In Londonderry, Northern Ireland, 13 unarmed civil rights demonstrators are shot dead by British Army paratroopers in an event that becomes known as “Bloody Sunday.” The protesters, all Northern Catholics, were marching in protest of the British policy of internment of suspected Irish nationalists.

In 1984, she joined the writer's organisation International PEN, becoming Program Director of PEN American Center's Freedom-to-Write Committee in New York City. Her work there included founding and leading the Rushdie Defense Committee USA and travelling to Indonesia and Guatemala to investigate local human rights conditions for writers. During her seven-year stay in New York, Siobhan was named one of the 'top 100 Irish-Americans' by Irish-America Magazine and Aer Lingus for her global anti-censorship work.

On her return to the UK, Siobhan co-founded English PEN's readers and writers program. The program takes authors into schools in socially deprived areas, as well as prisons, young offender institutions and community projects.

During 2004, Siobhan served as Deputy Commissioner for Children's Rights in Oxfordshire, working with local government to ensure that statutory services affecting children's lives conform with UN protocols.

Siobhan edited two anthologies in the Threatened Literature Series for the Freedom to Write Committee of the PEN American Center: This Prison Where I live: The PEN anthology of imprisoned writers (Cassell, 1996) and, jointly with Ian Hancock and Rajko Djuric, The Roads of the Roma: a PEN Anthology of Gypsy writers (University of Hertfordshire Press, 1998 and 2004).

An invitation by Tony Bradman to contribute a story about a Pavee (an Irish Traveller) to his collection of short stories for children about racism, Skin Deep (Puffin, 2004), led to a new career as an author of children's books. It was through Tony that Siobhan was introduced to Hilary Delamere. Hilary became Siobhan's agent and continues to represent her titles, both as her agent and also as the executor of her literary estate. In 2007, Waterstone's identified Siobhan as one of the top '25 Authors of the Future'.

Siobhan died in August 2007, aged 47. In the very last days before she died, Siobhan set up The Siobhan Dowd Trust, who works to give young people the opportunity to read and enjoy literature.

 

British army: Soldiers were asked to attend a lot of events such as funerals => feeling of tension and pressure.

 

Mels Wisdom teeth: we discover she was not a child

 

Mels dwarf syndrom: was considered as evil at their time

 

The irish pub culture: meeting point (they go there after work/ diner) +A LOT of drinking.

- The mother and father are very sad about the situation with Joe. 

- Fergus have succeed his exam. He visited his brother in prison and are very sad because he knows that this is the last time that he can see his brother alive. He is so mad about this that he drinks and try to forget his problems and pressures. 

- Cora still are a support for Fergus.

- Joe McCann : political nationalist prisoner locks for ten years

- Pat McCann (Mam) : Fergus's mother 

- Da McCann : Fergus's father

- Theresa & Cath McCann : Fergus's sisters

- Uncle Tally : rents a room where he works in Finicule’s Bar

- Mel (Bog child) : seven or eight years old, probably a girl who has to do a lot of cleaning

- Brennor : Mel's brother 

- Owain : border guard, pentecostalist from the Valleys

- Michael Rafters : old school Joe's friend, member of the Provo 

What decides Fergus to do in order to help his brother ?

Why did Fergus write to Margaret Thatcher ?