In 1986, Dublin’s Mountjoy and Arbour Hill prisons opened separation wings for inmates diagnosed with AIDS — a policy prisoners likened to being “treated like lepers” that sparked a wave of desperate protests: dirty protests, prolonged sit‑ins and rooftop demonstrations that only drew sustained media attention once visible, dramatic resistance began. Men and women confined to segregation described humiliating conditions — paper pillowcases and sheets, food served on paper plates, exclusion from work and education, and strict prohibitions on mixing with others — measures that compounded the isolation of illness and drove three men to escape while prompting public acts of defiance that forced the outside world to confront punitive, fear‑driven policies behind bars.

The punishment for their crimes was a prison sentence, not an HIV/AIDS diagnosis, yet by standing up, using their voices and exercising their right to protest they exposed inadequate medical care, entrenched stigma and human rights abuses in the prison system. In doing so they became unwitting activists: their resistance helped secure improvements in conditions and access to treatment for incarcerated people living with HIV and warrants recognition in the history of AIDS not only for their offences but for the role they played in advancing dignity and humane care.

All articles and relevant documents from this episode are available on the:

XTRA Tea Blog AIDS: THE LOST VOICES - MOUNTJOY & ARBOUR HILL

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RTÉ - Irelands National Television & Radio Broadcaster

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Music / Instrumental by Aries Beats 'A Sin' + WEBSITE

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Third-party media: Used under 'fair use' for the sole purpose of education, criticism and/or research relating to HIV/AIDS, featured in this podcast which has no (Zero) commercial gain. No copyright infringement intended -

• British Newspaper Archives / Newspapers
• RTÉ - Back to the Joy (Mountjoy Revisited Documentary) YouTube

In 1986, Dublin’s Mountjoy and Arbour Hill prisons opened separation wings for inmates diagnosed with AIDS — a policy prisoners likened to being “treated like lepers” that sparked a wave of desperate protests: dirty protests, prolonged sit‑ins and rooftop demonstrations that only drew sustained media attention once visible, dramatic resistance began. Men and women confined to segregation described humiliating conditions — paper pillowcases and sheets, food served on paper plates, exclusion from work and education, and strict prohibitions on mixing with others — measures that compounded the isolation of illness and drove three men to escape while prompting public acts of defiance that forced the outside world to confront punitive, fear‑driven policies behind bars.

The punishment for their crimes was a prison sentence, not an HIV/AIDS diagnosis, yet by standing up, using their voices and exercising their right to protest they exposed inadequate medical care, entrenched stigma and human rights abuses in the prison system. In doing so they became unwitting activists: their resistance helped secure improvements in conditions and access to treatment for incarcerated people living with HIV and warrants recognition in the history of AIDS not only for their offences but for the role they played in advancing dignity and humane care.

All articles and relevant documents from this episode are available on the:

XTRA Tea Blog AIDS: THE LOST VOICES - MOUNTJOY & ARBOUR HILL

----------------------------------------------------

RTÉ - Irelands National Television & Radio Broadcaster

All audio from RTÉ News Television Bulletins - Links below to watch:

• Prisoners with AIDS, Arbour Hill - 20 January 1986
• Transfer of AIDS Prisoners - 21 January 1986
• News AIDS Prison Unit - 23 January 1986
• Prison AIDS Scare - 25 January 1986
• Prison Rooftop Protest (Arbour Hill) - 11 March 1986

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Music / Instrumental by Aries Beats 'A Sin' + WEBSITE

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Third-party media: Used under 'fair use' for the sole purpose of education, criticism and/or research relating to HIV/AIDS, featured in this podcast which has no (Zero) commercial gain. No copyright infringement intended -

• British Newspaper Archives / Newspapers
• RTÉ - All Audio News Bulletins from RTÉ Archive Website

Brian Nugent was diagnosed with AIDS in October 1986 at the age of 33. Originally from Waterford, Ireland, he trained as a cordon bleu chef in Paris before relocating to Sydney, Australia, in 1979, where he carved out a career in journalism as social editor for Sydney & City Magazine and later Panache.

In 1987 Brian began sharing his experience of living with AIDS through a collaboration with journalist Jill Margo; together they devised a regular column for The Sydney Morning Herald that chronicled the personal, social and political dimensions of the epidemic in Australia, giving a public voice to a deeply private struggle at a time of widespread fear and misunderstanding. Forty years on, Brian’s diary stands as a stark, intimate testament to that era — a record that not only documents the daily realities of illness and care but also interrogates the cruelty of stigma.

His entries perform a dual work: they commemorate the quiet courage of one man confronting mortality, and they demand renewed attention to the lessons of compassion, advocacy and collective responsibility that remain just as important today.

