Chapter 18

Born of the Dublin slums, Piaras O’Lochlinn was a true Irish Patriot. He would die for the land and more than happily kill for it.

But whose land was it really?

That was a question he never asked himself, because as far as he was concerned it was Ireland’s land and therefore it was his as well land. Because he was Ireland and Ireland was him.

But what was Ireland?

It was a nation.

But what was a nation?

It was Ireland.

He did not take the philosophical position very well. Nor would he talk those who entertained it either.

—Fuck them! Bastards! Stop confusing me with your fucking words! Fuck you all!

Lash out at them and hurt them.

With parents a part of the sixteen Rising these where not the type of questions that ever surfaced into the boy’s brain.

—I will fucking kill you.

That was his favourite line.

I will fucking kill you.

Very original.

His favourite of the dreaded five techniques (things which his father had taught him, who had been taught in turn by the black and tans) was the principal of hooding.

Hooding was the placing of a hood over the entire head of the said person in question. Though considered to be a violation of international law specifically the Third and Fourth Geneva Conventions, which demand that persons in the power of occupying forces be treated humanely, this practice was a much-loved activity and the legal standing of it did not concern Piaras greatly.

This was why he enjoyed it.

Hooding is potentially dangerous, especially when a person’s hands are also bound. It is considered to be an act of torture when its primary purpose is sensory deprivation during interrogation; it causes disorientation, isolation, and dread. According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, hooding is used to prevent people from seeing and to disorient them, and also to prevent them from breathing freely. Hooding is sometimes used in conjunction with beatings to increase anxiety as to when and where the blows will fall. Hooding also allows the interrogators to remain anonymous and thus to act with impunity. Moreover, if a group of prisoners is hooded, the interrogator can play them off against each other by pretending, for instance, that some of them are cooperating, which the prisoners will be unable to verify.

Are you getting all this.

Write it fucking down.

Down.

Into my head as well as his. What is this? Who knows? Write. Keep writing.

Piaras.

No.

I can’t. Not today. We’ll leave this for another day. For another time. I need to sit down. To.