How bad is Mountjoy?

Atoms for Peace

Fr_Dougal wrote: »

I’m not a scumbag, so I’ll say no to prison, but thanks anyhow.

He's a scumbag don't you know, so he'll be alright.

Jane_Dough

Mark25 wrote: »

Think he was in the Training Unit.

Missing family and friends is the worst for everybody especially for lads with kids. Sometimes you just feel the world is going on and you are not part of it. visits can be hard too. You get an hour of normal life but then its back to your cell. Christmas is real hard and then other times like birthdays, family events and all that. I was lucky that when i got released I had my family to go back to and a place to live but not everybody has that and plenty are back in trouble within a few weeks or maybe sooner

Yeh, he was in the training unit!

What was the food like in there? And it is true that officers create situations enabling prisoners to have "lone time" with their partners?

Omackeral

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

It would be great if they made the Dochas Centre like Mountjoy.

Men and women are equal.

Dochas was built in 1998, Mountjoy was built in 1850. That's partially a reason it's the way it is.

However the female inmates are treated with a more "therapeutic" approach. For example they're called "women" instead of prisoners. They have "rooms" and not cells and they live in "houses" not on wings. There's also some pet dogs in there and they've a salon too.

dar100

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

I dont think I'm alone in saying I'd love a stint in prison. Pure curiosity, like. Are you locked up all day? Is there a library, are there games, Is the soap thing true? Would be a great way of getting one's foot in the door with the Irish Times.

Tempted to go off nicking sh¡t from Tesco tomorrow. Let me know if ye need anything, boys.

Porridge is actually very comparable to mountjoy, a bit more out dated though and the prison officers certainly wouldn't get away with speaking to the lads like that

thesandeman

Did you ever find out if the person who wanted the AMA closed was a colleague or just a troll O?

Mark25

Jane_Dough wrote: »

Yeh, he was in the training unit!

What was the food like in there? And it is true that officers create situations enabling prisoners to have "lone time" with their partners?

Heard rumours about that alright but didnt see anything like that happen when i was there.

Food was alright. For breakfast we just had cereals (not porridge). On Christmas Day actually got a fry up but obv that's just one day a year.

Main meal was dinner at around 12 something like curry. fish and chips, chicken, mince or whatever. I think it was on a 2 week cycle or something. There was only one meal option each day(there were some special meals) so you couldnt be too fussy.

And then there was tea which was maybe like a burger, chicken nuggets, chicken salad, gammon steak and y=we had that by 5pm.

Getting to work in the kitchens is a top job in prison as you are there for most of the day and kept busy so I was lucky to get that the 2nd time I was there.

You got your food and had to bring it back to your cell to eat it while locked up. No big dining hall like in the movies.

You can also buy food from the tuck shop with your own money - tuna, noodles, sweets, chocolates to keep you going at night.

Omackeral wrote: »

Dochas was built in 1998, Mountjoy was built in 1850. That's partially a reason it's the way it is.

However the female inmates are treated with a more "therapeutic" approach. For example they're called "women" instead of prisoners. They have "rooms" and not cells and they live in "houses" not on wings. There's also some pet dogs in there and they've a salon too.

Where did the women go before 1998 do you know? Were they in the main prison on their own wing or somewhere else?

tuxy

Mark25 wrote: »

Where did the women go before 1998 do you know? Were they in the main prison on their own wing or somewhere else?

If Wikipedia is correct the womens prison was where St. Patrick's Institution for young offenders is now.

Omackeral

As above, it was a segregated wing in St Patrick's. There's also a women's wing in Limerick Prison to this day, not a lot of people know that.

italodisco

The pink killer wrote: »

did ta do a long stretch ? Few mates were in it now out and seem to be better men now not in trouble.

4 Yr sentence, out after 1.

Had a degree, good job etc etc. Someone did something unforgivable to someone very close to me and I had to take action. I'm not a bad guy, if I told the full story the majority of decent folk would not be surprised at why I did what I did.

Have my own business now, doing well and just getting on with life.

