Time In Issue 22

Time in

Issue 22 summer 2024

Editorial

This edition of Time In comes at a time of real uncertainty in the world at present, with conflict raging on in many countries around the world and no end in sight.

Some good news is that the food prices are starting to level out and stabilise. Fuel is still high and people continue to struggle with the cost of living. It seems that whenever you turn the news on all you hear is doom and gloom, and not just here at home but across the globe. Therefore, that is why I chose the theme ‘ASPIRATIONS’ for the summer issue of Time In 2024. I chose this topic in the hope that people would take a moment to remember and appreciate the small joys that life has to offer and that we sometimes take for granted or, with all the continuous hustle and bustle, we just simply forget.

In this edition there are a wide range of topics with elements of positivity mixed in to give a different take on things that I hope you, as the reader, will get a little bit of joy. When I was initially asked to be the guest editor for this edition, I had slight trepidations as I never worked on anything like this before but soon said, ‘Why not?’ When I saw the thirty two blank pages that I needed to fill with content I nearly fainted as I was lacking confidence with the task in hand. I needn't have worried as I was helped and assisted by last year’s guest editor and the wonderfully talented and supportive Pamela Brown. We faced a few challenges with sourcing materials, due to restrictions, such as images of works in the public domain but I’ll let you, the reader, be the judge of how it turned out, and always dependable,

Prison Arts Foundation stepped in and provided photographs of the artwork used in this years ‘Reflection’ exhibition in Royal Avenue which we decided to showcase throughout the magazine. There is some great content, as always, with the talented artwork, poetry, and interviews. I managed to converse with Tom Shortt from the Irish Prison Education Service about his own background as a photographer, and a few surprises thrown in for good measure. I think with the variety and great pieces of writing there will be something for everyone that takes the time to read the magazine.

Time In magazine now represents more than ten years of prisoners publishing their passionate stories, poems and artwork, as well as the winning writings from the Listowel writers competition and Koestler Arts Awards. Now in its third year, All In magazine is a cross border initiative and all of these platforms acknowledge and appreciate all creativity that prisoners are capable of even though they are in prison.

Aspiration (noun) a strong desire to have or do something. It can refer to personal goals, ambitions or dreams

I would like to finish this editorial with a quote that I hope may give someone encouragement if they are having a less than good day. We all, at one time or another, look for inspirational quotes to give us a lift or a bit of a boost for our mental health and wellbeing. Here's one from me for your collection:

“Change only happens when it is meant to happen, when someone is ready and able to let themselves become vulnerable and open, it is only then that they are ready for the rivers of change to flow through them and change their lives forever”.

BT Magilligan

Editorial Note

Each guest editor brings their fresh approach to the magazine content within the nominated theme. ‘Aspiration’ was chosen by our current guest editor. I must admit the theme made me pause in my tracks. The guest editor was adamant that he sought positive and upbeat content. Would such a ‘theme’ be restrictive and limit the ability of contributors to create content of this nature in a prison setting? Well, his instinct was right. What we received in content for the Summer Issue (2024) is innovative, vibrant, and thought-provoking. Therefore, many thanks to our guest editor for his dedication, and for challenging us to raise our aspirations to new possibilities.

Pamela Mary Brown

Acknowledgements

Sincere thanks are offered to all who played a part in the creation of this magazine, in particular the contributors, without whom there would be no publication. Additionally, it would not have been possible without the support of Governor Gary Milling, our CEO Fred Caulfield, Prison Arts Foundation Staff and Board of Directors, the librarian Andrea and staff in On Point Printing. Sincere appreciation is extended to all of the teachers and prison educators who supported their students as they created their submissions. Particular gratitude is offered to our guest editor BT, graphic design and layout by JPW and the in-house artist, RMcA, for the evocative and bespoke cover art. We are also thankful to the art tutor Jayne, Tom Shortt and John Baucher for the art photography they kindly supplied.

Alternative Ways of Seeing

Magilligan Artist at Exhibition in Dublin

AMagilligan artist has had his work presented in Dublin this year at the ‘Alternative Ways of Seeing’ exhibition which ran from March 19 until April 27. The locally produced artwork was created independently, in-cell, and displayed real talent and creativity.

The Exhibition was a collaboration between Rua Red and the Irish Prison Education Service and was curated by Eddie Cahill, (pictured on page 4), an ex-prisoner and considered an inspirational figure in the world of prison arts.

SHAPING THE EXHIBITION

Tom Shortt, the Arts Officer for the Irish Prison Education Service, said of Cahill, “it was appropriate to have Eddie Cahill involved in the process of shaping the exhibition as he provided insights from the prisoners’ perspective, and he is a role model for another generation of prisoners who have started painting and hope to emulate his achievements as an artist.”

Cahill and Shortt travelled across Ireland, meeting artists and selecting a body of work which demonstrates the wealth of skill contained within prisons throughout the island.

[I]t gave me a good sense of achievement and for my family as well, the power of art in prison shouldn’t be overlooked…

MAGILLIGAN SELECTION

Shortt visited Magilligan in November 2023 and selected six artworks by artist, musician and writer PH. Speaking about having his worked selected PH said “it gave me a good sense of achievement and for my family as well, the power of art in prison shouldn’t be overlooked, it is therapeutic and a new world that you can be involved in, as well as in terms of employment.”

Artwork by Magilligan artist PH featured at the exhibition

EXHIBITS

Works at the exhibition included ceramic vases visually rendering individual stories from inside prison, canvases revealing the dreamy aspirations of the outside world as well as works produced from fabric, leather and copper. Other compositions made from found material within prisons were a creative highlight also.

Of the exhibition, Rua Red’s Director Maolíosa Boyle said, “The exhibition celebrates the skilled and diverse array of work created by people in custody nationwide. Eddie’s intuitive curatorial insight has skilfully brought together many individual pieces to create one powerful and coherent body of work.”

PARTNERSHIPS

The exhibition is yet another facet of the ongoing partnership between the Prison Arts Foundation and the Irish Prison Education Service. Previously, PAF exhibitions have featured artists from the south, and local artists and writers have, for a number of years, contributed to All In magazine, which provides a platform for creative writing and art from prisoners north and south. This year, the Magilligan Creative Writing Group will, in addition to submitting artistic work, provide the Graphic Design for the magazine.

JPW & PB Magilligan

Eddie Cahill (left), Exhibiton curator and Steven Greer, PAF Artist-in-Residence, Magilligan Prison

Tom Shortt, Arts Officer for the Irish Prison Education Service

JC Hydebank, ‘Untitled’

Keynote speaker Fred Caulfield, Executive Director at Prison Arts Foundation

acknowledged the strong network established with Prison Arts Foundation (PAF), in partnership with Start360 and the Community Sports Network (CSN), who developed the Support Hub/Braille Service initiative.

The project strives to empower individuals, foster positive change and creates a connected and supportive community.

The Support Hub provides education, employment support and advice, therapeutic support; gym, physical activity training sessions, physical training activities and dietary advice; visual art and creative writing workshops and a host of other activities and services, as well as the opportunity to volunteer in the Braille transcribing/printing unit.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

The Support Hub is located in Belfast city centre, and offers a multi-component support package for people returning to the community following release from prison, as well as those on probation and

Support Hub Launched in Belfast

those serving non-custodial sentences in the community.

Speaking at the launch Fred Caulfield explained that, “each partner involved with the Support Hub programme has a wealth of experience and knowledge to offer, in their own particular fields, of working to support people involved in the Criminal Justice System. They will bring their expertise and experience together under the same roof in a one-stop-shop to offer clients the help they need to adjust to life on the outside.” He further added that, “the collaboration of the three organisations and involvement of beneficiaries create a holistic support network that reduces re-offending and promotes community integration. The project strives to empower individuals, foster positive change and creates a connected and supportive community.”

NEW DESIGNS

A Support Hub Logo was devised with the help of service users and with several samples created they voted on the design they liked best and which represented the ethos of the collaboration. The design, in

the shape of a jigsaw representing the 3company partnership and the service users, demonstrated how the project elements fit together as a cohesive undertaking and towards common goals.

PB Magilligan

From Left: Steven Greer and Pamela Brown, PAF Artistsin-Residence, Magilligan Prison; Fred Caulfield, PAF Executive Director

Staff from Community Sports Network and Start 360 with Naomi Long, Justice Minister (third from left) and Fred Caulfield, PAF Executive Director (right)

Creative Media Group in Graphic Design Workshop

he Four Nations International Fund supports those engaged in the arts and creative industries with coinvestment from Arts Council England, Arts Council Northern Ireland, Arts Council Wales / Wales Arts International and Creative Scotland.

The fund champions in-person, digital or hybrid activity including exchanges, residencies, partnership development, cocreation and networking, with priority afforded to applications piloting innovative models of international collaboration.

COLLABORATION

Prison Arts Foundation (PAF) in partnership with Tom Shortt, Arts Officer, Irish Prison Education Service, and Iñigo Garrido, New Media Lecturer, HMP Shotts, Scotland have combined their expertise in order to support, as well as upskill, PAF’s newly formed Creative Media group in Magilligan. The focal project for the partnership will be All In cross border prison magazine 2024, with a longer term goal of creating a shared digital publishing platform for prison publications across the three partner countries which could be extended to prison settings from other countries. The partners will raise awareness for key criminal justice stakeholders regarding digital engagement opportunities within prison settings.

