROMANIAFACTS

1. Romania boasts one of the happiest cemeteries on Earth. That’s correct; the Merry Cemetery is in Săpânța, a tiny village in Maramureş County near the Ukrainian border. It is not only a burial site, but also an open-air museum and a major tourist attraction. Headstones feature a witty poem describing the person’s life and death. Here is an example of one translated from Wikipedia;

Under this heavy cross

Lies my poor mother in-law

Three more days should she have lived

I would lie, and she would read (this cross).

You, who here are passing by

Not to wake up please try

Cause’ if she comes back home

She’ll criticise me more.

But I will surely behave

So she’ll not return from grave.

Stay here, my dear mother in-law!

2. Romanian inventors have altered the world. Traian Vuia constructed a flying machine. Nicolae Constantin Pãulescu

3. In southwestern Romania, close to the city of Orsova, along the Danube, there is a 55m high rock sculpture depicting Decebalus, the last king of Dacia. The monument can only be reached by boat and is the largest rock sculpture in Europe.

4. The Palace of the Parliament in Bucharest was built by the former Romanian dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu. The Palace is the largest and most expensive civil administration building on the planet. It is also called the People’s House.

5. Timişoara was the first city lit by electric lamps in Continental Europe in 1884 and was second only to New York City worldwide.

6. The only gold museum in Europe is based in Romania. The Mineralogical Collection of Brad, The Gold Museum is in the small Romanian city of Brad. Built 100 years ago the gallery contains a collection of over 2,000 pieces of gold gathered from across the world. A highlight of the museum is the native gold, which is displayed exactly as found in the mines of the Romanian mountains. The pieces are unusual and impressive and their value does not depend on weight. For instance, a lizard-shaped item of only seven tenths of a gram of gold has been evaluated at 3 million euros.

7. The largest population of brown bears in Europe live in Romania.

8. Most people believe that the Romanian language is similar to those spoken in Russia or other Slavic countries, but Romanian is a Romance language closely related to Italian, French, Spanish, Catalan, and Portuguese.

O MAN IA

Johnny Cash. Elvis Presley. NWA. AC/DC. Whether its country stars, popstars, rappers or rock stars, musicians from all walks of life have written iconic songs about jail.

Digging into the 20th and 21st century songbook, you’ll discover a large and varied repertoire of music directly inspired by the prison experience. In fact, there are so many examples in blues, country, rock, and hip hop of songs about prison, that you could argue getting locked up is as common a subject for a song lyric as boy meets girl.

The fear of incarceration has haunted countless artists but it also inspired them to write some “killer” songs. Before we had television shows like Orange Is The New Black and Oz and movies like The Shawshank Redemption, music played the role of allowing those with no experience behind bars to get a flavour of prison life.

More often than not, the lyrics and music of prison songs are often tragic, filled with melancholy and regret. Usually they focus on the injustice of captivity and the desperation to break free. They pack an emotional punch that few other subject matters can achieve.

Above: Johnny Cash, the man responsible for arguably the greatest song about prison

However, once in a while, a song about prison comes along which is cheerful and reaffirming. Perhaps the most upbeat song about prison in music history is Elvis Presley’s “Jailhouse Rock”. The song was penned to accompany Presley's Jailhouse Rock, a 1957 film about a young prisoner who discovers his musical skills behind bars. One of Rolling Stone’s 500 Greatest Songs of All Time, the song has been covered by everyone from Jeff Beck to John Mellencamp to the Blues Brothers, who performed the song in Joliet Prison (for you eagle eyed Time In readers, this is indeed the same prison as featured in TV’s Prison Break) at the end of their 1980 film.

BREAKINGBARRIERS

Whether it’s about literally spending time behind bars or the metaphorical prisons of our own making, the best songs about jail and prison have one thing in common – they allow us to

Above: Elvis Presley in Jailhouse Rock

vicariously experience life behind bars (or for those of us who have served/are serving time), they put the trials and (often) tribulations of prison life into words that many of us would find difficult otherwise.

