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This article examines the issue of romantic relationships in the cultural production of politically-motivated prisoners during the recent Northern Irish conflict, with reference to two songs on the subject written by such prisoners: Sad Song for Susan, by republican Bobby Sands, and It’s All Over, by an anonymous UDA detainee. I argue that, while most songs produced in this environment dealt with overtly political themes, the few that addressed romantic relationships also inculcated political and cultural norms, both for the prisoners and their partners. Moreover, these pieces shed light on broader ideological aspects of the respective paramilitary movement, the significance of prisoners within it and the mobilisation of broader community support around them, all of which heavily influenced cultural production. The article will contextualise how music was used to cope with and resist the demands of paramilitary imprisonment in Northern Ireland, as well as reinforce the imperatives of endurance and loyalty. I will then demonstrate that these norms were expressed in songs regarding romantic relationships, contributing to a cultural pressure upon prisoners’ partners to mirror these values in the domestic sphere.

It’s All Over: Romantic Relationships, Endurance and Loyalty in the Songs of Northern Irish Politically-Motivated Prisoners