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The Dark: Selected Writings of Brendan Hughes
The Dark contains selected writings and talks from former Irish Republican Army volunteer, political prisoner, and Hunger Striker, Brendan Hughes. Focusing on the time after the signing of the Good Friday Agreement, this new collection amplifies a voice the political mainstream worked doggedly to silence. With incredible wit, Hughes' words illustrate the struggles of revolutionary life after the GFA, and describe how the Agreement was never intended for his class - the working class. In addition to a carefully curated selection of Hughes' own writings, The Dark includes new essays from Republican veterans close to Hughes, as well as two previously unpublished communications to Hughes' brother, Terry, dating from the 1980 and 1981 Hunger Strikes, graciously donated by the Hughes family.
"At different times of the year Brendan will be remembered for different things. But during the week of the Good Friday Agreement, he is remembered for his swift distillation of what the Agreement meant. It was he who coined the phrase Got Fuck All , a play on the GFA acronym. For someone who went under the moniker of The Dark , he brought remarkable light to bear on situations others tried to obfuscate. The Dark has bequeathed to posterity many of his thoughts, whether on the Irish Republican struggle, the poor, or the Palestinians. A man with faults, foibles - and feet not grounded in clay." -Anthony McIntyre, Ph.D., Former Provisional Irish Republican Army Volunteer and Political Prisoner, Writer, and Historian "Announcing the start of the 1980 Hunger Strike in Long Kesh, IRA OC Brendan Hughes stated, 'We come in search of a 32-county Socialist Republic.' He called the Strike off on December 18 th , saving the life of Sean McKenna, who had fallen into a coma. Above all else, Brendan Hughes was a freedom fighter with tremendous courage. He defied the British both insde and outside the prisons. And he died broken-hearted that his struggle had been sold out so cheaply by his former comrades." -Tony O'Hara, Lifelong Republican Socialist Activist, Former Political Prisoner, Author, and Musician
"Just as Brendan, we [...] must continue the unfinished struggle of our ancestors, who smashed the Vikings at Clontarf in 1014, who massacred the English lords at Glenmalure in 1580, who littered the streets around Mount Street Bridge with the bodies of British soldiers in 1916, and who, being deprived of any other weapon in the concentration camps of Long Kesh in 1981 decided to use their bodies to show the British they were not defeated. We must remain true to the Republic and honour Brendan Hughes's memory by fulfilling the cause for which he sacrificed so much. Just as the mortally wounded Cú Chulainn refused to die lying down, and bound himself to a tree, succumbing to his wounds warrior like with his sword in his hand, The Dark refused similarly. Although scarred in body and mind from years of torture in Britain's concentration camps he stood true to the Republic and refused to sell out. He remained unbowed, unbroken, and the name of The Dark will live on in the hearts of all those who believe in a 32-county Socialist Republic forever." -D. Óg, "GFA Generation" Republican, Organizer, and Writer
"At different times of the year Brendan will be remembered for different things. But during the week of the Good Friday Agreement, he is remembered for his swift distillation of what the Agreement meant. It was he who coined the phrase Got Fuck All , a play on the GFA acronym. For someone who went under the moniker of The Dark , he brought remarkable light to bear on situations others tried to obfuscate. The Dark has bequeathed to posterity many of his thoughts, whether on the Irish Republican struggle, the poor, or the Palestinians. A man with faults, foibles - and feet not grounded in clay." -Anthony McIntyre, Ph.D., Former Provisional Irish Republican Army Volunteer and Political Prisoner, Writer, and Historian "Announcing the start of the 1980 Hunger Strike in Long Kesh, IRA OC Brendan Hughes stated, 'We come in search of a 32-county Socialist Republic.' He called the Strike off on December 18 th , saving the life of Sean McKenna, who had fallen into a coma. Above all else, Brendan Hughes was a freedom fighter with tremendous courage. He defied the British both insde and outside the prisons. And he died broken-hearted that his struggle had been sold out so cheaply by his former comrades." -Tony O'Hara, Lifelong Republican Socialist Activist, Former Political Prisoner, Author, and Musician