PRISON MUSIC | AF

10 GREATEST SONGSABOUT PRISON & JAIL

Johnny Cash, "Folsom Prison Blues"

Elvis Presley, "Jailhouse Rock"

Soundgarden, "Rusty Cage"

Sam Cooke, "Chain Gang"

Thin Lizzy, "Jailbreak"

Creed, “My Own Prison” 7. Bob Dylan, “Hurricane” 8. The Clash, "Jail Guitar Doors" 9. Merle Haggard, "Life in Prison" 10. AC/DC, “Jailbreak”

INTERVIEW WITH PADDY NASH| AF

Incredibly the most authentic-sounding songs about prison were written and recorded by a man who'd never spent more than one night behind bars consecutively. The Man in Black that is the great Johnny Cash frequently performed free concerts for convicts and penned plenty of other jailhouse tunes, including Starkville City Jail and San Quentin. But well over fifty years from when it was first recorded, Folsom Prison Blues still has the title of ‘best prison song’ on lockdown amongst critics and fans alike.

Here at Time In we’ve heard many a rendition of Folsom by various inmates in the music class, all led by our Musician-inResidence, Paddy Nash. We decided to interview Paddy about the influence and legacy of Johnny Cash and ask why his music reverberates with prisoners.

I’VENEVERSHOT AMANINRENO

What is it about Johnny Cash and his music that makes both him and it so relatable to prisoners?

Maybe it’s because he gives them a voice. He tells their stories, he portrays them as the human beings they are and not as the hidden monsters that the media and society in general would like us to believe. I think his songs in general hold up a mirror to us all and invite us to look at our dark sides, but they also offer redemption. He was a master at that.

Folsom Prison Blues is widely regarded as the greatest prison based song of all time. Why do you think that is and what is it about that song that really resonates with prisoners, critics and non-prisoners alike?

Firstly it’s got three chords, it’s relatively easy to sing and it’s one of those songs that you never get tired of hearing. Trust me on this because I have heard it a lot!

Then there’s the story. It’s a fairly matter-of-fact and unapologetic tale of a life lived outside the law. He hangs his head and cries. Is he sorry for what he done or sorry he got caught? We don’t really know. I have a friend who insists that Gangsta Rap would not exist today if Cash had never written the line ‘I shot a man in Reno just to watch him die’. Who knows? I remember reading an interview where Cash said that line came from him sitting with a pen and trying to think of the worst reason someone could have for killing another person. Heavy stuff indeed wrapped up in all its three chord, rinky-dink, knee slapping sing-along glory.

‘Prisoners are the greatest audience that an entertainer can perform for,’ writes Cash in the album’s liner notes (his 1968 live album At Folsom Prison). ‘They’re not ashamed to respond and show their appreciation’. Prisoners are notoriously perceived as being loud and rowdy and difficult to please. How much of a gamble was it to record a live album in a prison and do you believe it was done for artistic reasons or as a gimmick to sell more records?

I think it was a natural progression for him. He had done numerous shows in prisons before he recorded the album so I don’t think it was a gimmick. I would say that the atmosphere must have been intense and he wanted to capture it on record. It’ s an astonishing piece of work and deserves all its success.

The trials and tribulations of prison life have long been a fascination to musicians outside of the penitentiary walls, not least of all The Man In Black. Assuming you’ve never Shot a Man in Reno, how has working within those confines influenced your own music?

The title track of my new album ‘Gate Fever’ was inspired by conversations I’d had with some of my students. As a writer I find ideas everywhere I go and in everything I do so I’m bound to be influenced creatively within the confines of working in Magilligan. I try to trap potential song lyrics from most conversations I have and the idea of ‘Gate Fever’ really appealed to me. The fear of the unknown. I read that Johnny Cash wrote Folsom Prison Blues after watching a film ‘Inside The Walls Of Folsom Prison’. Well I’ll see you Johnny and I’ll raise you one!

Above: Paddy Nash (Musician in Residence, Magilligan)

ANTHONY QUINN-AUTHOR VISIT

‘The best stories are the ones you don’t print,’ Anthony Quinn bestselling crime-writer said introducing himself to the Creative Writing group in HMP Magilligan. Quinn spoke about being a working part-time journalist who sees stories before they become mainstream. ‘These tales feed into your work, consciously or subconsciously.’