GRAND DESIGNS

The residencies are designed to encourage prisoners to develop new skills, nurture their creativity, and gain a sense of purpose with a practical application. Through inspiring workshops and a hands-

Iñigo Garrido, New Media Lecturer / HMP Shotts

on project, the partners aim to foster personal development and prepare participants for future opportunities in the design field.

The training will help me complete this project to a higher and more professional standard.

RESIDENCY OVERVIEW

The first residency took place during April when Iñigo Garrido travelled to Magilligan for a two day residency split into four sessions. According to Iñigo “The areas covered included graphic design principles, colour theory for printing, Gestalt principles of psychology applied to graphic design and typography. We also examined criteria for assessing visual artworks in a group scenario and studied various logo design options for All In based on Gestalt principles.”

The group participants over the two days was made up of nine prisoners, two prison educators (PAF and North West Regional College Staff), and two prison officers. Following on, the group will be designing and compiling this year’s edition of All In magazine and a further residency involving all partners took place in June after the editorial board for All In read and selected the artwork and content for the magazine edition 2024.

CREATIVE MEDIA

Adele Campbell, PAF coordinator, praised all the preparation that went into the residency “from the overall approval to scheduling/movements, arranging lunch, and staff taking the time to participate in the training. It had a positive outcome which we hope has a lasting impact on the newly established Creative Media group.”

Our guest editor here at Time In magazine was a participant in the upskilling and said that “keeping the artwork simple and letting it do the talking on the pages stands out in terms of advice. The training will help me complete this project to a higher and more professional standard.”

PB Magilligan

Tom Shortt: Arts Officer with the Irish Prison Education Service

As guest editor I was delighted to ask Tom Shortt, Arts Officer with the Irish Prison Education Service, to be the feature interview for the edition. Tom’s response to my request...

‘I was delighted to do this interview with you to keep up the exchange of ideas and the sharing of experience about prison arts North and South. This is my contribution to keeping the communication going and a gesture in return for the way I was made to feel very welcome in Magilligan when I visited in November 2023. I learn something every time I come up North to a Prison Arts Foundation (PAF) event and I look forward to visiting soon again.’

You started as a photographer, what made you change to Arts Officer for the Irish Prison Education Service in 2017?

Yes, amongst other things I like to take photographs, and for a time I worked as a social documentary photographer taking photographs that documented people’s lives and explored social, cultural and political issues. I had some great experiences doing that work like when I worked for the Sunday Tribune, knowing on a Sunday morning that a hundred thousand people were looking at photographs I’d taken. I was also teaching art, and gradually I focused more on teaching and this led eventually to becoming the Arts Officer for the Irish Prison Education Service. I use photography now to document and promote prison art and I believe you bring experiences and values forward with you from one phase of your life to the next. I admire the work of photographers Tony O’Shea, Wally Cassidy, Sebastiao Salgado and Nan Golden. One of my photographs from that period hangs in the National Self Portrait Collection at the University of Limerick.

Is it a challenge overseeing 14 prisons and how do you cope with travelling?

Coordinating a range of arts activities across that number of prisons often

involves working through weekends and school holidays; to get the entries off to Listowel or to pack the van with work for an exhibition, but it’s worthwhile, knowing that these are valuable learning opportunities for prisoners. Travelling can be wonderful, climbing the hills of Cork City towards the prison, following the edge of a lake in the midlands or watching the sun set across the landscape on the M7 home from

It’s important to visit prison schools, to have face to face conversations with teachers and prisoners, to build relationships and share information, but long drives with early starts can be exhausting. Recently while working on Alternative Ways of Seeing at Rua Red in Tallaght, it made sense to stay over in a hotel, to spend extra hours with the team in

the gallery hanging the exhibition rather than out on the motorway.

What is the most challenging aspect of your role working in prisons?

As an arts development officer I face a dilemma, because as I develop the sector I increase my own workload, but support systems to cope with that increased workload don’t materialise. I don’t have a premises at the moment for organising exhibitions and storing prison art. I appreciate that prison officials are trying to improve things and I have sympathy for prisoners in overcrowded cells and my problems pale in comparison. I explained to a prison art teacher recently that I had little choice but to store prison art in my own house in the build up to the exhibition, and he said it was the most dramatic image he

Tom Shortt, Arts Officer, Irish Prison Education Service

ever heard of somebody bringing their work home with them. Needs must, and I’m told a base will be identified in advance of the next exhibition.

It would also be helpful if I had a support worker and I often think it’s such a pity that so much manpower is locked up in prisons when there is so much work to be done transporting art, answering emails, and so on.

What is the best thing about being based and living in Limerick?

I could say the M7, to get away quickly and home directly, the dramatic River Shannon or all the people I know after forty years here, but it has to be my wife, because like so many mothers she holds three generations of the family together and we’d be lost without her.

What does art being created in prisons mean to you and why do you think that’s its important?

The British intellectual and academic John Carey says in his book are the Arts? that the arts have a very special place and value in prisons. I see it all the time, how a craft activity helps a prisoner to serve their sentence, and how prisoners change for the better, grow and develop as people by writing, singing, acting, recording music, and through painting, making pottery, model making and so on. It does me good too, to be part of all of that.

Your brother Pat is a famous comedian, tell us about him and your relationship?

We come from a big 60s Catholic family of eleven. I’m the eldest of the boys and Pat is nine years younger than me. Pat got the music from my father and after spending a few years in the Thurles Brass band he was playing music around the pubs in the town, with my wife’s brother. We all grew up on the same street, and there was only ten in their family. At the time – in the mid 80s – Jon Kenny had a solo career as a comedian and I was doing his publicity photos in Limerick. I had a sixth sense that Jon and Pat would hit it off, so I used to get Jon to come up to Thurles. I remember him in a pub on Friar Street one Saturday night belting out Brown Sugar and Pat behind him on the sax. They were on their way, and within a few years they were the biggest live act in the country. In fairness to Jon, when Gay Byrne asked The Late Late Show some years later about how they got together, Jon gave

What makes Tom Shortt tick? What do you like to do in your spare time?

For pure escapism, recently I thought, despite the controversy surrounding it, Baby Reindeer was very good on Netflix. I’m looking forward to seeing exhibitions by artists Gavin Hogg, Gerry Burke and Austin McQuinn soon in Limerick and I liked the Ukrainian writer Stanislav Aseyev’s style of writing, after I read a few pages of his online. I’ve ordered one of his books and I’m looking forward to getting it. I work in the garden when I have the time. It’s good to be outdoors and it’s a change and a break from work and the stress that goes with it. I was surprised by how much satisfaction I got recently from training the new shoots of an old Virginia Creeper to grow up along a wall, by placing them in the crevices between the stones. The creeper appeared to be fighting back after it suffered some damage. I admired its will to live, it seemed to appreciate the help, and it has rewarded me with big new healthy green leaves that will

words lightly but Eddie is an inspirational figure in prison arts. He made a big change in his life, he left his criminal life behind and set out to be an artist. He worked at it and he makes art of great value, full of insights on the causes of crime and the trauma caused by crime.

Eddie put his heart and soul into being the curator, he’s a big supporter of prison education and prisoners showed him a lot of respect when he came in to talk to them. They appreciated his efforts and what he had to say and it became an exhibition that belonged more to prisoners because of Eddie’s input and presence.

I’ll be choosing a selection of art work for Time In magazine, is there any you feel strongly about that you would like me to feature for the magazine?

I’ll stay where I am, doing whatever useful work I can, mindful that in education, stability and continuity are important.

yours truly a mention describing me as matchmaker to the d’UnBelievables. I suppose I was being the big brother, getting Pat a start, and he got a lot from Jon. I’ll see him and all the rest of them at a family wedding soon.

If you could be anywhere in the world, doing any job, what would you choose?

If there was a job where you could end all the suffering in the world, the wars, the abuse, the poverty, etc., I’d go there and roll up my sleeves. But it’s not that simple. So I’ll stay where I am, doing whatever useful work I can, mindful that in education, stability and continuity are important. You organised the exhibition at Rua Red in Tallaght. Who curated the event?

It’s important that former prisoner Eddie Cahill was the curator. I don’t use these

Yes, as we were hanging the exhibition in Tallaght a decision was made to include the work of one artist from HMP Magilligan, to represent PAF and prison arts in the North. His series of abstract compositions with pen on paper brought another dimension to the exhibition as his work is original, creative and technically sophisticated and in six weeks the exhibition was seen by five thousand people.

An ex-prisoner in the south recently got a book deal, could you tell us about him?

Pat Sheedy’s gambling addiction led him to become a con man and that landed him in prison. Inside he put his imagination to more legitimate use and won first prize in the Listowel Prison Writing Competition in 2022 and the following year with his short stories, and you can read them in the first two issues of All In magazine.

Before going to prison he sold advertising in trade magazines, so he knew his way around the publishing industry. He needed to have something when he got out and he realised he had a story to tell and the time in which to write it. Now he’s built a new life for himself - teaching creative writing and speaking on addiction and mental healthand knowing that he would lose all of that it keeps him away from gambling.

Pat will be reading from his book A Hundred to One at the Listowel Writers’ Week on Sunday June 2nd and you might say the book opened doors for him.

BT Magilligan

Honest Jim: Happiness

An old TV advertisement for a certain brand of cigar had the slogan ‘happiness is a cigar called hamlet’ but in reality, true happiness is difficult to find and even harder to cling on to, people often spend half their lives searching for this elusive emotion and the other half trying to stay in a happy mental state of mind.

