The largest of Northern Ireland's prisons, it was established on the site of Long Kesh Royal Air Force Base, a World War II airfield, in the early 1970s. [10][14] By 2:50 pm the prisoners were in control of H7 without an alarm being raised. It was situated at the former Royal Air Force station of Long Kesh, on the outskirts of Lisburn.This was in the townland of Maze, about nine miles . Following nationalist protests, some Ulster loyalists were also arrested. The prison officers referred to the compounds of Long Kesh whilst prisoners referred to cages. [10][13] Leading unionist politician Ian Paisley called on Nicholas Scott, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, to resign. Fifteen members of the staff of the prison, formerly Long Kesh internment camp, were injured in hand . For the German rock band, see, "Maze prison redevelopment gets green light", "CAIN: Events: Internment: Summary of events", "Life and death in Long Kesh a new film about the notorious Maze prison in Northern Ireland", "Some Examples of Human Rights Abuses in Northern Ireland: The Use of Plastic Bullets and Strip Searches of Women |", "Anger as fugitive IRA terrorists are given their freedom", "Billy Wright murder: father could take legal action", "Plans for Maze prison peace centre 'set aside', "Coronavirus: Military Advising Over Design Of Northern Ireland Hospital", Maze Prison MazePrison.Com History Behind The Wire, Luxury hotel, equestrian centre, cinema complex welcome to the new Maze, Archaeology at the Maze/Long Kesh Site, Northern Ireland (Laura McAtackney), Ceasefires of the Provisional IRA, UVF, UDA and RHC, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=HM_Prison_Maze&oldid=1141313798, 2000 disestablishments in Northern Ireland, Internment camps during the Troubles (Northern Ireland), Short description is different from Wikidata, Infobox mapframe without OSM relation ID on Wikidata, Articles with MusicBrainz place identifiers, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 24 February 2023, at 12:20. [5], Prisoners convicted of scheduled offences after 1 March 1976 were housed in the "H-Blocks" that had been constructed. 12.50 + 3.00 Postage. Shortly after Mowlam's visit, they changed their minds, allowing their representatives to continue talks that would lead to the Good Friday Agreement of 10 April 1998. [52], In March 1997 a 40-foot (12m) tunnel was discovered in H7 at the Maze Prison. Some prisoners changed from being Special Category Status prisoners to being common criminals. At this time two prison officers blocked the exit with their cars, forcing the prisoners to abandon the lorry and make their way to the outer fence which was 25 yards away. [13] The day after the escape, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland James Prior announced an inquiry would be headed by His Majesty's Chief Inspector of Prisons, James Hennessy. The Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) leader Billy Wright was shot dead in December 1997 by two Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) prisoners.[13]. They crashed into another car near the gate and abandoned the car. The British government refused to back down. You had four huts which were in they had four huts which were in one compound, you had an ablutions block and a canteen area which we converted into a five a side area. They escaped using a gun that had been smuggled into the prison, wounding a motorist as they fled. However, weddings did take place here, as well as graduations for prisoners who undertook Open University degrees in the prison. Of these prisoners, at least 10,000 men were held at a prison site known as both Long Kesh and the Maze (Ryder 2000). Long Kesh was also used for sentenced republican and loyalist prisoners from 1972. The camp was divided into compounds (also known as cages), each surrounded by razor-topped wire fencing and containing multiple makeshift Nissen huts to accommodate the internees. 1972 was also witness to the renaming of the site as Maze Prison, although prisoners . [2][3] On 31 October 1973, three leading IRA members, including former Chief of Staff Seamus Twomey, escaped from Mountjoy Prison in Dublin when a hijacked helicopter landed in the exercise yard of the prison. Some was looking after the tea facilities and stuff like that, others was cleaning out the hut. In the biggest prison . Similarities between 1988-94 British broadcasting voice restrictions and Bernadette Devlin McAliskey. Inside Man: Loyalists of Long Kesh -., Smith, William 9781780730646 | eBay Long Kesh was also used for sentenced republican and loyalist prisoners from 1972. [26] Pdraig McKearney was killed by the SAS along with seven other members of the IRA's East Tyrone Brigade in the Loughgall ambush in May 1987, the IRA's biggest single loss of life since the 1920s. Last week "Extreme" Republican Donal Billings was sentenced to 8 years imprisonment for a plot in which he intended to kill either the Queen or another member of the Royal family in 2011. And then they followed in and they battered everybody stupid, boy. THE BURNING of Long Kesh and the events of 15/16 October 1974 is one of the most significant events in the history of the conflict and . Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. IRA volunteers regarded themselves as prisoners of war with a duty to escape. Each H-Block was identified by a number e.g. Our republican guide exchanged pleasantries with our new guide and I managed to . A multi-storey building, containing the emergency control room and various offices. During the breakout, four prison officers were stabbed, including one, James Ferris, who died of a heart attack. Ex-prisoners from the Maze are subject to increased scrutiny by the security forces. In January 2013, plans were approved by the Northern Ireland environment minister Alex Attwood for the site to be redeveloped as showgrounds as the result of an application by the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society with the objective of relocating Balmoral Show from its current location in Belfast. Catholics are marching for civil rights and loyalist attacks have brought the British army onto the streets to quell the riots. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. [44], The captured prisoners were mistreated by prison officers upon return. Maze and Long Kesh. Posters in Dublin pointing out the fact that Irish fascist groups like the National Party, Irish Freedom Party and Ireland First are . The map shows both the cages and compounds and the H-blocks, and therefore dates from some time after 1976. [10], Fifteen escapees were captured on the day, including four who were discovered by the RUC hiding underwater in the river Lagan using reeds to breathe. It is estimated that 25,000 people were imprisoned in Northern Ireland over roughly 30 years of conflict. In October 2019, the European Union withdrew 18m that had been approved to develop a peace centre, due to disagreements between Sinn Fin and the Democratic Unionist Party. A minibus would pull up, the bride in her full regalia, her bridesmaids, would step out the back of a minibus, come in and come up and have a wedding in here. Prison Chaplain, Once a week youd maybe get out to the gym Prisoner, You could have played basketball, 5 a sides, volleyball, stuff like that Prisoner, Youd never stop the men going to their football match. Following the introduction of internment in August 1971, Long Kesh a disused WWII airfield near Lisburn, south of Belfast was used as an internment camp. Words were exchanged between Malachy and the screw while he was on a visit. Piled them all against the gate. Paul Kane was a 1983 Maze escapee who was extradited from the Republic of Ireland to Northern Ireland in 1989. Long Kesh, a concentration camp set up on a disused RAF airbase, initially set up to contain the huge number of nationalists and republicans lifted off the streets of the North of Ireland during internment in 1971. . Explain your answer, using the clip and your contextual knowledge. [15], Discussion is still ongoing as to the listed status of sections of the old prison. fast_forward. On 29 September 2000, the remaining four prisoners at the Maze were transferred to other prisons in Northern Ireland and the Maze Prison was closed. . In the biggest prison escape in UK history, 38 Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) prisoners escaped from H-Block 7 (H7) of the prison. This is a very nice hand painted and hand made Ulster loyalist example of prison art. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for VINTAGE IRISH ULSTER LEATHER PRISON BOOK ENDS LONG KESH MAZE LOYALIST SHIPS FLAG at the best online prices at eBay! PRONI ref: INF/7/A/8/18. Two escaped through the gate, one was captured exiting the car, and another was captured after being chased by a soldier. Tiocfaidh r l (Irish pronunciation: [tki a la]) is an Irish language sentence which translates as "our day will come". The Flames of Long Kesh, 15-16 October, 1974: And . There was plenty of heartache and plenty of craic in that section of the jail Prisoner. [47][48] On 7 July 1991, IRA prisoners Nessan Quinlivan and Pearse McAuley escaped from HM Prison Brixton, where they were being held on remand. Free association was permitted within each compound/ cage from 8am until lock-up at 9pm. It held prisoners suspected of taking part in armed