Quinn’s Detective Daly Series is set in the aftermath of the Northern Ireland Troubles which makes his work different from other crime fiction.

‘Most novels of this nature are set in Belfast, so County Tyrone is an original setting,’ Quinn explained. He admits to ‘shrinking’ NI geography and doesn’t like urban settings preferring to use bog lands and forests. In the Daly novels the central character progresses and develops with the reader through rural landscapes and the crime scenes.

Border Angels is the second novel in the series and took fourteen months to write. It was his fourth novel.

Quinn, first published in America, sets a minimum writing target of a page per day.

‘After nine months I tend to have approximately 80,000 words. I always handwrite the first draft and don’t necessarily plot my story.’

THEBESTSTORIES ARETHEONES YOUDON’TPRINT

Character development remains a major motivator for Quinn. In Border Angels the character Ash was initially going to be the villain but changed to possess hero attributes. Quinn explained that ‘the story can be a bit of a jig-saw but soon finds a natural pattern and becomes absorbed into your life until it is completed.’ Quinn makes the work entertaining, thought-provoking and provides an insight into his NI terrain.

The Creative Writing group read and appraised Border Angels. Quinn admit-

ted that on many levels it’s easier to write when you don’t have a publisher. He’s been penning the Daly series for eight years. Daly is stuck in the past, the old house that he lives in holds hidden truths and as the series develops you feel sympathy for him. Daly is a lonely, middle aged detective who is also a depressed insomniac. He lives in the post Celtic Tiger Ireland among ghost estates and property deals that have gone wrong. Quinn deliberately avoids writing descriptions of his main character.

‘I want the reader to imagine their own version of Daly. I keep him in silhouette or in dark reflections.’

Daly lives in a corner of Lough Neagh symbolising that his character is stuck in a corner. Reading Graham Greene as a young writer helped Quinn understand the importance of ‘greyness’.

‘A character must have a shadow side,’ Quinn told the Writing group.

Quinn regards modern technology as both a help and a hindrance. So many distractions interrupt the flow of writing.

Author Anthony Quinn visits HMP Magilligan in March 2017 to share his thoughts with the Creative Writing class.

It is import to set targets. ‘First thing in the morning is close to dream waves and a good time to engage with the imagination,’ he added.

Quinn advised aspiring authors to ‘get an agent’. Reviews are important; an agent and publisher have contacts which help get your work reviewed. Quinn confessed to reading very little crime fiction due to not wanting any influences, even in a negative way Although early inspiration included PD James and Ruth Rendall.

The Disappeared was published in the UK and Ireland in 2012 and made the best readers list in Australia in 2014. Quinn has written two historical fictions about 1919. His next novel Trespass is about the travelling community.

Author Anthony J Quinn returns with a phenomenal new crime fiction novel Border Angels, the second in the Inspector Celcius Daley series after his amazing debut novel Disappeared

Border Angels is set in the most beautiful regions of Northern Ireland’s borders although there lies the dark and unpleasant past of The Troubles. With the establishment of the Peace Process a new wave of crime follows involving fuel and tobacco smuggling, fraudulent land deals and money flowing in through peace funding and the deeper and seedy side of human trafficking.

Lena Novak, one of the many Eastern European woman trafficked into the border areas, is a young Croatian brothel worker. Held against her will, she plans to escape her living hell which contrasts with the beauty of the serene countryside. Lena makes a break for freedom one particular dark and eerie night when she is taken by her pimp in his car and a sudden explosion gives her the opportunity to escape. Jack Fowler, an ex-IRA man, is found dead under unusual circumstances, a man also of interest to Lena in many ways.

When reading the novel don’t delve too deeply into the geography. Mistakes have been made on purpose, for example ‘a lorry has jack-knifed on a busy road, as it makes its way to catch the early morning ferry at the port of Newry’. This port would realistically be 6 miles further away in the town of Warrenpoint. As the story is fiction, Quinn leaves this aspect up to your own interpretation.