The majority of trouble inside is trouble that has continued on from the outside, I was in 2 fights in a year, 1 was a wrestling match and we ended up pals, another was 2 lads who thought they knew me from outside, didn't know me at all but it was one hell of a fight and luckily I came out of it the better off.

But as another poster said, go in their thinking you're hard as nails with attitude and it won't be long before you get the absolute fff knocked out of you. Then again, ain't it like that on the outside lol

italodisco

italodisco wrote: »

4 Yr sentence, out after 1.

Had a degree, good job etc etc. Someone did something unforgivable to someone very close to me and I had to take action. I'm not a bad guy, if I told the full story the majority of decent folk would not be surprised at why I did what I did.

Have my own business now, doing well and just getting on with life.

The majority of trouble inside is trouble that has continued on from the outside, I was in 2 fights in a year, 1 was a wrestling match and we ended up pals, another was 2 lads who thought they knew me from outside, didn't know me at all but it was one hell of a fight and luckily I came out of it the better off.

But as another poster said, go in their thinking you're hard as nails with attitude and it won't be long before you get the absolute fff knocked out of you. Then again, ain't it like that on the outside lol

Oh, and during my time there sexual assault was not something going on, though it was well known a lot of lads 'looked after' each other of you get my drift

Jane_Dough

italodisco wrote: »

Oh, and during my time there sexual assault was not something going on, though it was well known a lot of lads 'looked after' each other of you get my drift

These lads must be bi sexual or gay yes?

Jane_Dough

Jane_Dough wrote: »

These lads must be bi sexual or gay yes?

Amy port in a storm, I'd say

Dakotabigone

Jane_Dough wrote: »

These lads must be bi sexual or gay yes?

Any port in a storm if you are in that situation.

Jane_Dough

I don't know what Amy Port in a storm means but assuming it means any hole is a goal.

Surely, no matter how desperate, a straight man would not engage in sexual activity with another man?

Fiftyfilthy

Heard rumors of a couple of friends i know in and out the joy years ago would turn gay inside then back to normal on the outside

Back then aids were rife too and sharing needles

Seems to have declined in the past 15 years or more

Dakotabigone

Dakotabigone wrote: »

Any port in a storm if you are in that situation.

The wit has arrived. Oscar Wilde wouldn't get a look in, nor his parrot.

kneemos

Don't think sexuality is as well defined as we'd like to think.

[Deleted User]

[Deleted User] wrote: »

The wit has arrived. Oscar Wilde wouldn't get a look in, nor his parrot.

Give us a break, it's Sunday, even our Lord took it easy on this day.

A Tyrant Named Miltiades!

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote: »

Give us a break, it's Sunday, even our Lord took it easy on this day.

The point just sailed over your head.

Robert Wolfe

italodisco wrote: »

4 Yr sentence, out after 1.

Had a degree, good job etc etc. Someone did something unforgivable to someone very close to me and I had to take action. I'm not a bad guy, if I told the full story the majority of decent folk would not be surprised at why I did

Liam Neeson?


Jokes aside, if someone harmed a loved one of mine I'd have no problem inflicting violence on them.

Sleeper12

italodisco wrote:

4 Yr sentence, out after 1.

4 years with 25%off for good behaviour =3 years.

How did you get out after 1 year? Was some of the 4 years suspended by the judge?

Sleeper12

Sleeper12 wrote: »

4 years with 25%off for good behaviour =3 years.

How did you get out after 1 year? Was some of the 4 years suspended by the judge?

Open to correction here, but I think time spent in prison becomes a decision for the Governer once a person is committed to his prison.

That's definitely the situation in England and Wales, someone might correct me if it's different here.

Source: was friends with a guy who was released very early from an English prison because of overpopulation, and his crime was a white-collar one, so he wasn't deemed a threat by the Governor of that prison.

Sleeper12

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote:

Open to correction here, but I think time spent in prison becomes a decision for the Governer once a person is committed to his prison.

Nothing to do with the governor in Ireland. The head guy in the department of justice, I think the last one was Brian Purcell but could have the name wrong , makes these decisions but there are strict guidelines.

