Prisoner 1082: Escape from Crumlin Road Prison, Europe's Alcatraz

On St Stephen’s Day 1960 Dónal Donnelly made his dramatic escape from the prison known as ‘Europe’s Alcatraz’. Three years earlier, the teenage Dónal had been convicted of membership of the IRA in the first year of ‘Operation Harvest’. He was sentenced to ten years. Here he reflects on why he came to be on top of a prison wall risking his life. This is the story of a man who overcame the hurdles of his early years to live a successful, happy life.

On St Stephen's Day 1960 Donal Donnelly made his dramatic escape from the prison known as 'Europe's Alcatraz'. Three years earlier, he had been convicted of membership of the IRA in the first year of 'Operation Harvest'. This is the story of a man who was banned from his hometown for 30 years and how he overcame the hurdles to live a happy life.