paramilitary campaigns during the Troubles, with separate wings for loyalists and for republicans. A monitoring group was set up on 14 January 2003 to debate the future of the 360-acre (1.5km2) site. Officer James Ferris ran from the gatehouse towards the pedestrian gate attempting to raise the alarm, pursued by Dermot Finucane. [32][33], Kevin Barry Artt, Pl Brennan, James J. Smyth and Terrence Kirby, collectively known as the "H-Block 4", were arrested in the United States between 1992 and 1994 and fought lengthy legal battles against extradition. PRONI ref: INF/7/A/8/19, Youd never stop the men going to their football match. [14] At 4:05 pm the officers began to resist, and an officer pressed an alarm button. Chapel Plan. 120.00 So some people had things to do. Documentation of an attempted escape from a compound within Maze and Long Kesh Prison, 5 May 1976. Bobby Storey and Gerry Kelly had started working as orderlies in H7, which allowed them to identify weaknesses in the security systems, and six handguns had been smuggled into the prison. Following the introduction of internment in August 1971, Long Kesh a disused World War 2 airfield near Lisburn, south of Belfast was used as an internment camp. PRONI Ref: RUC/12/39/1, I must say it was a happy, busy place, people all seemed to be enjoying what they were doing, it wasnt like slave labour Educator. PRONI ref: INF/7/A/8/12. I was no expert on escaping or tunnelling, but every person in the hut was expected to do their duty Prisoner/Internee. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Thirty-eight prisoners hijacked a prison meals lorry and smashed their way out. [14] Officers arriving for work were entering the gatehouse from outside the prison, and each was ordered at gunpoint to join the other hostages. The army camp was closed in September 2000. The current prison governor testified that there are no plans to discipline the prison officers involved and the "case is closed" as far as he is concerned. By 1978, more than 300 men had joined the protest. Genuine Prison Made Leather Wallet/ Purse From prisoner in Long Kesh/Maze Dates from approx the 1980' s Some pen marks . No disciplinary action was ever taken against the prison officers for their abuse of the prisoners in connection with the escape or for perjuring themselves. And the Brits surrounded the compound and they fired in CS gas all round. [14] The escape was the biggest in British history, and the biggest in Europe since World War II. Staff Reporter. delete_sweep Clear All close. As Northern Ireland's Troubles intensified, its prison population increased exponentially, with as many as 15,000 loyalists incarcerated for politically motivated crimes. More than 130 prisoners were injured in the trouble - nine needed hospital treatment. Gerard given Governor ground groups hand happening head heard hospital Hugh huts injuries internees John kicked knee Lagan Valley later Long Kesh Loyalist morning move night Northern Ireland period pitch present priest prison officers protest received Rees refused Republican returned riot . 1994)", "An Index of Deaths from the Conflict in Ireland", "Thirty years on, the Maze reveals a secret", "2 Irishmen Shoot Their Way Out of a Prison in London", "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 19 December 1994", "Inquiry over helicopter escape-plot at Whitemoor inquiry at Whitemoor", "Prisoners on the run are granted amnesty", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Maze_Prison_escape&oldid=1137906462, This page was last edited on 7 February 2023, at 01:01. Numerous prison officers took part in the mistreatment of the returned escapees. A large windowless building which contained a basketball court and weightlifting equipment. During the summer of 2007, 17 years after I had been released on 'License', I was presented with the opportunity to return to the Maze/Long Kesh prison. The capacity of the proposed stadium was later adjusted to first 35,000 and then 38,000 and the organising bodies of all three sports Irish FA, Ulster Rugby and Ulster GAA agreed in principle to support the integrated scheme. Rosena Brown (Risn De Brn; born c.1945) is an Irish actress of television, cinema, and stage from Belfast, Northern Ireland who also served as an intelligence officer for the Provisional IRA. This area contained the Staff Club, the Governors lounge and accommodation, staff lockers and staff car park. A red brick, multi-storey building within the prison complex. That would have taken 70 minutes roughly. Reproduced with the permission of the Deputy Keeper of the Records, the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. 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