All articles and relevant documents from this episode are available on the:

XTRA Tea Blog AIDS: THE LOST VOICES - BRIAN NUGENT'S AIDS DIARY

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Music / Instrumental by Aries Beats 'A Sin' + WEBSITE

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'Amazing' Grace by Celtic Woman - Follow on Instagram

YouTube

Apple Music

Amazon Music

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'Take Me Home' by Celtic Thunder - Follow on Instagram

YouTube

Apple Music

Amazon Music

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Third-party media: Used under 'fair use' for the sole purpose of education, criticism and/or research relating to HIV/AIDS, featured in this podcast. No copyright infringement intended -

• British Newspaper Archives / Newspapers
• Brian's diary published in: The Sydney Morning Herald (1987)
• Written by Brian Nugent & Jill Margo, then Journalist for The Sydney Morning Herald

Brian Nugent was diagnosed with AIDS in October 1986 at the age of 33. Originally from Waterford, Ireland, he trained as a cordon bleu chef in Paris before relocating to Sydney, Australia, in 1979, where he carved out a career in journalism as social editor for Sydney & City Magazine and later Panache.

In 1987 Brian began sharing his experience of living with AIDS through a collaboration with journalist Jill Margo; together they devised a regular column for The Sydney Morning Herald that chronicled the personal, social and political dimensions of the epidemic in Australia, giving a public voice to a deeply private struggle at a time of widespread fear and misunderstanding. Forty years on, Brian’s diary stands as a stark, intimate testament to that era — a record that not only documents the daily realities of illness and care but also interrogates the cruelty of stigma.

His entries perform a dual work: they commemorate the quiet courage of one man confronting mortality, and they demand renewed attention to the lessons of compassion, advocacy and collective responsibility that remain just as important today.

All articles and relevant documents from this episode are available on the:

XTRA Tea Blog AIDS: THE LOST VOICES - BRIAN NUGENT'S AIDS DIARY

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Music / Instrumental by Aries Beats 'A Sin' + WEBSITE

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Third-party media: Used under 'fair use' for the sole purpose of education, criticism and/or research relating to HIV/AIDS, featured in this podcast. No copyright infringement intended -

• British Newspaper Archives / Newspapers
• Brian's diary published in: The Sydney Morning Herald (1987)
• Written by Brian Nugent & Jill Margo, then Journalist for The Sydney Morning Herald

We take a look at the AIDS quilts commemorating figures from fashion and nightlife whose lives intersected with celebrity, creativity and activism: Tommy Nutter, the Savile Row tailor whose daring cuts and showmanship in the 1970s made his suits a zeitgeist item coveted by a generation — friends and clients included Bianca Jagger, Twiggy, Andrew Lloyd Webber, Elton John, Cilla Black and The Beatles — and whose quilt honours a maker who reshaped menswear.

Nearby is the panel for Peter von Werffelli, the son of a prominent Swiss family and master furrier with ties to Dior. Peters a master furrier himself and now living in London create a range from couture furs to audacious ‘micro’ beach pants; his quilt recalls a craftsman who bridged high fashion and playful saucy style. And there is Ronald Heyfron, better known on stage as Juicy Lucy, a celebrated figure in the 80s London drag scene who appeared in pop videos — including the Frankie Goes to Hollywood iconic ‘Relax’ — and, despite his own AIDS diagnosis, channelled creativity into activism with his ‘Juice’ nights to raise funds for AIDS charities; his quilt is both a memorial and a testament to the community care and defiant joy that sustained so many through the crisis.

All articles and relevant documents from this episode are available on the:

XTRA Tea Blog AIDS: THE LOST VOICES - Behind the Stitches

UK AIDS Quilt Website ---> DONATE HERE <----

View Tommy's Quilt

View Peter's Quilt

View Ronnie's / Juicy's Quilt

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MARKET TAVERN - "JUICE" NIGHT - rare video cam footage

by Alan Cross >>>WATCH HERE YOU TUBE<<<

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Holly Johnson/Frankie Goes to Hollywood:

Holly Johnson Instagram

'Relax' - Frankie Goes to Hollywood Spotify

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Music / Instrumental by Aries Beats 'A Sin' + WEBSITE

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Third-party media: Used under 'fair use' for the sole purpose of education, criticism and/or research relating to HIV/AIDS, featured in this podcast. No copyright infringement intended -

• British Newspaper Archives / Newspapers
• UK AIDS Memorial Quilt Website

In this special tribute episode, "Remembering Roger Youd," published on the 40th anniversary of Roger’s untimely passing on 16 December, intimate recollections from his brother Carlton Youd sit alongside an inspiring interview with Paul Fairweather — a close friend and longstanding, respected LGBT and HIV/AIDS activist who helped establish Manchester’s AIDS line along with the picket and protest in response to Roger’s unlawful detainment.