When I was a much younger man, I learned

some very valuable lessons. During the course of your life, you will reach several major crossroads at various times. Each of these times you will have a decision to

Life is best lived head on, and those who dither end up missing their chances.

make. Maybe you’re considering getting married? Or having a baby? Perhaps you’re thinking about buying your own home, getting a mortgage? Or borrowing heavily to buy a new car? Maybe you’re considering changing jobs? Or possibly emigration?

These are all huge decisions, and you

Having spent seventeen years in prison one important event that both myself and my family were looking forward to the most was spending Christmas together. In 2019 that wish became a reality when I got Christmas home leave.

need to consider your options carefully, but ultimately it comes down to one question, ask yourself, ‘if I do this will I be happy?’ And if the answer is ‘yes’ then go ahead and do it because you don’t get many chances in your lifetime to achieve happiness. Importantly, don’t let a chance pass you by. Don’t hesitate either because he who hesitates is lost and if you hesitate too much and too often, you’ll end up talking yourself out of opportunities.

You don’t really want to look back with regrets, a few years down the line, and end up saying to yourself; ‘if only I had done this’ or ‘I wish I’d done that when I had a chance’.

Life is best lived head on, and those who dither end up missing their chances. So, go in search of the most elusive emotion. Step forward and meet your destiny. And may you find happiness.

Honest Jim

Family Aspirations

decided that they would rent a property and everyone that wanted to stay could stay there. In total, sixteen members of my family stayed for the four days that I had been granted.

freedom, to come and go as I pleased. You don’t appreciate the small things in life until they are taken away. While at the beach my family phoned me, wondering where I had gone. “I’ve done a runner and I’m keeping the dogs!” was my reply.

My sister laughed and said, “you can keep the dogs and I’ll keep your fry-up.”

“No deal. I’ll be back in 5 minutes.”

No matter how bad things seem there will always be better days to experience ahead.

No matter how bad things seem there will always be better days to experience

It’s hard to put in to words how amazing it felt to be in a situation that you waited so long for. After having spent several Christmases in punishment blocks, where your day consists of one hour in the yard alone, a ten minute phone call to your family, and a shower. The rest of the day you are locked in a cell. The point that stands out most for me is that there is nothing more important in life than a good family.

As well as the sixteen family members who stayed, several more called to visit over the four days in order to see me. We played board games with my nephews and nieces, they took me out in a car to do a lot of sight seeing and the kitchen was filled with every kind of food and drink you could imagine.

DH Magilligan

Several of my family wanted me to stay with them in their homes, but it was

On Christmas morning I woke up at 6am, I jumped out of bed, got dressed and walked through the house to see who was up. I went out to the back garden and brought my brother-in-law’s two dogs for a walk on the beach. It was fantastic to have that

Anon Hydebank, ‘Untitled’

RH Magilligan, ‘Untitled’

Joey and Robert Dunlop were rivals on the track but brothers at heart who developed enduring family tradition.

The late Dunlop brothers are iconic symbols inside and outside the motorcycle pits breaking records over many years and are idolised by thousands of fans. The brothers developed spellbinding racing careers whereas on occasions ‘brotherhood’ had to be left at the starting line as rivalry took over. Some records that the brothers achieved, during numerous races, have never been beaten, and given the fact that bikes have advanced, from the days of tweaking a carburettor with a spanner, the new youth still struggle to beats their records even with the latest technological advancements. Sadly, the brothers lost their lives achieving fame. Joey died on the 2 July 2000 and Robert on the 15 May 2008. The Dunlop dynasty next lay in the hands of Robert’s two sons Michael and William and a new generation of brothers who wish to live up to the standards of the Dunlop legacy.

THE NEXT GENERATION

Michael and William, following in the footsteps of their father and late uncle, were also rivals on the track. William, commonly known as the quiet brother, was easy going and down to earth, whereas, Michael appeared to be the complete opposite. Family and fans seemed to recognise that his feelings provided him with a new surge of energy which helped him become the accomplished rider he is

today. Tragically, William sadly passed away after many years of dedication to the sport. Michael continues racing and with respect for his beloved brother, father and late uncle who were all wholeheartedly committed to the love of the sport.

CHALLENGES

Many critics note the dangers associated with the sport, especially, with so many riders injured and fatalities with loved ones left behind. Like many other riders, Michael Dunlop continues to race and has now succeeded his father’s tally and is catching up on his late uncle Joey’s records, being only one win behind Joey’s tally of 26 wins on the iconic Isle of Man TT route.

RACING SEASON 2024

2024 brought new excitement for fans of the North West 200 with the internal committee speculating about a succession of newcomers, straight from the short circuit who have exceptional careers and are among the list of riders recently nominated for the 2023 riders of the year awards, these include Rhys Irwin and brother Glenn Irwin ‘a former winner‘s of the North West 200’, Eugene

McManus, Jack Kennedy and Richard Care, all preparing to settle scores and destroy competitive egos. 2024 saw specular racing and rivalry from the tracks of the BSB between Glenn Irwin and Davey Todd which continued along the bumpy roads of the north coast, where Glenn narrowly out shadowed Davey to take his tally that moved him a little closer towards the Dunlop dynasty. Michael seemed a little off the mark, but still managed to reach the podium on his R6.

I personally have a feeling that a new family tradition is forming, ‘just like the Dunlop's’ which will be titled ‘Irwin’. However, going forward, the Isle of Man TT brought many tears among fans as Michael finally found his inner ’Dunlop’ and triumphed to equal his late Uncle Joey’s tally of 26 wins on his own personal built Yamaha R6. Michael has since become the new ‘King of the Mountain’ with an overall tally of 29 wins.

PMN Magilligan

PMN Magilligan, ‘NW200’;

Colour Influences

Have you ever considered certain colours may have an impact on your mood or feelings?

It’s certainly something I never contemplated, but I thought about it and decided to delve a little deeper. For example, if you consider the dentist’s office, you’re sitting in a chair, surrounded by white walls and it all looks so clinical, I can only give my personal opinion on this, but it doesn't exactly fill me with a sense of calm, and if anything, it does the complete opposite.

PSYCHOLOGY

When we buy clothes in a certain colour, is it just because the style is cool and they look nice or is it that the colour has drawn you towards the item?

and touches any element, the colours change over and over again, without using the exact same shade twice. How would a walk of this nature make you feel? For me a sense of calmness and tranquillity would overcome anything else I might have been feeling beforehand.

NATURE

Imagine waking up first thing in the morning and opening the curtains to reveal a really grey overcast morning. How does it make you feel? Now, the other side of that is opening the curtains to reveal a bright blue sky with the sun splitting the trees, and the heat radiating off the tarmac and cars.

Think about walking through a forest in summertime, surrounded by bluebells which are the most beautiful purpleblue colour and all the other multicoloured meadow flowers, the trees are in full bloom with their green canopies and trunks different shades of brown and every time the sun breaks through

COLOUR THEORY

Colour theory is both a science and art. Knowing the effects colour has on the majority of people is an incredible expertise that designers use to draw our attention to things being advertised, from food to the latest fashion. Below is a quick reference guide for common colour meanings.

BT Magilligan

RED Passion, Love, Anger BLACK Mystery, Elegance, Evil

ORANGE Energy, Happiness, Vitality

YELLOW Happiness, Hope, Deceit, Dignity

GREY Moody, Conservative, Formality

WHITE Purity, Cleanliness, Virtue

GREEN New beginnings, Abundance, Nature BROWN Nature, Wholesomeness, Dependability

BLUE Calm, Responsible, Sadness

PURPLE

TAN OR

Creativity, Royalty, Wealth

Conservative, Piety, Dull

CREAM OR IVORY Calm, Elegant, Purity

Positive Mental Health

The head can be a chaotic place, full of noise, sometimes feeling like you are a passenger, there are a thousand different conversations on a thousand different subjects all pulling in different directions jumping from one thing to another to another… is it any wonder so many people struggle to deal with things in there? isn’t it just easier to ignore or try to block out the noise and chaos? The problem with that is there is no dealing with issues or problems, no progress, there is no hope and there is no life.

answered.

SECOND BIG QUESTION IS HOW? HOW CAN I ACHIEVE THIS?

The thing about making big changes in your life is that a big change is just an accumulation of small, subtle changes put together, small steps, small adjustments, small actions all put together that lead to a big change. What I found was that with a couple of small changes natural progression would lead to a massive positive change as a by-product with very

WITH A LOT OF PEOPLE THE BIG QUESTION IS WHERE DO I START?

I don’t know how many times this question beat me straight off the bat and I would give up before I’d even started. Funny to write that down and realise how many times I had given up so easily without trying. The solution that got me past this was when I realised the best place to start doesn’t have to be the beginning, you can start any place within a story or journey and the rest would fall into place and work itself out, the important thing was just starting not where you started from. For me I found that working backwards suited me. I like to start by thinking about where I’d like to be in life then look at where I am, which would get the ball rolling, I firstly need to look at stopping a few habits before taking anything new ones on. I want to stop drinking alcohol, I want to stop taking drugs, I don’t want to waste my life, I do want a home with a family to come back to every night after work, I do want a car, I do want a holiday every year and there, just like that I’ve wrote down my dream life and also what’s holding me back and stopping me from living that life, that’s two big parts of your story created just like that and the best part is this can be modified, adjusted or amended as you go along and that’s the first big question

Why not give yourself the best possible opportunity for success by asking for help?

little effort other than concentrating on the initial choice and backing it up with consistency. Example: starting a fitness class leads to filling time with new things rather than sitting around with too much time on my hands which in turn leads to less time for drinking or taking drugs which in turn leads to different circle of friends that had different priorities to just getting wasted all the time which leads to drinking more water onto awareness of what food I’m eating. Many natural positive things can happen by just concentrating on one decision and making it happen.

