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 Email: info@searcs-web.com Searc's Web Guide to 20th Century Ireland - Richard McIlkenny (1933-2006) |
 Richard McIlkenny (1933-2006) |
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Richard McIlkenny was born and educated in Belfast. In 1952 he joined the Irish Army and
served for four years before emigrating to England. McIlkenny worked in a number of
factories in the North of England and was living in Birmingham when he was
detained by the Special Branch
with four friends as he was travelling to attend a funeral in Belfast on November 21st, 1974. They were all swabbed for explosives by a
forensic scientist, Dr Frank Skuse, who maintained that the test proved positive. McIlkenny
and his co-accused were interrogated and beaten by police for three days until they signed
false confessions of bombing two Birmingham pubs in which 21 people were killed and
162 were injured. On November 24th, 1974 McIlkenny appeared in court and was remanded, together with Hugh Callaghan, Billy Power, Johnny Walker, Patrick Hill and Gerry Hunter to Winson Green Prison to await trial. In prison all six were assaulted by prison officers and in August, 1975 the 'Birmingham Six' were sentenced to life imprisonment on the basis of their false confessions. They were denied leave to Appeal and in January, 1980 Lord Denning dismissed their civil action against the police for assault. In January, 1987, in the light of new evidence, the Home Secretary referred their case to the Court of Appeal but it was rejected in January, 1988. Mass public protests in Ireland and in England kept the case of the Birmingham Six alive until August, 1990 when forensic investigations proved that their 'confessions' had been tampered with and the case was again referred to the Court of Appeal. On March 14th, 1991 the convictions against them were quashed and they were released after almost seventeen years in prison. While incarcerated McIlkenny composed many poems, one of which, The Flames of Innocence was first published in a collection of the same title in 1990.© The flames of Innocence Burn bright against The darkness Of oppression and hatred Wrapped in foul obsession Cringing in fear Of truth's bright beams of light. For justice, Is once again Emerging from where she Had been banned To the singing of the people As they march together Hand in hand With flames for the innocent As their song Throughout the land. © Searc's Web Guide 1997-2008 |
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