If sentenced to four years you'd expect to serve three years. Drug dealers do it to the day & there is leeway for other crimes but I've never heard of someone only serving 25%of their sentence before. Especially for a violent crime as implied by the poster

Sleeper12

Sleeper12 wrote: »

Nothing to do with the governor in Ireland. The head guy in the department of justice, I think the last one was Brian Purcell but could have the name wrong , makes these decisions but there are strict guidelines.

If sentenced to four years you'd expect to serve three years. Drug dealers do it to the day & there is leeway for other crimes but I've never heard of someone only serving 25%of their sentence before. Especially for a violent crime as implied by the poster

yeah, I suspected that might be the case alright, as the guy I was friends with (he is also Irish) told me he was glad to be sentenced to an English prison, as they apparently have stricter rules about capacity, and the likes of him were likely to be released early.

Sleeper12

A Tyrant Named Miltiades! wrote:

yeah, I suspected that might be the case alright, as the guy I was friends with (he is also Irish) told me he was glad to be sentenced to an English prison, as they apparently have stricter rules about capacity, and the likes of him were likely to be released early.

They get a third remission in the UK compared to our quarter remission. Plus as you say they can reduce this further in the UK.

I think another poster is winding you up about guys "looking after" each others needs. That doesn't typically go on in Irish jails. I'm sure Omackeral would say that the amount caught doing this can be counted on one hand.

Omackeral

The prison love thing is more a symptom of US Prison culture IMO and maybe other jurisdictions like South Africa. Jail over there is so different to here. They have specific prison gangs divided along racial and religious lines, for example. It's a different world.

I've heard of maybe a handful of sexual assault claims but usually these are made by people who would also have scores of other complaints in against the system too. Take from that what you will. I've heard rumours of one or two things over the years but it's in no way a major part of the institution I would say. As far as consensual stuff or sexual affairs, can't say I've ever been privy to any if I'm being completely honest.

Mark25

Sleeper12 wrote: »

4 years with 25%off for good behaviour =3 years.

How did you get out after 1 year? Was some of the 4 years suspended by the judge?

Reckon it must have been part suspended too.

I got 2 years and did just under 18 months so that was 75%. I know some people can apply and get enhanced remission which is at 66% of the original sentence in some cases but I didnt get that.

There is also a thing called Community Return where yo get oyt earlier but have to do community service type stuff like 3 days a week but doubt that would happen after just 25% of the sentence/

dar100

Mark25 wrote: »

Heard rumours about that alright but didnt see anything like that happen when i was there.

Food was alright. For breakfast we just had cereals (not porridge). On Christmas Day actually got a fry up but obv that's just one day a year.

Main meal was dinner at around 12 something like curry. fish and chips, chicken, mince or whatever. I think it was on a 2 week cycle or something. There was only one meal option each day(there were some special meals) so you couldnt be too fussy.

And then there was tea which was maybe like a burger, chicken nuggets, chicken salad, gammon steak and y=we had that by 5pm.

Getting to work in the kitchens is a top job in prison as you are there for most of the day and kept busy so I was lucky to get that the 2nd time I was there.

You got your food and had to bring it back to your cell to eat it while locked up. No big dining hall like in the movies.

You can also buy food from the tuck shop with your own money - tuna, noodles, sweets, chocolates to keep you going at night.



Where did the women go before 1998 do you know? Were they in the main prison on their own wing or somewhere else?

The women were on old D wing of saint Pats, those of us on C wing use to be on the window all night talking to them, some craic..... flower pots

Sleeper12

Mark25 wrote:

There is also a thing called Community Return where yo get oyt earlier but have to do community service type stuff like 3 days a week but doubt that would happen after just 25% of the sentence/

Especially a violent crime. Can't see you getting much more than 25% off for that.

padd b1975

Jane_Dough wrote: »

A friend of mine was in Mountjoy at the same time as Sean Quinn. He said they all used to play cards with Sean Quinn and they all had a great laugh with him.

When he speaks about his time there (2 years) the only negative thing he says is that he missed his family and friends. The ironic part is, his accommodation now is far worse than his accommodation in Mountjoy he said. I'd imagine if he went back in it wouldn't be a big deal to him. Very sad.

Cavan?