GIVE YOURSELF THE BEST OPPORTUNITY FOR SUCCESS

Taking challenges on board is great but why not give yourself the best possible opportunity for success by asking for help? Why take something so important on with one hand tied behind your back when you don’t need to? There is help on offer and why shouldn’t you have someone in your corner who has experience in this area?

Someone giving you guidance on the road you are walking is of a massive benefit as every person is different and responds differently to any given situation. I found that not one specific piece of help was the

key for me but instead I took a little from each person that helped me, with the experience I gained I was able to make it my own, using what I needed to suit my circumstances, being able to adapt this to different aspects and problems that have arose in my life but now having the confidence to take on bigger and better challenges.

DEALING WITH SETBACKS

Inevitably there will be setbacks along the road so being prepared is only giving yourself the right weapons and ammo to go to war with. Prepare yourself for setbacks and make your plan of how to deal with them if they arise otherwise you will be stopped in your tracks and getting the momentum going again can be difficult so being prepared and having solutions in place can cut a problem out before it even arises. Taking things one step at a time and don’t bite off more than you can chew, are two sayings you will have heard, but what does that mean for you, well all that means is do not spread yourself too thinly especially at the beginning, as you gain more experience you can take on bigger steps and more difficult challenges but just remember it is not a race and as long as you are moving in the right direction that is the main objective.

FINISHING THOUGHT

The brain is just like a muscle and can be trained and strengthened in the same way as a muscle, you go to the gym where you use equipment and you ask for advice from people whom have walked the path which helps you with growing your physique and achieving your fitness goals faster and with less mistakes so why not when it comes to working on your mental health ask for advice from people who have travelled the journey and that can equip you with the correct tools for the job with the experience to help you when it comes to working on your mental health.

It is much easier to plot and plan a journey if you use small subtle adjustment, to firstly stop yourself going in the wrong direction and then start moving in the correct direction, building momentum as you go along and as you build momentum and pace and gain confidence it becomes harder to be knocked of track.

BB Magilligan

River of tears, its source is my eyes, All the worries and fear that I feel inside, Tears when I’m angry, tears when I’m sad, I feel neck deep in the river with no site of land

“Do depression and drowning go hand in hand?”

Just when I believe I’m in over my head I think, “that’s enough!”

And start swimming instead, Each stroke of my arms like positive thoughts

Ones I’ve suppressed, ignored, even hopes I forgot

Its then that I feel life’s got as much joy as anger

As much hope as fear, That’s what helped me out of that river full of tears.

JK Magilligan

“Life goes on whether you choose to move on and take a chance in the unknown or stay behind, locked in the past, thinking of what could've been. I don’t want to live in the past anymore […] there’s nothing for me there anymore.”

Stephanie Smith, (from) Wherever You

“Mental health is not a destination, but a journey. It's okay to take detours and seek help along the way.”

Unknown

“Communication is merely an exchange of information, but connection is an exchange of our humanity.

Sean Stephenson

I lie awake, eyes wide open inside my mind is racing moving from place to place end up in a different time a different space

sometimes I recognize the place where I have no woes, no foes where worry and pain are a no a familiar place, a place I can go when life becomes too much where I am safe from unwanted emotion, unexplained anger my true home safe from society, far from a phone no more pain, no more anger this where I will drop my anchor.

WB Magilligan

Aspirations: My Art Ambition

Ithink any artist who starts out has aspirations of becoming good. Maybe you’d like people to appreciate it, maybe you’d like people to be inspired by it or, on the other hand, you’d like people to criticise it; my art career up until now is a blend of all of that.

I first started spraying graffiti at a young age with friends, moving onto becoming my own Graff ‘writer’. Then I became a tattoo artist, a mural artist before progressing to a canvas painter.

FOUNDATIONS

into the world and to be happy while doing so. I don’t want to be a famous artist but if I did ever manage to be really successful I would embrace it!

Art has gave me aspirations to be a self-employed artist and to get my name out into the community as a successful one.

Art has been part of my life since a very early age and it became more important when I realised people appreciated it. I could also find comfort and make money from it, and so started to take it a bit more seriously. I went more or less ‘out of my way’ to develop my skills particularly by looking deeper into how different artists were doing certain techniques, what colours they were using, and a whole range of other things.

Art has gave me aspirations to be a selfemployed artist and to get my name out into the community as a successful one. I see art as always being the central theme in my life and it will always be so. As for aims or targets I don’t really have any apart from being able to get my work out

DISCIPLINES

I enjoy a real broad range of genres and can appreciate good art when I see it, and that can be anything from a landscape painting to a well-designed font! As for artists who’ve inspired me, the list is a pretty long one…

Graff writers inspired me at the start with the likes of Seen, Dondi, Skeme, Mode2 and United Artists: all being very motivational for me. The differing styles of all the artists in a book called ‘Subway Art’ - by two photographers called Henry Chalfant and Martha Cooper - were very inspirational (and a lot of graffiti artists) and became the graffiti art ‘Bible’ to me. I analysed it inside and out and was constantly sketching the different letters

and characters from this new art form. NEW HORIZONS

I branched out then into tattooing and was using differing styles of everything from cartoons to films, nature to technology and almost anything I considered to have artistic value. About that time I was constantly being asked to paint kids bedrooms, shops and murals, which branched my style out even more.

I then came to prison and really knuckled down. I started to paint canvases, sketch portraits and the like, which made me look at the history of great artists and their styles. I then spent time studying all the great artists like Mondrian, Pollock, Basquiat, Picasso and, my favourite, Francis Bacon. I looked at the way they made their marks, what their theme was and most importantly, their ‘style’.

All of the above contributed to my own art career and what will eventually be my style, by the time I get to painting outside these walls I hope to have exactly that – a style where you can look at my work and be able to recognise it instantly.

RMcA Magilligan

RMcA, Rufus & Floyd

Finding Balance: Sports and Mental Health

Sport is often promoted as having a positive impact on our mental health, and as a fan of a number of sporting events, there is the aspect of looking forward to a tournament, a season, or a particular game or match.

You become invested in a given team or individual and this gives you common ground with other people and a good way to have positive conversations. Examining sport in this light, here at Time In, we thought we would provide an overview of some positive aspects.

PHYSICAL HEALTH

According the World Health Organisation (WHO), it is recommended that adults aged 18-64 partake in at least 150 minutes of exercise per week. This helps to prevent heart disease and diabetes, it also helps prevent stress and other mental illnesses such as depression, anxiety and even schizophrenia.

Sport has a positive effect on our brain, it is better supplied with blood through sport and releases opioids and endorphins. It helps your brain to regenerate regularly making the brain able to absorb more information, and it promotes the growth of new brain cells, particularly in areas associated with memory and cognitive function.

Sport serves well as a distraction. It helps you completely switch off and think about other things. You forget your worries and problems which makes you fully concentrate on yourself through intense interaction with others such as team sports. It also helps improve our self-esteem because we feel stronger each time we manage to overcome our inner weakness.

It helps you completely switch off and think about other things.

OPPORTUNITIES

Many experts advise the following: Choose a sport you enjoy. Set realistic goals. Take expert advice. Don’t over do it. The positive thing about any sport is you can be a participant or spectator. There is also broad spectrum of options and you’re not limited to the sports you see mostly on TV. For example if you take up running it becomes a real mood booster as it releases feel good hormones such as serotonin and norepinephrine. Long walks in nature can reduce anxiety and improve your memory. It also has a relaxing effect on people. Yoga increases your flexibility and strengthens your muscles. The breathing exercises in yoga can also calm the

spiralling thoughts that you may have.

PARTICIPATE

A first step to motivating yourself to take up sport is to find what sport/sports you personally enjoy the most. Once you have chosen your sport you can start practicing on your own, with a group of friends or join a sports club. You should also create a schedule for yourself on how many days a week you will practice your chosen sport, how many minutes or hours you will spend on each session, and crucially, remember not to overdo it. If your body feels like a rest then you should rest.

As a precautionary note, sport can have negative effects on our mental health, because there is often high pressure to succeed and triggered by ambition. Too much exercise can trigger stress if practiced too intensively and frequently, which then can lead to physical and mental stress, which can further lead to things such as sleeping disorders, susceptibility to infections, frequent injuries, obsessive compulsive disorders, depression and addiction. But like everything in life, moderation is a benchmark for success.

GM Magilligan

RMcA Gym Mural, Photography courtesy of Jayne

RMcA, Inspirational Gym Quotes

Foreign Lands

Missing Vietnam

We all have a natural instinct to travel and find new life experiences but often the country we leave behind travels with us and we maintain a strong connection with the country of our birth throughout our lifetime.

Why did you and your family leave?

I left with my family because of the political situation my family were faced with at the time. That’s all I want to say on the matter.

Vietnam has the most diverse culinary scenes.

When we think of a country such as Vietnam we think of the ‘American War’ but it is a country with its own unique culture and world heritage preserved sites.

What is the best thing in your opinion, about Vietnam?

Here at Time In we had an opportunity to speak with someone who was born in Vietnam and still considers the country to be one of the most beautiful places in the world, both geographically and culturally.

