Cruel Fate: One Man's Triumph Over Injustice

In 1947 the author, who was born in Belfast in 1930, emigrated to England because at home ``good jobs were scarce, especially for Catholics.'' Working as a laborer, Callaghan married and had a daughter. In November, 1974, 21 people were killed and more than 100 injured when IRA bombs went off in several pubs in Birmingham. Callaghan, who had no history of political agitation, was drinking in the vicinity and became one of six Irishmen arrested for the explosions. Stripped naked, beaten, allowed no food, water, sleep or legal representation, he signed a confession after three days. The jury returned a verdict of guilty; the sentence for the ``Birmingham Six'' was life imprisonment. After a book and a television documentary revived the case, an appeal was heard to overturn the conviction. Despite new forensic evidence, the appeal was denied. With the lobbying of several members of the British and Irish parliaments and members of the American congress, and continued media attention, a later appeal was successful for all six defendants. Callaghan, a talented writer, tells of his 16 years of prison life and his stubborn quest for justice. In light of current attempts at negotiations by the British government with the IRA, the book dramatically calls into question British veracity in dealing with the Irish question. Photos. (Dec.)