Republican Internment and the Prison Ship Argenta 1922

by Denise Kleinrichert

Argenta Legacies encapsulates the essence of internment in daily lives beginning in May 1922. Deluged under the British partition and formation of the Northern Government, nationalists were overwhelmingly affected. In an attempt to subvert the nationalist economic position, the Minister of Home Affairs, Dawson Bates, imposed martial law tactics to rend supremacy over both a rural and urban populous through violence, intimidation and economic sanctions. The saga has never been told in its entirety. Mere paragraphs and footnotes have decided the fate of the men and women as that deserving of 'Sinn Feiners'. 300 men were arrested within a 24-hour period beginning near midnight on 22 May 1922, almost all nationalist and pro-Treaty but with professional and economic status within their respective communities. Over 900 men and women in the North were eventually ordered lifted by James Craig, Prime Minister of Northern Ireland, under the Civil Authorities (Special Powers) Act between the years 1922 and 1925. The analysis of the detention without legal recourse has spanned over three years of research of public and private archives. Interviews with former internees and countless descendants of internees provide an interesting expos���©. The words, writings and drawings of innumerable men interned aboard the prison ship, S.S. Argenta, together with those at Larne Workhouse Camp unfold the miseries of a two-year ordeal. The lives of the internees were impacted beyond their captivity. Malnourishment, disease and death, physical abuse, public abandonment, hunger strike, prayer and escape bids served to foment the direction of their lives. This chronicle is an important historical reflection for nationalists, republicans and the politically astute in both Ireland and the United States. Scores of internees emigrated. Tragedy and human rights issues remain. Tremendous visual images relay the story.

Paperback

First published October 1, 2004

Reviews

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has personal connection to me because my Great Uncle was one of the prisoners on the Argenta. I'm really thankful to Denise for writing a thorough account of the challenges during that time that led to my uncle among others to internment on that ship. My uncle never talked about those times but he did leave our family with notes, sketches and musing by him and other prisoners in a journal that recorded time on the ship. From what I understand several men keep some record of their internment in journals. (I actually refer back to this book on occasion for reference, which is why I there is such a large spread on the dates started and finished.)

[Eamon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read for me, as my Grandfather is listed as an internee on this prison ship 1922-1924. This sparked of an interesting reseach effort which was very interesting.

[Andrew Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good read, I recently found out my Great-grandfather Caldwell Hyndman from Derry was an Internee on the Argenta so I got the book find out why, I found a hidden side to Irish history that was covered up by both the Unionist government in the north and the Irish government in the south, It was horrible what was done to the Internee's at that time most of whom seemed to have been Innocent.

Unfortunately although my Great-grandfather is mentioned, I still do not know what he was arrested for so the search goes on.