What part of Vietnam are you from?

I am from the port city of Haiphong which is in the northern part of Vietnam.

How long did you live there for?

I lived there for twelve years, they were the best times of my life. I really miss home.

Firstly, it is the people, they are so warm and friendly and they will make you feel so welcome and at home no matter where you are from. Then there are the geographical landscapes and the wildlife. Vietnam boasts some of the most beautiful scenery on the planet with a wide range of wildlife including our famous water buffalo.

What would the top three destinations be to visit on a holiday?

Ninh Binh, Halong Bay and Hoi An, which is an ancient city.

Do you intend returning to Vietnam at some stage after your release?

Yes, the sooner the better. I will try to go back as many times as possible throughout my lifetime.

How would you sum up how you feel about Vietnam in ten words?

Love, Adoration, Inspirational, Warmth, Hopeful, Richness, Beauty, Sincere and Natural Wonders.

Can you tell us something about the culture?

In my opinion Vietnam has the most diverse culinary scenes because of influences from different Asian and European cultures. Buddhism is the main religion and was introduced into the country as early as the 3rd century BCE. This further demonstrates how ancient our culture is.

Thanks so much for that LB, it was really interesting getting a brief insight into you and where you're from.

BT Magilligan

Did you know?

I. Vietnam is actually a combination of two words, Viet and Nam, both of which predate the Common Era by at least a thousand years. Nobody can put an exact date on when these words were first used to describe Vietnam, but in ancient Chinese, ‘Viet’ was used to describe people from outside the country’s borders and ‘Nam’ meant to the south. In the Chinese language, Viet Nam meant the people to the south.

II.Sitting at 3143 metres, Fansipan is Vietnam’s tallest mountain.

III.Vietnam is often known as ‘The King Of Cashews’ and is the world’s largest exporter of cashew nuts, producing more than 55% of the global supply and makes over two billion dollars a year from the industry.

IV.Vietnam exports over a third of the

A famous poem from Vietnam (extract below) is The Tale of Kieu written by Nguyễn Du (1765–1820). The poem is made up of 3,254 verses, written in lục bát ("six–eight") meter, and narrates the life, love and sacrifices of Thúy Kiều, a beautiful, gifted young woman, who sacrifices herself to save her family.

world’s black pepper.

V.Vietnam has 3,444km of coastline.

VI.Vietnamese New Year is known as Tet. More than 90 million people celebrate Tet, usually held on the same day as Chinese New Year.

VII.Almost every household in Vietnam has a motorcycle with more than 60 million motorbikes in the country.

VIII.Sepak Takraw is a traditional sport also known as ‘kick volleyball’.

IX.Vietnam is known for Snake Wine which is believed to improve health and vitality.

X.Vietnam is home to the world’s largest cave, Hang Son Doong, which stretches for over three miles.

XI.The Hoan Kiem Turtle was one of the most endangered animals in the world,

is known as Cụ Rùa (Great Grandfather Turtle), and made Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi its home.

XII.The Vietnam War also called the American War lasted almost twenty years with more than 3,000,000 Vietnamese and 60,000 American lives were lost.

XIII.The largest Vietnamese island, Phu Quoc is closer to Cambodia than Vietnam.

XIV.Vietnam is home to one of the world’s most stunning waterfalls fed by the Quay Son River which marks the border between Vietnam and China.

XV.The Vietnamese flag is a yellow star on a red background.

A traditional symbol of Vietnam the water buffalo represents bravery, happiness and prosperity. Buffalos play a significant role in Vietnamese agriculture and are a farmer’s most valued possession.

Aspirations & Music

Music, as I often say, is extremely powerful, it can be inspiring, moving, enthusing, even crippling or debilitating. Memories associate themselves to the picture of sound inside a head. The thing is that every single person can associate similar or opposite attachments to the same song or genre of music, though it will never be the same.

WHAT YOU ARE

but so is life, and so are the darker times of your life, though just like the tide they may return but so can the same sounds and music that help you escape. With balance comes hope for the hopeless, aspirations for the undetermined, and peace of mind in knowing these things are never far away.

will I get there? How will I achieve these aspirations?

“Past, present, future, senior, baby, junior. You take the fire of the young, the power of now, the wisdom of old, combine all three and that’s a recipe for winning”…

In this sense it is unbound, and free it cannot be chained, and it cannot be imprisoned. There are no such bars capable of holding the spirit that is music. In this way, freedom comes with aspiring to be kindred with this spirit. With music there is a sense of belonging, a sense of what you are or want to be. You don’t have to try to escape with your most liberating album, track list or song, it just happens. This is something to aspire to indeed. A chaotic structure that is sound arranged in just a way that manages to free you from anxieties and worries, leaving room for thought of the future and how you will get there, what you will be or have achieved then. I believe music has the power to give hope to the hopeless. There is nothing quite like it. To close your eyes, and escape with the tide that flows through sound, come to sweep away fears and troubles. It may be momentary, it may be fleeting,

I believe music has the power to give hope to the hopeless.

MEDITATION

Something to practice in your low times or even times your mind is so busy you need to ground yourself is simply laying down, closing your eyes, and listening to songs that help free the mind. It frees up your thought so that you can take check on where you are now, what you want to do, how you will do these things. Most people have songs or a type of music they go to for this purpose, and it’s a tool I use often to put things into perspective. On the days that we struggle to wake up and get going the same can be said for putting on some music that’s high energy that would make you get up and go. A UK Rap/Grime artist called Ghetts has a track called Mozambique which I always find inspiring. It is a story in which Ghetts talks of struggles he overcame through music, and how he drives back to the poverty-stricken home he and his family used to live in. He done this to remind himself that he has came a long way. He is what he set out to be, what he aspired to be. He achieved this through music, and shares this sentiment with all the people who hear his song. The same song makes me ask myself, where will I be? Where will I go? Who will I be?.... How

…”no point in looking back, saying I coulda done this, shoulda done that, that’s valuable time wasted in the present, and it’s only in the present where the future can be moulded, the re-occurring question is what would I of told myself ten years ago…”

…“Focus”

Focus…

I will be like the sounds I love, I will be free, I will be like the music that cannot be barred or chained or captured. I will aspire to be free. This is the power that 4 minutes and 50 seconds of sound can do, and this is universal… anyone can achieve the same sense with the sounds they associate to this.

Structure from chaos, from the anxieties you feel, this is an example of the determination, the structure from the chaos.

And all of this from a 30 second opening monologue to a track… …such is the power of music.

PH Magilligan

AT A GLANCE...

On 10 January 2024

Prison Arts Foundation (PAF) hosted a review of the charity’s activities delivered during 2022/23, with invited guests informed as to what has been achieved.

PRISON ARTS FOUNDATION

Lucy Turner co-created 18 artworks with four female prisoners.

SUPPORT HUB SERVICE

On 23 February service partners PAF, Start360 and Community Sport Network (CSN) were delighted to welcome Justice Minister Naomi Long to a Support Hub Service celebration event.

During the event, an annual review booklet was circulated which illustrated for the guests as well as the key stakeholders how lives are being transformed by unlocking people’s potential, building selfconfidence, enabling personal and social development.

ALL IN MAGAZINE

Eleven prisoners were supported by Writer in Residence (WiR) Pamela Brown to submit 13 pieces of original text to the third Edition of All In Magazine, a cross border project with Irish Prison Education Service, January 2024.

DONARD CENTRE SHOWCASE

REFLECTIONS EXHIBITION ROYAL AVENUE

Approximately 145 individual prisoners were supported by PAF to showcase their art, music and writing at the Reflections exhibition at 2 Royal Avenue Belfast. The opening night on 7 March was attended by 100 invited guests, which included family members of serving prisoners whose work

Fantastic work, full of heart...

On 31 January Artists in Residence (AiR) Lucy Turner and Christine McSherry held two celebration/showcase events in the Donard Centre Maghaberry prison, to recognise prisoner achievements in the Koestler Art awards 2023 and other inhouse prison projects, Thirty-seven prisoners attended the showcase.

HYDEBANK WOOD COLLEGE

of creative writing to ‘Imprisoned Art’ a prison writing project. Thirty-three pieces from Magilligan, two creative pieces from Maghaberry and one from Hydebank. If selected the writing will be published in a book on the theme of the experience of imprisonment. March 2024.

was on display, and over 250 members of the public, as part of Belfast City Council’s Late-Night Art Belfast Tour 2024. The exhibition was attended by over 22,000 visitors/members of the public from 4 March to 3 April 2024. Over 90% of audience member feedback rated the exhibition 5/5, Loved it! Some comments are included:

“I enjoyed being enlightened by the talent, so many could do art as a career! I send best wishes and a bright future to them!”

“Inspirational, fantastic work, full of heart and hope. Congratulations to PAF and all the artists involved.”

“Excellent, just shows what lies beneath.”

RUA RED DUBLIN

A prisoner who was supported by PAF to submit artwork to represent NIPS, Magilligan prison, at Irish Prison Education Service’s ‘Alternative Ways of Seeing’ exhibition in the Rua Red gallery in Dublin has had six pieces selected for exhibition as well as his art used on the promotional poster. March 2024.

IMPRISONED ART

Sixteen prisoners were supported by WiR Pamela Brown to submit thirty-six pieces

LISTOWEL WRITERS IN PRISON

Twenty-two prisoners were supported by WiR Pamela Brown to submit fifty-five creative writing pieces to Listowel’s Writing in Prison Competition during March 2024. Fifty pieces in total from Magilligan four from Hydebank and one from Maghaberry.

