Aahana Swrup
Marian Price is a well-known name in the history of Northern Ireland, particularly from the time of The Troubles, the ethno-nationalist conflict during the late 1960s to 1998. The historical drama show ‘Say Nothing,’ created by Joshua Zetumer, centers around the same time in West Belfast’s history, tracking significant beats from the life of Dolours Price, who joined the Provisional IRA in 1971 along with her sister, Marian Price. As the show follows the more violently exuberant time of the IRA’s efforts, it also draws focus on the people who fell victim to this violence. Thus, it encompasses a vastly nuanced perspective on The Troubles, presenting a varied tale about IRA members like Dolours, Marian, and their comrades. For the most part, the show’s depiction of the on-screen character is close to the real-life Marian Price, who remains a consistent advocate for the Irish reunification cause.
Marian Price Opposed Sinn Féin’s Northern Ireland Peace Process
In the early 1970s, Marian Price, her sister, Dolours, and others were convicted of the IRA’s 1973 bombing campaign in London. The instance saw bomb blasts outside of Old Bailey and Whitehall army recruitment center that left 200 injured. Marian received a prison sentence of two life terms—the same as her sister—and entered London’s Prison Brixton at 19 years old. Immediately after their incarcerations, the sisters went on a hunger strike to campaign a relocation to a women’s prison in Ireland. The same, paired with hundreds of instances of officially mandated force-feeding sessions, resulted in the development of anorexia nervosa for both sisters.
Eventually, Marian and Dolours were transferred to the Prison Armagh in Northern Ireland, where they spent around 7-8 years. Inevitably, their life-threatening eating disorder persisted, granting both women a Royal Prerogative of Mercy. As such, Marian was released from prison in 1980. Although she led a private life in the years following her prison release, she returned to the public eye in the 1990s with vocal opposition to Sinn Féin’s Peace Program and the Good Friday Agreement. Marian continued standing by her actions and criticizing Sinn Féin’s Gerry Adams for allegedly lying about his past with the IRA.
Although many people have accused Adams of being a former IRA leader, the politician categorically denies any involvement with the paramilitary group. On her part, Marian maintained her support for the armed struggle and believed that a violent conflict could be justified. “Republicanism will never fade,” she told The Guardian in an Interview in 2003. “My principles and ideals will never be crushed. I didn’t make the choices I did for individuals within the republican movement or Sinn Fein. The fact they’ve sold out does not belittle me.” During the early 2000s, Marian worked for the prisoners’ welfare organization and was a part of the 32-County Sovereignty Committee.
Marian Price Returned to Prison in 2011
In 2011, Marian Price eventually came back under the law’s radar. In May of the same year, she was charged with encouraging support of the IRA in association with Derry’s recent dissident Republican rally. At the rally, she had held up a piece of paper from which a masked man read his speech. This led Owen Paterson, the Northern Ireland Secretary, to revoke her parole with assertions that she posed an increased threat to society. Soon after, she was placed back in custody, this time in Lisburn’s Prison Maghaberry, an all-male prison, where she was placed in solitary confinement.
The same year, Marian was also charged with providing property for the purposes of terrorism. The allegations against her stated she provided a mobile phone to a gang that killed two British soldiers in 2009. Her anorexia continued to pose a threat to her health throughout her imprisonment, leading to several protests demanding her release. Marian’s husband, Gerry McGlinchey, was a part of these campaigns. Eventually, in June 2012, she was transferred to a hospital. The same year, the authorities lifted the charges against her for encouraging IRA support. Ultimately, in January 2013, at the time of the death of her sister, Dolours, Marian was granted bail. Released from prison, she was reunited with her family, husband Gerry, and two kids. Since then, Marian has returned to a private life, staying away from the media’s spotlight.
Marian Price Denies Involvement in Jean McConville’s Murder
In 2018, author Patrick Radden Keefe wrote a book revolving around The Troubles, which focused on Dolours Price and her involvement with the IRA. The nonfiction book, ‘Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland’ also centered around the murder of Jean McConville, the single mother of ten whom the IRA killed in 1972. Dolours has admitted to being the one who drove McConville to her demise after a group of IRA members abducted her from her house. Likewise, she has also spoken about the involvement of one Pat McClure, another Provincial IRA member.
Nonetheless, Dolours kept quiet about the third party who supposedly accompanied her, McClure, and McConville on the car ride. This elusive person is also believed to be the one who shot McConville. There is no officially convicted individual perpetrator behind the killing. Still, in his book, Keefe alleges that Marian was the third person in Dolours’ unit on the night of December 1972. As such, Marian briefly came out of her private life and passed a statement through her solicitor, Peter Corrigan, vehemently denying these claims. Ultimately, she shared that she would not elaborate on her statement further. Currently, in her 70s, Marian McGlinchey, née Price, is believed to still reside in Northern Ireland with her family.