"Just as Brendan, we [...] must continue the unfinished struggle of our ancestors, who smashed the Vikings at Clontarf in 1014, who massacred the English lords at Glenmalure in 1580, who littered the streets around Mount Street Bridge with the bodies of British soldiers in 1916, and who, being deprived of any other weapon in the concentration camps of Long Kesh in 1981 decided to use their bodies to show the British they were not defeated. We must remain true to the Republic and honour Brendan Hughes's memory by fulfilling the cause for which he sacrificed so much. Just as the mortally wounded Cú Chulainn refused to die lying down, and bound himself to a tree, succumbing to his wounds warrior like with his sword in his hand, The Dark refused similarly. Although scarred in body and mind from years of torture in Britain's concentration camps he stood true to the Republic and refused to sell out. He remained unbowed, unbroken, and the name of The Dark will live on in the hearts of all those who believe in a 32-county Socialist Republic forever." -D. Óg, "GFA Generation" Republican, Organizer, and Writer
- GenresIreland
170 pages, Paperback
Published May 31, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
November 2, 2025
I started this book after hearing an interview about it on Millennials are Killing Capitalism where D. Óg, one of the publishers of the book, situates Hughes's politics and significance in the Irish republican (and socialist) struggle. I would highly recommend the interview alongside the book, because whereas the articles by Hughes and interviews with him in this book convey his politics, they are very short-form and leave you wanting more context, which I think the interview does a great job of providing.
The brevity and constraints of form notwithstanding, I thought this was a really important and timely book to be reading in this particular historical conjuncture, with the long legacies of so-called peace processes and the meaning of political hunger strikes both having new and changing resonances. I think this book is really important to read as a counter-narrative to the official line around the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) - or at least the one I learned in school - that sees it as a form of victory for the IRA and mutually agreed upon resolution to, if not the political questions surrounding irish republicanism, then at least the most protracted phase of armed struggle.
Hughes's opposition to the GFA, which he backronyms as 'got feck all', really resonates in this moment, particularly given the parallels with the Oslo accords. Both signed around the same time and claiming to provide a political path forward through peace rather than armed struggle, Hughes represents the faction in Ireland, like the rejectionist factions of the PFLP, Hamas, and others, who recognize that the agreements benefit a small class of elites while reentrenching the same overall colonial power dynamics that gave rise to the resistance in the first place. The book, and Hughes's writing, is painful not only because it is framed by this political betrayal but because it is also so personal to him and his lifelong struggle, given his former friendship with Gerry Adams and his personal involvement in the hunger strikes.
The hunger strikes are the second aspect of the book that feel incredibly relevant and also somewhat haunting. Today in the UK, prisoners for Palestine are starting an open-ended hunger strike that evokes - among other political antecedents in Palestine and elsewhere - the striking republicans in the north of Ireland, including Brendan Hughes. In the midst of organizing to try to support today's strikers, it is a bit ominous to read about Hughes's account of the strikes, and in particular the strong sense of regret that comes across in his speeches and writings. Likely influenced by the ultimate political outcome - the GFA and its sense of betrayal - as well as his personal trauma (Hughes seems to have suffered lifelong effects of his own strike), Hughes's recollections of the strike and their effect are anything but triumphant. Of course, the political and carceral context of the current strike, being initiated by prisoners incarcerated for taking action in support of Palestine, is far different, and the outcome is far from clear at this point.
In any case, needless to say I would recommend this book, particularly right now. I think Hughes is a really interesting figure - when I first came across him in Say Nothing he felt almost mythical or overly romantic, but in his own words and in the political context provided by Óg he really comes across as an organic intellectual, with a loyalty to the working class that could not be bought or corrupted. In that sense I see some parallels with figures like Basel al-Araj, in addition to the comparison to George Jackson that I believe was made in the podcast. I wish that there was an essay or piece in the book that went into a longer and deeper dive into his politics and worldview, but it is often in the nature of political actors like Hughes that more of their time is spent acting, and less in theorizing. I think that's good on the whole, even if it leaves posterity wanting more.