NORTH AND SOUTH CONFERENCE

Partners Fred Caulfield (PAF), Melissa Frame (Start360) and Peter Shaw (CSN) represented the Support Hub service at the North and South conference on 14 March. The event was hosted by the Irish Penal Reform Trust and NIACRO and examined the Criminal Justice System both North and South.

AC PAF Coordinator

Community Sports Network and Start 360 staff with Fred Caulfield, PAF Executive Director (right)

Anon Hydebank, ‘Cave Hill’

Nature Glorious

Ioften wonder why I hold such love for the outdoors.

We live in a world today full of technology, comfy sofas, big screen TVs and central heating…yet nature never fails to bring my strongest emotions to the surface of my being.

I feel a different sense of belonging and happiness with each season. As winter produces it’s joyful soft, adrenaline waking, cold snow, I can’t help but smile as it brings activities to life like flying down a steep hill in a snow sledge, showing your children how to build an igloo, and seeing their happy faces when you light a candle inside, and let’s not forget how the snow can make any Christmas seem more magical.

CIRCADIAN RHYTHM

The sun is nature’s alarm clock. It rises and with it the animal kingdom which includes us. First comes the sight of a magnificent sunrise followed by the sounds of bird song; nothing nicer to listen to while bathing in the sun’s heat and lying on the softest blanket, nature’s soft grass. This could also be done right under a tree listening to the rustle of the leafy branches and the squirrels darting over your head at incredible speeds.

CHOICE

If it gets too warm I can visit the beach to cool off. I can enjoy diving into the waves then reenergise my body and mind by floating on top of the salty water as it cradles me back and forth. I can finish the best day off by building sandcastles with my children. (Not a penny to be spent all day).

FOREST LIFE

I can feel a sense of tranquillity while getting fit, simple by hiking through one of mother nature’s forests: looking at the thousands of species of plants, shrubs and trees that contain every colour of the rainbow and somehow never seem to overwhelm the senses. (Try painting a room with as many colours and you’ll discover what I mean). I

would feel a sense of gratitude cooking food and tea over a small campfire after a long hike. Then would come the sense of belonging, when night falls and the air temperature drops all around, then the fire becomes a life line. The fire warms your body and relaxes your mind as you fixate on the flames.

Living in the forests with the stars being the last thing they see night after night.

There is no Wi-Fi in the forest but I promise, you’ll find a better connection. —Ralph Smart

Now you’re suddenly living in the moment! The crackles from the flames echo and travel into the darkness of the forest along with its light alerting the forest’s inhabitants of your presence. You feel a shiver, not from the cold, from the realisation they can see you but you can’t see them. A predatory wolf’s cry could come from the infinite darkness but that slight unconscious two second fearful thought would vanish as your protective dog would instantly stand to guard you. The feeling of comradery at that moment would outweigh anything of concern.

NIGHT SKY

My attention next turns to the stars above. Primal and ancient instincts awaken as this reminds me about how humans evolved: living in the forests with the stars being the last thing they see night after night. The rest of the night I would feel a strong sense of togetherness with my family as we would talk about the questions the beautiful canvas of stars above brings, and that no painting could ever beat in beauty or in magnificence.

WV Magilligan

Elements

Eden to you and me

A place of unspoilt beauty

Robust and rocky, the road is laid

Tenured, steadfast from which we pray

Home for us, each and every day

When pressure builds a storm is born

Invisible to the eye, involved and adorn

Never underestimate its power

Dynamic rage, natures flower

Fiercely formed from deep within

Intense heat from airs union

Recognise its destruction at first sight

Enticing and dangerous a beautiful light

Wade through its worldly presence

Attaining life through its essence

Transcendental to behold

Essential elements, truth be told

Rudimentary in evolution

BT Magilligan

There is something infinitely healing in the repeated refrains of nature the assurance that dawn comes after night, and spring after winter.

Rachel Carson

Anon Shannon Clinic, Four Seasons– Spring

A L L E R Y P A G E

RC Magilligan, ‘Untitled’

FO Hydebank, ‘Untitled’

PA Maghaberry, ‘Working man’

PON Maghaberry, ‘Al Capone’

Anon Hydebank, ‘Untitled’

Anon Maghaberry, ‘Rong the Dragon’

QI Maghaberry, ‘Ying & Yang’

Anon Hydebank, ‘Untitled’

Anon Hydebank, ‘Wolf’

GH Maghaberry, ‘Husky’

R Maghaberry, ‘Untitled’

Anon Maghaberry, ‘Owl of Oily’

LListowel 2024

istowel Writers’ Week offer prison writers a rare opportunity to enter their work into the creative writing competitions that are a hallmark of Ireland’s oldest literary festival.

The short story and poetry categories have a distinctive place in the annual writing calendar for prison writers, as well as the Arts and Education Centres with teachers and Writers-in-Residence integrate the competition into their Creative Writing Programmes which offer skill development, focus, productivity, engagement with literature and confidence building. Submissions are separated into Short Stories and Poetry categories, with entrants submitting to the Getting Started, Intermediate or Advanced categories in either short story or poetry. This year there were

240 entries from 130 writers, which included 14 prisons in the south and 3 in the north.,

We wish to extend our congratulations to FD who gained first prize in the Short Story Intermediate category for ‘The Interview’. The story has additionally been selected for inclusion in All In magazine 2024. Further congratulations are offed to LW for second prize in the Poetry Advanced category ‘Short Changed’, PMcN for third prize in the Short Story Intermediate category ‘The Country Boy and the City Slicker’, PMcS for third prize in Short Story Getting Started ‘The Post Office’, and JG for his Highly Commended achievement in Short Story Getting Stated ‘Sod’s Law’. Some of the writings are featured here with some winners receiving monetary prizes and all winner obtaining a classic Cross Pen.

PB Magilligan

The Country Boy and the City Slicker

Third Place Short Story Intermediate Category

My first holiday to Vietnam, I was exhilarated with what I’d planned, especially with some old friends that I hadn’t seen in years. However, reaching Belfast International Airport and travelling alone, I was a nervous and knocked a few drinks to lift the edge before boarding.

At the bar there were a few business class flyers, I said to myself, ‘a pile stuck up […]’, thinking of these people and the sixteenhour flight let’s just say the thought of a few extra wasn’t dismissed.

Half a dozen drinks later, my mood lightened, and being on my own the old spark kicked in and I felt as if I was in my late teens again!’ I looked across the bar where two businessmen were debating. What about? I couldn’t care. But there was this young woman dressed in the same elegance as the two businessmen. I

deliberated that there was no way she was curtin’ one of them, they’d be punching above their weight.

She caught me looking and getting paranoid I decided to go to the toilet. Then over the speaker, ‘departure for Vietnam’. I grabbed my hand luggage and rushed to the boarding queue. I lost site of the woman that had caught my eye in the bar, slightly disappointed I boarded the plane, took my seat, and tried to sleep for the duration of the journey. How wrong was I? There was a young couple seated behind me with a child who wouldn’t settle, constantly apologising for the child’s tiredness, the stewardess offered me a seat in business class. I said it was ok, but she insisted. Being nice, I headed up and sat at the back of business class. It was quiet, with few people, three at the top and one or two dozing in the middle.

The stewardess offered me food and a drink.

‘I hope I’m on the economy prices.’ I said. Smirking she said, ‘they’re free in business class, I won’t tell if you don’t!’

‘Aye that’ll do me, sure why don’t you take one and grab a seat.’

‘You’re such a flirt.’

‘Well, us old farmers don’t get out much!’

‘Behave yourself, I must go,’ she laughed and gave a sensitive slap to my hand.

Ten minutes later, Michelle, the attendant, brought the trolley with dinner, but at the same time, the young lady from the bar shimmied by. I looked up, she

looked down and offered a kind smile. I smiled back but for some reason I winked. Michelle gave me a tap, ‘stop that you,’ she said.

I was embarrassed, ‘Michelle, I’m going to need another drink.’

As dinner was placed in front of me, the young lady passed again, and I blurted out ‘have you a shovel to go with it!’

Eight hours into the flight, in the middle of a good sleep, I was woken by weird noises and heavy turbulence as if a pair of trainers were chucked in a tumble dryer.

Ding dong, ding, dong; fasten your seatbelts.

Michelle among other flight attendants panicked, ‘seat belts, seat belts, brace yourselves, seat belts, seat belts, brace yourselves. Everyone, brace.’

Being at the back, Michelle scrambled to the seat beside me, and quietly repeated, ‘it’s going down, it’s going down,’

I grabbed her hand for comfort, there were tears in her eyes. Adrenalin kicked in, my heartbeat thumbed and synchronised with the thumps of the plane as it smashed along the ground, then nothing. Dazed and confused, barely able to unlatch the seatbelt, I thought what has happened? Was I dreaming? Was this real? Small fires and debris, people screaming, then a young woman gripped my hand.

‘It’s me, Michelle.’

‘Tell me I’m dreaming, we need to help everyone, look for survivors.’

Bashing though the debris, checking one person after another, and then the faintest cry of a child. Adrenalin kicked in once but the rain bounced so hard I could barely hear the cry. I moved fast.

Michelle shouted, ‘go easy you’ll hurt someone else.’