After the death of Fowler and Lena’s escape, both the IRA and a tough leader of the East Europe Mafia, Mikolajek, are fast on her heels chasing her down with money also missing and Inspector Celcius Daley joining in the search. Time is precious and the thrill of the chase is on. Who will find Lena first? Who will retrieve the money? Will she be returned and trapped again in a life of hell in the brothel?

Daley, a lonely police inspector living on the edge of Lough Neagh, needs to solve this crime. He must also escape his own demons and leave behind the politics of Northern Ireland’s new police force. The narrative sets a scene of loneliness, entrapment, deceit and murder all rounded into one story. Border Angels will pull you in and keep you there.

Border Angels is available to buy via the Tuck Shop. Alternatively ask the Library to stock it ASAP and enjoy the full Celcius Daley series | SFRB

CROSSWORDCLUES

ACROSS

3.

6.

7.

8.

11.

13.

14.

17.

1.

2.

9.

10.

12.

The Clash song was an initiative by Billy Bragg (4,6,5)

5. 1977 Clash anthem (1,6,3,3)

Famous Johnny Cash Prison Song (6,6,5)

The Pretenders doing manual labour (4,2,3,5,4)

Escape made Thin Lizzy international superstars (9)

Robert Allen Zimmerman song about a boxer (9)

John Prine spent this season locked up (9,2,6)

The reason Snoop Dogg makes a deal with the devil (6,3,3,4)

15. Johnny Cash song recorded at this Californian prison (3,7)

16. Merle Haggard's rebel child ignored his mother (5,5)

The Everly Brothers overhear a Lady Old and Grey ‘I’m here to get…’ (2,4,3,2,4) DOWN

Bananarama found guilty in court (4,2,3,5,6)

Title of a 1982 Bruce Springsteen Album (8)

4. Jimmie Rogers Oh Brother Where Art Thou (2,3,9,3)

8. This Elvis song was also a movie (9,4)

Creedence Clearwater Revival shine ever lovin' light on this American traditional folk song (8,7)

A chair for Nick Cave's unrepentant prisoner (3,5,4)

The Kinks London prison (8,4)

Songs about prison life have fascinated musicians from Johnny Cash shooting a man in Reno to Elvis singing behind bars. All our crossword songs reference prison.

FILM REVIEWS

“IAMYOUR#1FAN.”

STEPHENKING,MISERY

Adapted from a Stephen King novel, Rob Reiner's Misery casts James Caan as a writer at a career crossroads. The film opens with Paul Sheldon (Caan) completing work on his latest novel, a break from his popular series featuring the character Misery Chastain. He gets into a severe car accident and is saved by Annie Wilkes (Kathy Bates), a strange, reclusive, obsessive woman who is a big fan of the ‘Misery Child’ novels.

A fast paced intense thriller, Misery really takes you on a journey of twist and turns and bone crunching madness.

“The shuddering would not stop. The pain was like the end of the world. He

Tthought: There comes a point when the very discussion of pain becomes redundant. No one knows there is pain the size of this in the world. No one. It is like being possessed by demons.”

Kathy Bates got an Oscar for this first of many career changers. She played the role with intense emotion and demonstrated her superb acting ability.

James Caan really got into the groove with some passionate acting and extreme scenes which would make your spine shiver. (Sledgehammer anyone?)

It is a film with a lot of wow factor but with a hint of weirdness to add to the mix of blood, fear and over possessive lust.

“He felt as he always did when he fin-

ished a book queerly empty, let down, aware that for each little success he had paid a toll of absurdity.”

Director: Rob Reiner (All in the Family, A Few Good Men, A Mighty Wind)

Screenwriter: William Goldman (Harper, The Moving Target (1966))

Misery is available to borrow from the HMP Magilligan Library for Enhanced Prisoners. TMcC

he Martian is a science fiction novel written by debut writer Andy Weir. Originally self-published in 2011 and re-released in 2014, it soon became the #1 New York Times best-seller. The story follows American astronaut Mark Watney who, during a manned mission to Mars, is presumed dead and left behind by his crew. But Watney is still alive, and he must now find a way to contact Earth and survive on a barren planet with meagre supplies in the hope that an international team of scientists can devise a nearimpossible rescue plan to bring him home! The book is a fascinating, fast-paced read that has the reader wondering, with every page turn, can Watney use his ingenuity, resourcefulness and genius to survive long enough and make it home?