The brevity and constraints of form notwithstanding, I thought this was a really important and timely book to be reading in this particular historical conjuncture, with the long legacies of so-called peace processes and the meaning of political hunger strikes both having new and changing resonances. I think this book is really important to read as a counter-narrative to the official line around the Good Friday Agreement (GFA) - or at least the one I learned in school - that sees it as a form of victory for the IRA and mutually agreed upon resolution to, if not the political questions surrounding irish republicanism, then at least the most protracted phase of armed struggle.
Hughes's opposition to the GFA, which he backronyms as 'got feck all', really resonates in this moment, particularly given the parallels with the Oslo accords. Both signed around the same time and claiming to provide a political path forward through peace rather than armed struggle, Hughes represents the faction in Ireland, like the rejectionist factions of the PFLP, Hamas, and others, who recognize that the agreements benefit a small class of elites while reentrenching the same overall colonial power dynamics that gave rise to the resistance in the first place. The book, and Hughes's writing, is painful not only because it is framed by this political betrayal but because it is also so personal to him and his lifelong struggle, given his former friendship with Gerry Adams and his personal involvement in the hunger strikes.
The hunger strikes are the second aspect of the book that feel incredibly relevant and also somewhat haunting. Today in the UK, prisoners for Palestine are starting an open-ended hunger strike that evokes - among other political antecedents in Palestine and elsewhere - the striking republicans in the north of Ireland, including Brendan Hughes. In the midst of organizing to try to support today's strikers, it is a bit ominous to read about Hughes's account of the strikes, and in particular the strong sense of regret that comes across in his speeches and writings. Likely influenced by the ultimate political outcome - the GFA and its sense of betrayal - as well as his personal trauma (Hughes seems to have suffered lifelong effects of his own strike), Hughes's recollections of the strike and their effect are anything but triumphant. Of course, the political and carceral context of the current strike, being initiated by prisoners incarcerated for taking action in support of Palestine, is far different, and the outcome is far from clear at this point.
In any case, needless to say I would recommend this book, particularly right now. I think Hughes is a really interesting figure - when I first came across him in Say Nothing he felt almost mythical or overly romantic, but in his own words and in the political context provided by Óg he really comes across as an organic intellectual, with a loyalty to the working class that could not be bought or corrupted. In that sense I see some parallels with figures like Basel al-Araj, in addition to the comparison to George Jackson that I believe was made in the podcast. I wish that there was an essay or piece in the book that went into a longer and deeper dive into his politics and worldview, but it is often in the nature of political actors like Hughes that more of their time is spent acting, and less in theorizing. I think that's good on the whole, even if it leaves posterity wanting more.
September 22, 2025
I've always been interested in the history behind the Troubles, and I've read many good books about the IRA and it's philosophy, but nothing has been as poignant, urgent, and well-written like this. Brendan Hughes has some interesting and worthy thoughts on revolution, capitalist capitulation, and Neo-empire.
Fascinating read for people who love revolutionary history -
Fascinating read for people who love revolutionary history -
August 13, 2023
Brilliant, finished it in about two days. Interviews and writings from Brendan Hughes who was the leader of the 1980 Hunger Strike.
Hughes slates the GFA and the direction of the Republican leaders and movement post GFA seeing the GFA as a defeat for the Republican movement and a win for the British government.
Hughes was sidelined and censored in the early 2000s for attempting to create a debate on the direction of the Republican movement and the defeat regarding Stormont, decommission and the RUC as-well as his continued support for a 32 County Socialist Democratic Ireland.
Hughes slates the GFA and the direction of the Republican leaders and movement post GFA seeing the GFA as a defeat for the Republican movement and a win for the British government.
Hughes was sidelined and censored in the early 2000s for attempting to create a debate on the direction of the Republican movement and the defeat regarding Stormont, decommission and the RUC as-well as his continued support for a 32 County Socialist Democratic Ireland.
January 30, 2025
I had no choice but to leave five stars for this review, and I’ll explain here.
While it can seem like a lot of the points are repetitive, you have to keep in mind this is a collection of writings. As you continue to read you get a great insight on the troubles in the North of Ireland, not just between the British and the Irish, but the internal issues IRA and provisional IRA.