Then a beautiful child latched to a seat. A woman grabbed the child screaming, ‘my boy, my boy,’ she hugged the child as his father spoke with the same disbelief. We helped one person after another and were sad for those who couldn’t be awakened. Daylight broke, and the rain eased, those who were injured took shelter. We scavenged looking for medical and food supplies. Widening our search towards the front of the plane, creating a path with a stick, through the jungle bush, I, and two others, came across more parts of the plane and rows of seating. Sadly, the pilots didn’t make it. I grabbed another seat, clearly a business class seat, and there was the young girl that had caught my eye in the bar. Saddened, I let out a roar, one of the other lads checked her, she had a pulse. I got her seatbelt off and placed her on the ground, and she became conscious. Michelle and the other attendants rushed to help and took her to the camp.

Later we headed back to the survivors. The stewardesses wanted to light a fire to cook food. Trying to light the fire, myself and Michelle cracked a few country jokes, then, the young lady that caught my eye in the bar spoke with a strong Belfast accent.

‘You’d think you old farmers would know how to light a fire!’

I laughed, ‘good to see you awake.’ Michelle spoke, ‘stop being smart you.’

‘Aye, she’ll be alright.’

The young woman handed me a lighter. ‘Seriously, you’d that the whole time! I might be from the country but I’m no Bear Grills.’

‘Stop it you.’

Michelle whispered, ‘you’ve made an impression on her!’

‘Could you blame me, I thought I had you whilst winking my eye. Aye, she’s not a bad lookin yoke.’

‘Don’t flatter yourself,’ the young girl said. Snatching the lighter from my hand, Michelle giggled, ‘told you so!’

‘What way’s that to snatch a lighter, I’ll go down and see your ma.’

‘Aye, sand your da,’ The girl added.

‘Right, you two, enough,’ Michelle interrupted.

Night-time came, and sitting in small groups around fires, tending those who were hurt, I watched the city slicker helping others, wandering in broken heels, in damp clothes. Michelle came over with some warm clothes.

‘Go then, her name’s Claire.’

‘Stop it you!’

She gave me a firm look, ‘go on, your gonna destroy me.’ Michelle pointed her finger at Claire.

A few deep breaths, and over I went with all eyes on me.

One of the other lads being smart shouted, ‘a farmer wants a wife, hi ho a deary…’

I was embarrassed to the hilt, I threw the clothes at her feet, I couldn’t look at her and wandered off. I couldn’t face the lads. I knew they would take the micky out of me. I went to see how the little child and his parents were coping. I sat down, and happened to notice Michelle chatting with Claire. I thought this is going to be another jobsworth, threw under the bus.

Disgusted, I buried my head. However, the child’s mother handed me the child. He was cute with bubbly blue eyes and a cheeky smile, distracting me for a while.

I glanced over my shoulder and Michelle was again pointing her finger, but this time towards me, as she chatted to Claire. It was starting to get dark, and running low on firewood, I asked Paul, the child’s father, to help me gather firewood.

‘No problem, we all need to keep warm, I wouldn’t imagine we’d be rescued tonight.’

‘Right. Let’s go.’

A few others decided to help and fifteen minutes in, I heard a squeal, turned and there was Claire, she had slipped and fell.

I shook my head and laughed.

‘You think that’s funny!’

I laughed so hard, I slipped and ended up right beside her at the bottom of an embankment.

‘You’re not so funny now!’

‘Aw hi, I just couldn’t stop,’ I said, ‘what ya saying, help me up!

‘You can get yourself up,’ she said and walked off in a tantum.

Paul shouted down, ‘you two ok?’

‘I am, but I don’t know about her. We’ll meet youse back at the camp, there is a way across the stream. Right Claire, on your high heels and lets go.’ I continued to laugh.

‘You’re a dickhead.’

‘Sorry, had to through that out there. Jokes aside, we need to get back, it’s almost dark.’

Our best option was to climb up a rugged part of the embankment to the other side of a stream, the rocks had large vines to help us.

‘We need to be cautious, there may be piranhas in the stream.’

‘Piranhas?’

‘You know the film, Piranha.’

‘Ayee’ Claire said, nodding her head, ‘No, I’m not going over that stream.’

‘Come on.’

‘Na…’

‘See youse, one min youse want pedicures the next you don’t, and when it comes for free, you rub your nose at it.’

‘What on earth hi?’

Jokingly, I nodded my head, ‘come on.’

‘Na you’ll get eaten, I’ll find another way!’

‘Claire I’m joking, it’s a small stream, they like large rivers.’

‘How would you know, you’re a farmer not a marine biologist.’

‘Are you a walking encyclopaedia?’

‘Piss off,’ she pushed me into the stream. I was soaking wet and cold.

‘That’s what you get.’

‘Did you see, I got eaten by piranhas, now I’ll freeze if we don’t move. Step there and I’ll help you across.’

She unlatched her shoes. I hastily grabbed her waist. She was soon across and jumped up the embankment. Struggling with laughter, I looked at her heavily watered puppy eyes. Feeling sorry I wrapped my arms around her to say sorry, and trembling with fear she squeezed me twice as hard.

She said and rested her head on my shoulder.

On the way back I settled down. Claire still

trembled and latched her hand to the waist of my jeans. I was on a guilt trip and couldn’t express enough sorrow. We strolled along a forest path, hearing the others, and suddenly we were visible to the camp. Not noticing we’d naturally held hands and out of all the people Michelle was watching.

‘Oh, look at you two.’ Michelle said. Claire snapped her hand away, ‘I still hate you,’ she stormed off to the back of the plane.

Michelle, sniggered, ‘lovers tiff there Seamus.’

‘Ya known what youse wee blades are like but I might have ripped the arse out of it.’

Then one of the lads mumbled, ‘would that be literally.’

‘Wouldn’t you like to know,’ I said, ‘and let’s make this clear, nothing’s going on, if I needed your opinion, I’d ask for it.’ We squared up to one another.

Claire ran from the back of the plane,

Post Office (Extract)

Third Place

Short Story Getting Started Category

Sean, a young man of twenty, worked in the main-safe at a Post Office in central Belfast. He was responsible for ordering money into the Post Office which was then paid out by thirty counter staff.

At the time, he was the youngest person ever to hold this job, and his duties involved balancing the money that came in and out of the safe on a daily basis.

At the time Sean lived in a two bedroom flat in a strongly Republican area of Belfast along with his girlfriend Angela and four year old son Conor. One morning while he was getting ready to go to work he heard a knock. When he opened the front door two masked men stood pointing two handguns at him. They ordered Sean back into the flat and made him sit down on the settee in the living room. They

asked him who was in the flat and ordered him to wake up Angela and bring her into the living room as well. Sean thought they were planning an attack on the army, from the flat, and this was being used as a base.

One of the masked men questioned him while the other stood at the door of the flat keeping guard. It became obvious that they were interested in his job in the Post Office and not launching an attack as he had believed. They knew a lot about him, his family background and where he socialised and what his duties entailed in the Post Office. Conor came walking into the room after wakening up. The armed and masked man tried to reassure them all by saying they were in no danger and they asked Angela to make a cup of tea for everyone. They said to act as normal as possible for the benefit of Conor. This was impossible as it was not the norm to have two masked men in your flat.

Sean was taken into a bedrooms and questioned again by one of the men. He gave Sean a large sports bag and told him to go to work as usual. He was to go into the safe and fill the bag with money, then bring the bag to St Mary’s Chapel which was a short distance from the Post Office. ‘Sit at the back of the chapel with the bag. If you don’t do as you’re told or go to the police then we’ll chop Angela’s

grabbed my hand and shouted, ‘enough, now, and don’t you either.’ Claire dragged me away, ‘see you old farmers, all temper, no brains, you don’t like it when the micky’s taken out of you, he’s my boss, a real womanising prick, who has tried it on with the girls in the office, don’t worry about him, just a jealous prick.’

As the fire dimmed the cold misty air settled. Michelle invited us among the group who were sheltering under a broken part of the plane, I lay down, huddled into myself for heat, wondering when we would be rescued. I could hear one of the other girls asking Claire to move over. I was drifting in and out of sleep, dreaming of being rescue. I awaken to a tight grip and a trembling body beside me. I pulled the old, rugged jacket I was using to rest my head and pulled Claire closer, whispering, ‘it’s ok, put this around you.’

I looked over at Michelle, she winked, smiled and went back to sleep.

PMN Magilligan

and Conor’s fingers off.’

The bus journey into Belfast was the strangest journey Sean ever experienced in his life. When Sean arrived at the Post Office he walked straight to the safe without talking to anyone or removing his coat. He filled the sports bag with as much money as he could fit into it and walked out the door again. He headed towards St Mary Chapel. Sean took a seat at the back of the chapel and waited. After ten minutes he was tapped.

PMcS Magilligan

MS Magilligan, ‘Untitled’

Sod’s Law (Extract)

Highly Commended

Short Story Getting Started Category

The years rolled on and I moved away from Belfast. I lost touch with Sod until 2003 when he was hospitalised while trying to hijack a car. The driver sent him into the air and over the bonnet resulting in two broken legs and other broken bones.

Short Changed

Second Place Poetry Advanced Category

Rounding the headland, we see our destination.