In 2015 legendary director Ridley Scott teamed with Matt Damon and a stellar cast to produce a visually breath-taking film adaptation of the book. Matt Damon absolutely shines in the role of Watney and brings so much warmth and humour that we can’t help but hope they can indeed bring him home!

Utterly thrilling, it’s absolutely brilliant escapist entertainment. Can he and they defy the odds? You’ll have to pick up the book or DVD and find out! AF

PRISON CHAPLAINCY

Ihave been a chaplain for six years and it has been a privilege to be part of a difficult period of prisoners’ lives. Our main role is to assist prisoners’ spiritual lives but spirituality come in many forms Perhaps your prayer life needs nurtured, or it has completely dried up and you just want to talk that through. Maybe your family life is difficult to maintain because of your absence. I want to say no matter how big or small your needs are that the chaplains are always here for you. Never be afraid to ask the staff to contact the Chaplains’ Office and we will do all we can to help - Andy

WHATCANWEDOFORYOU?

Each prison establishment has a number of chaplains who provide for the spiritual guidance of prisoners and other members of the prison community no matter your faith or non-faith. In addition to providing pastoral care for prisoners on a one-to-one basis they also conduct weekly services and on occasions officiate at weddings and christenings within the prison. Chaplains also arrange religious study classes

NATURE WATCH

PERMACULTURE

Tand when necessary visit the families of prisoners. They are involved in the prisoner induction programme and other prisoner programmes.

Five churches are represented in each prison: Roman Catholic, Church of Ireland, Presbyterian, Free Presbyterian and Methodist. Muslim inmates are attended by the Imam.

 Spiritual Assistance

 Pastoral Care  Weekly Service

 Ecclesiastical Visits

Weddings & Christenings

Religious Study Classes

he word 'permaculture' derives from 'permanent agriculture' and 'permanent culture'. It is fundamentally about living holistically on the planet, in harmony with nature, and making sure that we can sustain human activities for generations to come.

According to the New Internationalist Magazine (issue 402) permaculture made its debut in 1976 in an article in Tasmania’s Organic Farmer and Gardener. The article was written by Bill Mollison, an Australian researcher, author, scientist, teacher and biologist and David Holmgren, an environmental designer, ecological educator and writer. Max Lindegger another permaculture pioneer designed the world’s first permaculture ecovillage. Lindegger invited Mollison on a speaking tour and 1976 Lindegger formed Permaculture Nambour. Permaculture quickly caught the imagination of Australians and according to Millison and Holmgren created ‘a synthesis in a world of famine, poisons, erosion and fast-depleting energy.’

Key Elements of Permaculture

Permaculture combines three aspects:

1. An ethical framework

2. Understandings of how nature works, and 3. A design approach

These provide a positive moral plan that is used to design regenerative systems. Permaculture nurtures stability, it deepens soils and generates cleaner water in thriving communities in self-reliant regions, engaging with biodiverse agriculture, and social justice, peace and abundance.

THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH AWARD

In over 70 years the D.O.E. Award has grown from strength to strength helping to enable young people between the ages of 14 to 25 fulfil their potential. The award focuses on four key areas: Service, Adventurous Journey, Skills and Physical Recreation.

HISTORYOFTHEAWARD

The Duke of Edinburgh's International Award grew out of the efforts of three men HRH Prince Philip, Kurt Hahn, a German educationalist, and Lord Hunt, leader of the first successful ascent of Everest who were aware that young people’s development was lacking in certain key areas.

After the Second World War there was a growing concern about the development of boys due to the gap between leaving school at 15 and entering National Service at 18.

The Award was designed around four sections: Rescue & Public Service Training, the Expedition, Pursuits & Projects, and Fitness. The award was first introduced to HMP Magilligan 2001.

D.O.E.@HMPMAGILLIGAN

In late May 2017 four inmates from HMP Magilligan alongside two members of staff successfully completed their Duke of Edinburgh Award Bronze Level expedition. The expedition was the final piece in the jigsaw which will see the inmates and staff members re-

ceive their overall Bronze Level Award in the near future.

North Antrim’s stunning coastline provided the backdrop for the outing which gave all participants the opportunity to display the skills acquired from some 5 months of training in fields such as firstaid & map reading.

In previous years the expedition was an inmate-only award opportunity however, thanks to determination and willingness, new ground has been broken seeing staff undertake the necessary training, forming of a team and ultimately the standing alongside inmates in achieving this much coveted award.

Whilst Magilligan P.E. Department took the lead in the delivery of training for the expedition, special thanks must be given to the Establishment’s Personal Development Unit, Foyleview Resettlement Unit and Governor Mark Holmes who took the opportunity to call in at the campsite (see photo above) to check

on the group’s progress and indeed how the experience was unfolding.

“I never thought I would have been given the opportunity to take part in a course like the Duke of Edinburgh while being in prison. By starting this course and getting the training and practice walks it has opened my eyes to see the beauty of this country. It has also let me know that there is a lot more to life than sitting behind the door”

Commencing at Portballintrae, the group made their way along the spectacular coastline passing through the World Heritage Site at the Giant’s Causeway eventually arriving at the Carrick-aRede Rope Bridge another of the country’s famous visitor attractions. Around 25 kilometres were walked across two tiring days but the group was blessed with glorious sunshine in what was a fantastic experience for both staff and inmates alike.

Want to take part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme?

Contact the gym department in your prison either by talking to the P.T.I.s or via your Class Officer on the landing.

D.O.E. members help untangle a sheep trapped around the neck by brambles

CRUSE BEREAVEMENT CARE

The death of someone close to us is likely to be the one of the most distressing experiences we will ever have to face. When someone dies, a relationship is lost and we move towards a new and largely unknown situation. Facing bereavement whilst in prison may be an even more difficult scenario due to the lack of support of family and friends.

CRUSE Bereavement Care offers support to all members of society, including prisoners. The service, which has been in full operation for 8 years now, is a confidential resource delivered by trained CRUSE volunteers, providing support to male prisoners in Maghaberry and Magilligan and male and female prisoners in Hydebank who are finding it difficult to cope with their grief while serving their sentence.

Many go to CRUSE following the recent loss of a loved one. Meanwhile others may have been carrying the burden of grief for many years and have not had the opportunity to talk with anyone about how they really felt. CRUSE will work with all prisoners who have been deemed suitable following an initial assessment. This is regardless of who has died and when the death happened.

Not everyone is granted Compassionate Temporary Release and this can often add to the difficulty of accepting the reality of a bereavement and progressing though one’s grief. That is why CRUSE offers “someone to turn to when someone dies”.

If you would like to get in touch please ask a member of staff to refer you to CRUSE. You will be called for an initial assessment (usually within a few weeks), and then if suitable, will be allocated to a CRUSE Bereavement Support Volunteer. This volunteer will see you once a week for approximately one hour. This normally continues for around 6 sessions. When you meet you can talk as much or as little as you want and the volunteer will listen and provide support.

We have had some very positive feedback from prisoners who have used the service. Here are just a few quotes.

“Really helped me when I was at my lowest, see things and can deal with things a lot better.”

“A big difference, CRUSE has given me hope and encouragement”.

“It gave me an outlet to explore the grief I am going through and talk about it in confidence”.

“Talking to you is the only time I can be myself (take off the mask) and that really means the world to me”.

Please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Need to speak to someone? Request CRUSE via your Class Officer.

SHARED READING

NEWSHAREDREADING GROUPSIN HMPMAGILLIGAN

The Reader, a charitable social enterprise, brings people together through great literature and has been delivering Shared Reading for over a decade. Shared Reading takes place in small groups. Pamela Howe, the new Reader-in-Residence, explains that a story or poem is read aloud and the group discusses the shared text. There is no pressure on group members to read or even speak - the idea is to create a place where people feel at home. Sessions are open to all age groups and educational backgrounds. Experience shows that this methodology helps people connect while offering a better understanding of themselves and others.

