Former blanket man in Tyrone to sign copies of latest book

A FORMER H-Block prisoner was in Carrickmore recently to publicise his latest book.

Eoghan ‘Gino’ MacCormaic stopped off at the Charm Inn to sign copies of ‘On the Blanket: an A-Z of prisoner resistance’, which has been described as a compelling, eye-witness account of imprisonment, rich in humour and pathos.

From Derry, Mr MacCormaic served 17 years in jail, including five years on the H-Block blanket protest, during which many of his comrades died on the 1981 hunger strike.

This book is the second published by MacCormaic, following his award-winning ‘Pluid’ account of the protests which was published in Irish last year.

In this latest publication, he tells of brutality, hunger and cold but also of ‘solidarity, morale-raising sing-songs, resistance and fight back against the odds’.

Local Sinn Fein councillor, Barry McElduff, a friend of Eoghan’s, said the book signing in Carrickmore had been “very successful”.

Thanking everyone who attended, Mr McElduff said that both ‘On The Blanket’ and ‘Pluid’ were “brilliantly told” in English and as Gaeilge.

He said, “Many former republican prisoners from Tyrone will have befriended and known Eoghan during their time in Long Kesh.

“I have known Eoghan for many years and I have always been struck by his intellect and tremendous language skills.”