We also hear first‑hand accounts of Roger’s deep friendship with Ian, a bond so close they mischievously called one another “sisters,” a small, wry testament to the humour that sustained them. Roger’s catalogue of imported disco records — traded for the use of Ian’s solarium — made for a friendship that endured through ordinary joys and the looming, unknowable crisis to come, AIDS.

This episode stitches personal memories into a tender, unflinching tribute to a much-loved son, brother and friend, showing Roger as far more than a historical footnote or the press’s reductive label, “the Monsall patient.”. Together these testimonies map how Roger's fight for his freedom and care helped redefine support for a whole generation living with HIV/AIDS.

All articles and relevant documents from this episode are available on the:

XTRA Tea Blog AIDS: THE LOST VOICES - Remembering Roger Youd

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Music:

Saving All My Love - Whitney Houston (1985)

Apple Music Amazon Music YouTube Music

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Reflections - Evelyn Thomas

Apple Music Amazon Music YouTube Music

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Sisters Are Doin' It for Themselves - Eurythmics (1985)

Apple Music Amazon Music YouTube Music

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TV Interview/Report

TV Eye - AIDS and You (1985) Thames TV/Freemantle

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Third-party media: Used under 'fair use' for the sole purpose of education, criticism and/or research relating to HIV/AIDS, featured in this podcast. No copyright infringement intended -

• British Newspaper Archives / Newspapers

After visiting the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt on display at the Turbine Hall at the TATE in the summer of 2025, I found myself deeply moved by the creativity and craftsmanship evident at all levels, alongside the poignant individual stories embedded in each panel.

This led me to research various quilts that particularly caught my eye, focusing on those lovingly made for Sandy Kane, a Canadian who moved to London to work for the Government.

Along with the Quilt made for Richard "Richie" McMullen, his life story is stitched with survival and relentless activism: abused by his father and, by his early teens, driven into sex work in Liverpool before leaving for London at 15, Richie turned his trauma into a mission, founding ‘Streetwise’ to support rent boys and later co-founding Survivors, a helpline for rape victims. He campaigned tirelessly for legal recognition and reform on male rape and, after being diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, confronted stigma head-on — writing and publishing four acclaimed books that combined personal testimony with campaigning urgency, ensuring his voice remained central to the movements he helped build.

We also look at a quilt dedicated to "SMASH" discovering his real name was Philip Maurice Tolson. But as we start to establish certain aspects of his life we lack personal testimony to the kind of man he was and his story becomes an appeal in the hope friends of old come forward to share more about the life of this handsome young man.

All articles and relevant documents from this episode are available on the:

XTRA Tea Blog AIDS: THE LOST VOICES - Behind the Stitches

UK AIDS Quilt Website ---> DONATE HERE <----

View Sandy's Quilt

View Richard's Quilt

View Philip's Quilt

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Music / Instrumental by Aries Beats 'A Sin' + WEBSITE

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Third-party media: Used under 'fair use' for the sole purpose of education, criticism and/or research relating to HIV/AIDS, featured in this podcast. No copyright infringement intended -

• British Newspaper Archives / Newspapers
• UK AIDS Memorial Quilt Website

After visiting the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt on display at the Turbine Hall at the TATE in the summer of 2025, I found myself deeply moved by the creativity and craftsmanship evident at all levels, alongside the poignant individual stories embedded in each panel.

This led me to research various quilts that particularly caught my eye, focusing on those lovingly made for Mark Freeman, an actor and former principal dancer with the Royal Ballet. Among these, the quilt created by Roy, Denny’s partner of six years, stands out, commemorating Dennis Williams, affectionately known as ‘Denny’ to those who knew him best. Another quilt of note is that of Tom Dwyer, originally from Scotland, who was drawn to London by its vibrant cultural scene and had a particular passion for disco music.

All articles and relevant documents from this episode are available on the:

XTRA Tea Blog AIDS: THE LOST VOICES - Behind the Stitches

UK AIDS Quilt Website ---> DONATE HERE <----

View Mark's Quilt

View Denny's Quilt

View Tom's Quilt

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'Cherish' by Kool & the Gang

YouTube

Amazon Music

Apple Music

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'Don't Leave me this Way' by Thelma Houston

YouTube,

Spotify

Apple Music

----------------------------------------------------

Music / Instrumental by Aries Beats 'A Sin' + WEBSITE

----------------------------------------------------

Third-party media: Used under 'fair use' for the sole purpose of education, criticism and/or research relating to HIV/AIDS, featured in this podcast. No copyright infringement intended -

• British Newspaper Archives / Newspapers
• UK AIDS Memorial Quilt Website