‘I find the reading group relaxing and less formal than a structured session that can sometimes be perceived as quite clinical. The reading group draws me because of its power to transport me outside the confines of my everyday world.’

Prisoner in HMP Frankland

Reading aloud gives everyone access to literature and literature gives people access to powerful language, to thoughts and feelings about what it is to be human. By experiencing and sharing these complex meanings with others, people can start to (re)build a better understanding of the world.

Members of the HMP Magilligan group have offered the following comments on their own Shared Reading experience:

‘The group’s overall relaxed and soothing atmosphere seems to draw me near and fill some sort of need in me I did not know was there.’

Prisoner in HMP Frankland

‘Shared Reading takes place in HMP Magilligan on a Thursday morning and afternoon. Inmates are welcome to come along to any of the sessions and give it a try – there’s no obligation! Pamela emphasises the groups are relaxed and informal. If you think you might be interested then please let your SO know.

‘I enjoy the group and find it therapeutic’ G

‘It is a friendly group and takes my mind off other things’ P

‘This is a positive forum and I hope it continues’ J

SHANNON TRUST TURNING PAGES

Turning Pages is a Shannon Trust reading programme designed for adult learning in a prison environment. Prisoners who can read help those who struggle with reading by offering help from a prisoner mentor trained by the Shannon Trust. There is no exam and readers can improve at their own pace. Last year over 4,000 people in prison learned to read using the Shannon Trust Reading Plan and over 2,000 trained as Reading Plan Mentors.

Sign up by making a request on your landing either as a mentor or mentee.

Sessions are:

 One-to-one and private

 Delivered by specially trained prisoners

 Short sessions (20 minutes) take place five times a week

Pamela Howe, Shared Reading

‘HEARING OTHER VIEWS IS INTERESTING. I MIGHT NOT AGREE WITH THEM BUT IT’S NICE TO MULL THEM OVER.’ B

POETRY CORNER

ALLINORFOLD

Imagine the possibility, if only you could

Turn something bad or unsatisfactory into something good

That’s called amelioration, okay, understood!

Time to motivate yourself, get in the mood

Being assertive is not being rude

If you want change, achievement and stature

Well you are the creator, controller and master

So why not avoid the almost inevitable disaster

And become a better person. Smarter, stronger and faster

Stop laying about wasting away on the dole

Sitting playing Xbox and scratching your hole

Life is too short and before you know it; you’re old

Regretting wasted opportunities, but you could not be told

Like a game of poker, it’s all in or fold

All within your grasp are riches and gold.

DMcB

SPACE

The beauty of space in all its infinite glory, With the stars and moon a never ending story,

The darkness vast and wide, Meteors clash and collide, Reminds me of one such place, Where there is very little space, Prisoners harshly confined,

Where the darkness and pain are combined, What do we think when we hear the word space, Perhaps a vast beautiful open place,

But do we think of the lack of space created by the human race,

The prisoners stuck in a black hole praying for God’s good grace,

So next time you look up at the sky at night,

Give a thought for those whose space is dark and tight.

TMcC

THELIFEINSIDE

Have you ever seen the inside of a prison wall, When a life of crime trips you up and watches you fall, Do you think you have made a sensible choice?

For once you go in you have no rights and no voice, So many things will rush through your head, Sleeping on a hard, lumpy bed, Where will you go when you feel bad?

You can’t pop round to see neither your mum nor your dad, You can’t go to your local pub, Nor can you get any decent grub, Does the thought of this make you sick? When at night you hear the locks go click, Heed my warning, take my advice, Don’t be stupid, don’t sacrifice, The life you have on the outside, Or you’ll end up like me, on the inside.

TMcC

BLOOD-TIES

Blood is thicker than water

And when water runs down the street

Your family stay to stop you falling off your feet

Blood is thicker than water

And times when you’re feeling low

You family stick by you, no matter where you go

Blood is thicker than water

At the end of the day, blood-ties stay Without family my life would flood with tears and loneliness.

CM BIG BERNARD IS GONE

WRITES POEMS IN THE GARDEN

HIS SENTENCE OVER PM

SONNETS BY PM

SONNET25:

The sentinel silhouette evolves as the lonely timeless old oak tree stands proud yet slightly bowed in places tall on the crest, at the edge of the field branches reach high to the sky for all to climb he is a warrior against all weathers with a seasonal quantity of seven hundred thousand leaves in its armoury against fungal disease and all nature’s elements wear and tear and decay continuing the never ending spiral of living and dying on the wheel of fortune; it goes on

like a thermometer of nature’s health he shows a world of pain; nature’s our wealth.

SONNET48:

I live each day and I have to confess eleven years in jail; some would say, a mess I woke up one day; my life had all gone wrong taken away from everything I had known fear permeated my every being the company of strangers; no-one I knew everywhere I went, always cold steel doors unsure of who to speak to; no known answers accusations rife; I just did not know life is for living; leaving room to grow one thing I am sure of; my life has known change learn more for my new life;, extending my range

seven more years to go; you never know new ideas and thoughts; seeds to sow

SONNET35:POLMOR

To R.A., you’re now gone and I don’t know why You introduced me once to the “Book of Pi”

When I read that story I think of you

You’re only out at sea; somewhere in the blue

I hope you are in a better place

One day in the future I’ll see your face

The logic of loss is hard to fathom

Takes you head first, down through the slalom Days of sorrow, now resting at last

Your time of passing, relegated to past I hear your dulcet tones; I hear your voice

We’re not here forever; we’ve got no choice

I know you’ve left; you’re not far away I’ll catch up with you on that road one day

HOWMUCHWOULDYOUPAYTOWATCHYOURFAVOURITESPORT?

Below are just some of this summer’s sporting events. Is this why sports stars get paid so much?

Wimbledon ticket prices range from £41 for day one No 3 Court to £190 for Centre Court Men’s Final. Add on the cost of getting to London and accommodation and very quickly it all adds up.

This year’s Formula 1 British Grand Prix takes place at Silverstone and tickets range from £119 to £595. Again work out the cost of travel and lodgings and ask yourself if it is really worth it?

If you are a golf fan then the British Open charges £65 to £240 per ticket. Golf was once seen as a rich person’s sport but now is supposed to appeal to a much wider range of people.

The Emirates FA Cup will set you back £45, £65, £85 & £115. Anyone win the lottery? IL

WIMBLEDON 2017 CHAMPIONSHIPS: 3RD - 16TH JULY

2017 FORMULA 1 ROLEX BRITISH GRAND PRIX: 14TH - 16TH JULY

2017 BRITISH OPEN: 20TH - 23RD JULY

THISISMYADVICETOYOU| LS

Your time inside should be used constructively, Lying back and doing nothing

Is a waste of intelligence, apply greater aptitude

From deep within−quite a sin if you don’t take control

Of your destination and your trapped soul,

As suppression of expression is not good for you,

Pick up a pen, a paintbrush, or a pot of glue

Express your creativity, show the ingenuity

Find the human deep inside, don’t be the joker

Don’t be snide; you only get one shot at life,

Do not let it undermine your mental health

Or your flow, ignore the bait learn to grow

Turn it around; have a laugh at the dinosaurs

Then banish them to the ocean’s floor, keep them there,

Many are progressive, many are kind; will help constructively to bide

Your time. Get back out to family and friends, and hopefully

This is where your life outside begins, and you time inside ends.

CROSSWORDANSWERS

Across

3. Jail Guitar Doors

5. I fought the law

6. Folsom Prison Blues

7. Back On The Chain Gang

8. Jailbreak

11.Hurricane

13. Christmas in Prison

14. Murder was the case

15. San Quentin

16. Mamma Tried

17. My Baby Out of Jail

Down

1. Love in the First Degree

2. Nebraska

4. In the Jailhouse Now

8. Jailhouse Rock

9. Midnight Special

10. The Mercy Seat

12. Holloway Jail

TIME IN Magazine, Education Centre, HMP Magilligan, Point Road, Limavady BT49 0LR

without the written permission of PAF.