I phoned the hospital and inquired about his wellbeing. I went to visit him and being the complete rocket he was he started laughing, having to stop, as it caused him pain and agony. Sod wanted out of hospital, the plan set in motion for his escape before the cops arrested him for hijack, well attempted hijack. We left the hospital and didn’t even get to the car when the he was arrested again, and jailed for another 2 years. Once released he was straight back to his old tricks, making the local news for hijacking and robbing an off license. In the process he left blood and fingerprints and the police were looking for him. He went on the run for last time and I saw him on the Poleglass Estate and offered him a lift. He told me he was looking at a double figure sentence and couldn’t do any more time in jail. He was 34 years old, and spent nearly 20 of those years inside. He wanted to immigrate to USA.

Eight hours at sea and a familiar town edges the curved shore, A welcoming friend offering a wide smile from house to shop.

Clacking and splashing the anchor drops. The engines cease their toil, satisfied with their achievement. Silence now; a silence no city can speak about.

We join a cosy gathering of crafts, Some tethered to buoys indicating a permanent home, Others, like us, swing on anchors; and are glad visitors.

Preparing for shore we scan the sea front, hopeful in no change.

The bakery for hot rolls next morning, The neat hotel for long hot showers and laundry, A local shop for all things, And the scarlet phone box where Dad can check on work. Hidden within the majestic loughs and islands of Scotland’s west coast, we rest.

***

Decades pass and I visit again, This time by road and not sea.

I am eager to feel once more the joy of this place. Parking we walk to the front and all appears in place.

I was working as a taxi driver when another driver asked if I knew fella called Séamas O’Duibhir from Rossnareen. He was found dead that morning in Poleglass. He died from suicide, and to tell the truth I wasn’t shocked. He had told me that he couldn’t do any more time. But his suicide really impacted on me, and I began to think about what he endured in life: shot several times by paramilitaries, including his knees, elbows and ankles. Shot by police in the neck as well as being knocked down. Then he goes and kills himself. What a waste of a life. Sod was buried from his mother’s house in Rossnareen. When all who were part of funeral cortege went out to celebrate his life, I couldn’t bear it, as everyone was asking about our times together and it caused me a lot of upset.

JG Magilligan

I scurry onwards and see the bakery and hotel,

Even the phone box, still surrounded by nets and creels. I stand and look out at a few lonely craft bobbing and tugging, irritated at restraint.

I become aware of my love, who knows my heart. Emotions perceptible only to a wife (and a mother).

“What’s wrong, has it all changed?”

“No Dee, it’s all here, I just can’t feel it.”

Inside the hotel, over a quiet coffee, I inwardly mourn the void. Secretly my wife queries the mood.

After a dignified interval we leave, and our journey continues.

But feeling a debt to my emotions I dwell on the cause. What is now deficient in the place?

Where is the gap of sensation?

I sway from one cause to another as I reflect on my impression.

Forever the picture saved in my mind is the view rounding the point.

Sighting the town ahead and with a wide welcoming air, inviting us to join.

Moored offshore the spectacle of the town was our constant companion,

Yet from the shore and gazing out, the intimacy is somehow mislaid.

Perhaps like occupants of a snow globe or aquarium?

Sophistication could rob the senses too;

Eight hours sea travel with noise and rock, Navigation and danger fills the heart,

All satisfied by that curved town and a quiet safe harbour. Contrast then our two hour diversion in a smooth quiet family car. Familiarity invested little, no adventure here.

My senses were short changed, and childhood, that was all.

LWW Magilligan

Highly Commended Poetry Getting Started Category

Here We Go (again)

Once again, I cannot sleep

Drugged by the food of a farm shop

Sheered for the wool for our jacket

Hang fire. I can’t hear the racket

Still I toss and turn

Eyes burn

Grinding my teeth

Sweat dripping from my hands and feet

Like a man who has stooped so low

Laying in bed on death row

My brain’s being burned I’m wide awake

Anxious and tired I lay and shake

My minds being read

I listen to the words being said

Black and red, who’s alive? Who’s dead?

Like a man on the gurney

I want it over in a hurry

A hole in the wall

I slump then I fall

Like a man with no hope

I feel the rough of the rope

I get up and pace the cell

I vomit like hell

My head’s turning

My stomach’s turning

I wipe away a tear

I need fresh air

A penny is spent

I stick my face to the vent

A cool breeze

Then I fall to my knees

I’m at my demise

Black rings under my eyes

My face is very pale

This fat is not real

The water I drink

Comes back up into the sink

Flat out on my back

My bodys under attack

Birds singing is a warning

It’s morning

Let me sleep I pray

As I crawl under my duvet

Torch shining

Door banging

The bell starts ringing

Landing comes alive, voices shouting and singing

I roll around in my bed, my heads sore

In Extremis

How can I be normal if you tell me I’m not fit

I want to be helped

Not taunted with release, the more scrutiny I will resit

To punish is to put me in this unpleasant state

I want to be normal, to rehabilitate.

When my rehabilitation is complete and I’ve done my time

I’ll go home to my community, never again commit crime

Please do not punish me, it’s pointless you see

But help me on the journey, a good person

I will be.

Moving forward my soul I will lay bare

To look after others with great love and care.

I’ve felt the imposter broken on knee

Your power with the pen, my master in charge of the key.

When life is over I’ll no longer be your toy

I will celebrate the pain and anger but also the joy.

It was great at the end, no more sound of the guns

A legacy of peace for our daughters and sons

So please don’t punish me, you will fail to like the rest

I was always broken hearted, always tried his best.

DD Maghaberry

Theres no point trying to sleep

Anymore

Feeling so tired and grim

I force myself to go to the gym

I rep out a good weight

Just to keep my head straight

Rep, rep and rep until I feel pain

The rush I get keeps me sane

I drag myself back to the wing

Voices still shout and sing

Drained, weak and strained

No muscle gained

Coffee gives me the power

To stand under the shower

The water washes the feeling inside

My body is trembling as I get dried

Exhausted I can’t eat

No strength to stay on my feet

In the mirror I talk to my saint

Then onto my bed I faint.

MM Maghaberry

Horizon of Freedom

There is freedom on the horizon

Although I cannot see it

It lies beyond my grasp

I long for this freedom

Each passing day, each step I take

Leads me closer

Some days the seas are rough

And I am overcome

Sinking, drowning

But then I look

And see freedom on the horizon

The waters are calm

I’m sailing again

LIFE

The sky is brighter

I move ever close

Towards freedom on the horizon

As the sun shines through the clouds

Casting its beams

Over the rippling waters

The beauty of the day appears

Beneath a glory sky

As I near my freedom on the horizon.

LW Hydebank

Thirty Five Lights

Thirty five bright lights

I’ve got thirty five lights in front of me

With the sky out there on top

Thirty five bright lights

They’ve been turned on not to stop

Thirty five bright lights

And each one dull in its way

So many watts of power

To shine on concrete grey

Thirty five bright lights

That fall upon the wire

Thirty five bright lights

Strain the eyelids of desire

Thirty five bright lights

That shine all the time

Thirty five.

But the darkness is mine.

DMcC Maghaberry

When someone dies we can feel a lot of emotions including being abandoned, angry, guilty, shocked and sad. Talking about how you feel when someone has died can help. Cruse can offer you a weekly session with a volunteer who will listen and provide support.

Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to offer support to inmates who are having a difficult time.

To make a request ask an officer on the landing. The scheme is independent of the prison authorities and completely CONFIDENTIAL.

CCRC

Criminal Cases Review Commission

Wrongly convicted of a crime?

Lost your appeal?

Information Services

Turning Pages

Shannon Trust is a reading programme specifically designed for adults who struggle with reading. It’s a peer led, confidential, one-to-one programme that can be worked through in short bursts of 20 minutes a session.

If you are interested in improving your reading or becoming a Mentor speak to landing staff, Andrea in the library or any of the Learning and Skills staff.

Being a dad in prison isn’t easy. For help and support request an appointment.

Support services are available for all in custody and their families. Speak to your Class Officer, your Sentence Manager, or the Family Support team for further information.

You can apply to the CCRC

Free to apply

Forms available in the PDU

AD:EPT provide a range of services to people who have problems with drug and alcohol abuse.

All AD:EPT workers are trained professionals who offer a sensitive and confidential service.

Ask an officer on the landing to arrange an appointment or speak to your medical officer or probation officer .

Church Services

The spiritual needs of inmates are catered for in prison as well as on the outside. The main denominations have chaplaincies but others are also accommodated. Speak to your landing officer to contact them.

Need Help With Housing? Housing Rights are Here for You! Just Request to See Us!

NOT JUST FOR THE ELITE

Watching a sunset through dancing flames

Adulation of far and distant lands

Contemplation for positive change

Knowing happiness is in your own hands

Nefarious ways left firmly behind Replaced by the brilliance of music and dance Rapturous, let fate free your mind Submit to the true art of romance

Not only the elite can avails of these things

If you want it, if you truly desire You can fathom what the imagination brings Enveloped in the dancing flames of the fire.

BT Magilligan

Credits

Cover Art: RMcA; Graphic Design: BT, JPW & PMB; Writers: AC, BB, BT, GM, Honest Jim, JPW, PMB, PH, PMN, RMcA, WV; Poets: BT, DD, DMcC, JK, LW, LW, WB; Art: DJ, FO, GH, JC, MG, MS, PA, PON, QI, RC, RH, SB; Photography: Jayne, Tom, John;

A particular thank you to contributors from Hydebank, Maghaberry and The Shannon Clinic for their wonderful work.

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Prison Arts Foundation (PAF) is a registered charity that seeks to provide access to the arts for people who have offended in Northern Ireland. Our mission is to inspire creativity and encourage personal and social change in offenders within the criminal justice system, through the arts.

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