One of my favorite points Hughes makes is how if you give someone a little bit of power for themself, they will take it and stretch it as far as they can go. Leaving all their beliefs and morals behind them, as well as the people they fought next to. That’s where Irish Republicanism is now. Men given a sliver of power, selling out to the British power for “peace” but what peace for all those who suffered and continue to suffer.
The Irish people continually brought the world’s largest power to the negotiation table multiple times. Just for a few people to sell out an entire movement.
Great book.
While it can seem like a lot of the points are repetitive, you have to keep in mind this is a collection of writings. As you continue to read you get a great insight on the troubles in the North of Ireland, not just between the British and the Irish, but the internal issues IRA and provisional IRA.
One of my favorite points Hughes makes is how if you give someone a little bit of power for themself, they will take it and stretch it as far as they can go. Leaving all their beliefs and morals behind them, as well as the people they fought next to. That’s where Irish Republicanism is now. Men given a sliver of power, selling out to the British power for “peace” but what peace for all those who suffered and continue to suffer.
The Irish people continually brought the world’s largest power to the negotiation table multiple times. Just for a few people to sell out an entire movement.
Great book.
January 7, 2025
The Dark is really necessary as there is a lack of talk criticizing the Good Friday Agreement and general lack of socialist politics surrounding Ireland.
At the same time the book itself is deeply personal and many of its essays come from the same period (early 2000s) so it can be quite repetitive and probably requires a fair bit of knowledge of the events. If you have such, then the book itself is quite short and you'll blow through it quickly.
One thing i enjoyed was reading about a Provo who was so committed to socialism - particularly since some socialist circles nowadays will blanket coat the Provo's as being anti-such which is ridiculous. I do wish the book had more on what Hughes thought of the Official IRA and his and his comrades thoughts on other states.
Another great one from Iskra
At the same time the book itself is deeply personal and many of its essays come from the same period (early 2000s) so it can be quite repetitive and probably requires a fair bit of knowledge of the events. If you have such, then the book itself is quite short and you'll blow through it quickly.
One thing i enjoyed was reading about a Provo who was so committed to socialism - particularly since some socialist circles nowadays will blanket coat the Provo's as being anti-such which is ridiculous. I do wish the book had more on what Hughes thought of the Official IRA and his and his comrades thoughts on other states.
Another great one from Iskra
August 7, 2025
I'd have bought this book for the great cover art, but I also wanted to read Brendan Hughes actually writings and interviews. I am a great fan of Say Nothing, both the wonderful book and the mini-series, which is the best adaptation of a book I've ever seen. The acting genius Anthony Boyle truly made the Dark come back of life. Hughes, though not a highly educated man, had a keen intellect and great courage. The years has he spent in prison, including time as one of the blanket men and the degradations they suffered at the hands of the British will never be forgotten. His friendship with Bobby Sands and his lost friendship with Gerry Adams are the stuff of legend. And I love this quote: "All of which leads me to believe that capitalism is the greatest "cheat of all." That statement is proven to be prophetic every passing day.
June 27, 2023
Interesting and engaging collection of essays and interviews of Brendan Hughes. The collection gave me more insight on the struggle of the Republicans in occupied Northern Ireland in the past and today. Also taught me some of the political history of the IRA and the republican movement.
However, I would've liked a more in-depth introduction of the history of the anti-colonial struggle of the Irish against the British. And more political clarification on particular terms like the "RUC", or Stormont, etc. that are being used among the socialist Republicans, what is the historical problem with Stormont from their political perspective for example. TL; DR: I would've liked more footnotes :)
However, I would've liked a more in-depth introduction of the history of the anti-colonial struggle of the Irish against the British. And more political clarification on particular terms like the "RUC", or Stormont, etc. that are being used among the socialist Republicans, what is the historical problem with Stormont from their political perspective for example. TL; DR: I would've liked more footnotes :)
January 15, 2025
Excellent book about 'the Dark' which was the name Brendan Hughes was known by during the Troubles. Most of it is his writings from around 2000 until his death. They are just so moving and sad and true. So much suffering and death and the country is still occupied by the British. Brendan's reflections on the Troubles and his part and his thoughts afterwards are very insightful and moving. I very much recommend this book to anyone wanting to learn more about the Irish and why they are still fighting for their independance.
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews