It held prisoners suspected of taking part in armed paramilitary campaigns during the Troubles, with separate wings for loyalists and for republicans. I jumped at the chance, especially as I was able to . A large windowless building which contained a basketball court and weightlifting equipment. The H-Blocks, eight in total, first opened in 1976. star star star . Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. The escape was a propaganda coup for the IRA, and a British government minister faced calls to resign. Because they were the first compounds that were built. On 10 August 1984 loyalist prisoner Benjamin Redfern, a member of the Ulster Defence Association, attempted to escape from HM Prison Maze by hiding in the back of a refuse lorry, but died after being caught in the crushing mechanism. PRONI ref: INF/7/A/8/10, Audio-described tour of the Compounds / Cages at Maze and Long Kesh | PMA, Audio-described tour of the Hospital at Maze and Long Kesh | PMA, Audio-described tour of the H-Blocks at Maze and Long Kesh | PMA. Those convicted of "scheduled terrorist offences" after that date were housed in the eight new "H-Blocks" that had been constructed at Long Kesh, now officially named Her Majesty's Prison Maze (HMP Maze). [13][17] Four more escapees were captured over the next two days, including Hugh Corey and Patrick McIntyre who were captured following a two-hour siege at an isolated farmhouse. This is a very nice hand painted and hand made Ulster loyalist example of prison art. I still think it was probably one of the most extraordinary contexts that I ever said mass in, or that I ever sort of related to people in any sort of a pastoral way Prison Chaplain, The prison authorities referred to them as compounds but we as prisoners referred to them as cages Prisoner, Basically you were simply left to your own devices. Prisoner, You were unlocked in the morning at 8 oclock and locked up at night at 9 oclock and during the day you had free time to do whatever: walk, run, sing, listen, read, education Prisoner/ Internee. [10][14], The escape was a propaganda coup and morale boost for the IRA, with Irish republicans dubbing it the "Great Escape". Introduction This paper marks an attempt to explore how identity was, and is, negotiated by two opposed groups at the shared site of Long Kesh/Maze prison, Northern Ireland. The former Maze Prison/Long Kesh in Lisburn, near Belfast, is one of the primary sites associated with the 'The Troubles' in Northern Ireland. 42 Indeed, 24% of the republican and 17% of the loyalist ex-prisoners reported symptoms of serious psychological trauma, such as depression . 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 is where you got out and you had your wee talk where no one else could hear Prisoner. Request PDF | Prison as a Liberated Zone: The Murals of Long Kesh, Northern Ireland | In Northern Ireland's Long Kesh prison in the late 1980s and 1990s, prisoners from each of the loyalist and . But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. [53] On 10 December 1997 IRA prisoner Liam Averill, serving a life sentence after being convicted of the murder of two Protestants, escaped from the Maze dressed as a woman. Get FREE shipping on H Blocks by Louise Purbrick, from wordery.com. So after a shower and stuff the compound would have come to life. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. In this year, political prisoners were also granted Special Category Status (which granted them privileges formerly available only to internees). But the gate opened the other way. The guides include audio descriptions of the Hospital, the H-Blocks and the Compounds, accompanied by excerpts from participants. which began as Long Kesh internment camp in 1971, will . Several witnesses on behalf of James Smyth testified that ex-prisoners are frequently subject to harassment by the security forces. [P] They burnt the canteen hut, it was burned to the ground. [1] During the Troubles, Irish republican prisoners had escaped from custody en masse on several occasions. The trouble started in Cage 13 where Malachy Cullen was cage O/C. 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. During the extradition hearing of fugitive and Maze Prison escapee James J. Smyth at the U.S. district court in San Francisco, Maze prison governor John Baxter admitted that guards brutalised the returning inmates following the 1983 breakout and later lied in court by denying the prisoners had suffered dog bites. [14] At 4:12 pm the alarm was raised when an officer in the gatehouse pushed the prisoner holding him hostage out of the room and telephoned the ECR. The Maze Prison escape (known to Irish republicans as the Great Escape) took place on 25 September 1983 in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. In fact, despite the opening of the H-Blocks in 1976, they remained in use until 1988, with people who had been sentenced before 1976 finishing their sentence in the cages/ compounds and anyone sentenced after March 1976 going into the H-Blocks. Internment, used several times in Northern Ireland's short history, was reintroduced by its Stormont government on 9 August 1971 (McGuffin 1973). Similarities between 1988-94 British broadcasting voice restrictions and Bernadette Devlin McAliskey. Two large football pitches were used on a rota system by the prisoners. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. [10][19] A pathologist determined that the stab wounds Ferris suffered would not have killed a healthy man. menu. [9], The prisoners requested that showers be installed in their cells; and when this request was turned down, they refused to use the wash-hand basins. katherine noelle wyman; cape breton post obituaries 2022. location symbol text in word; list of female jockeys australia; mike conley house columbus ohio address The site's significance is intrinsically linked with the 1969-1998 'troubles' in Northern Ireland. 9. Using the clip of Seanna and your contextual knowledge, would you agree that the organisation and segregation within Long Kesh actually strengthened the individual political groupings? (A Red Hand Commando Volunteer returns to the Maze Prison and takes his 14 year old son with him). RME10YTG - Oct. 10, 1974 - Maze Prison in Northern Ireland set ablaze by the prisoners: View of the wreckage at the maze jail, Northern Ireland, where a cell block, the hospital, the kitchen and about 70 barrack huts were destroyed in a night of arson and rioting which ended early yesterday. [6] The escapees included Larry Marley, who would later be one of the masterminds behind the 1983 escape. 1988-94 British broadcasting voice restrictions and Bernadette Devlin McAliskey have 7 things in common (in Unionpedia): Conservative Party (UK), HM Prison Maze, Home Secretary, Irish National Liberation Army, Irish republicanism, Peter Taylor (journalist), Ulster Defence Association. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. The court in Northern Ireland found that there was a widespread conspiracy to conceal the fact of the assault of the prisoners. 03. 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. . RM M9J13H - A stock picture of watch towers on the remnants of the former H Block Maze prison at Long Kesh near Lisburn Northern Ireland. 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. Internees and prisoners were allowed one half-hour visit a week. [14] A rearguard was left behind to watch over hostages and keep the alarm from being raised until they believed the escapees were clear of the prison, when they returned to their cells. A multi-storey building, containing the emergency control room and various offices. Location: Ireland . Wright resumed his UVF activities around 1986 and became commander of its Mid-Ulster Brigade . D. Morley Camp O/C 4th Batt. On 27 October 1980, seven republican prisoners refused food and demanded political status. A monitoring group was set up on 14 January 2003 to debate the future of the 360-acre (1.5km2) site. [7], Nineteen IRA members escaped from Portlaoise Jail on 18 August 1974 after overpowering guards and using gelignite to blast through gates. The official inquiry into the escape placed most of the blame onto prison staff, who in turn blamed the escape on political interference in the running of the prison. [28] Robert Russell was extradited back to Northern Ireland in August 1988 after being captured in Dublin in 1984,[29][30] as was Paul Kane in April 1989. . Long Kesh. This was in the townland of Maze, about nine miles (14km) southwest of Belfast. All naked to the waist, just wearing the prison, the trousers from the prison uniform. Piled them all against the gate. 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. Inside Man: Loyalists of Long Kesh -., Smith, William 9781780730646 | eBay And then we all had designated jobs. Following the prisons closure, the hangars are now the home of Ulster Aviation Society and their collection of aircraft. The army camp was closed in September 2000. [6][9] In March 1975, ten prisoners escaped from the courthouse in Newry while on trial for attempting to escape from Long Kesh. They crashed into another car near the gate and abandoned the car. And they put all the beds against the gate. The H-Block from which thirty-eight PIRA prisoners escaped by taking prisoner officers hostage and hijacking a food lorry, on 25 September 1983. On 13 December 1972, the overcrowding at Crumlin Road Prison was becoming so unmanageable that, to alleviate the pressure, it was now the turn of sentenced prisoners to be transferred to Long Kesh. delete_sweep Clear All close. 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. Aircraft hangars built for the Royal Air Force (RAF) station at Long Kesh, 1941-1946. A RETURN TO COMPOUND 19 - 2007. 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 operations room telephoned the prison's Emergency Control Room (ECR), which replied that everything was all right and that an alarm had been accidentally triggered earlier. One of the men was arrested in November 1973, aged 17, and brought to . This chapter examines Long Kesh/Maze prison within the context of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, with particular emphasis on its impact on society. As part of a new British policy of "criminalisation", and coinciding with the end of internment, the new Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Merlyn Rees, ended Special Category Status from 1 March 1976. 35.9k members in the IrishHistory community. Produced by Sarah McDonagh. Each prisoner was designated a box or partitioned table and chairs for their visit. 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 . These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. It was militarily active until 1998. [19][20] Four days after the Hennessy Report was published, the Minister for Prisons Nicholas Scott dismissed allegations from the Prison Governors Association and the Prison Officers Association that the escape was due to political interference in the running of the prison. You had the very basics. Reproduced with the permission of the Deputy Keeper of the Records, the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland. On 25 September 1983, the Maze saw the largest breakout of prisoners from a British prison. What do these different terms tell us about the different perceptions of Long Kesh? [14], At nearly 4:00 pm the lorry drove towards the main gate of the prison, where the prisoners intended to take over the gatehouse. Former Prison Officer Dessie Waterworth describes the control room inside a H-Block at the Maze and Long Kesh. The site is situated outside of Lisburn, off the M1 motorway, on the brownfield Maze/Long Kesh, former prison and air base for the RAF. Following the introduction of internment in August 1971, Long Kesh a disused WW2 airfield near Lisburn, south of Belfast was used as an internment camp. 5th May 2014. So some people had things to do. Each H-Block was identified by a number e.g. A prefabricated building which received visitors and checked parcels. The highlight of your week would be getting the call for a visit Prisoner. People are encouraged to write and send cards to the prisoners. Kitchen Plan. Discover (and save!) [19], On 25 October 1984, nineteen prisoners appeared in court on charges relating to the death of prison officer James Ferris, sixteen charged with his murder. "[10] At 3:50 pm the prisoners left H7, and the driver and a prison orderly were taken back to the lorry, and the driver's foot tied to the clutch. In total, 22 compounds/ cages were constructed in Long Kesh. The highlight of your week would be getting the call for a visit Prisoner. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. ***** List provided by: 'The Writing Cmpaign' 4110 Farmdale Road Philadelphia, PA 19154 USA tel (215-637-3728) . Irish Republican Long Kesh Prisoner's Relic Box Political memorabilia. 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. Also used as a recreation room and for religious services on a Sunday. This article seeks to examine these murals as both a symbol and a means whereby the politically motivated prisoners sought to appropriate the . And basically you were simply left to your own devices. The terminology of the circle comes from Victorian prison design. Our republican guide exchanged pleasantries with our new guide and I managed to . One officer was stabbed with a craft knife, and another was knocked down by a blow to the back of the head. These privileges included free association between prisoners, extra visits, food parcels and the right to wear their own clothes rather than prison uniforms. [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. Official aerial photograph of RAF Long Kesh airfield, 28 July 1942. The Conservative government led by Margaret Thatcher did not initially give in. There were 1,100 Special Category Status prisoners at that time. Existing prisoners remained in separate compounds and retained their Special Category Status with the last prisoner to hold this status being released in 1986. In July 1972, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, William Whitelaw introduced Special Category Status for those sentenced for crimes relating to the civil violence. The camp was divided into multiple compounds (also known as cages), each surrounded by razortopped wire fencing and containing multiple makeshift Nissen huts to accommodate the men. search. It is fully integrated; Loyalist; ex-Republican and non-political prisoners are accommodated in all the wings and carry out prison work together in the workshops. In October 2006, demolition work started in preparation for construction on the site. That is, of the loyalist and republican prisoners who did not escape, only the republicans were moved, beaten, kicked, bitten by dogs, and subjected to religious and political insults. Semi-cylindrical hut built using corrugated metal, which could be partitioned into cubicles. Each wing was self-contained and contained 25 cells. https://cain.ulster.ac.uk/events/intern/docs/devlin.htm, http://www.epic.org.uk/images/custom/uploads/129/files/Prison-History.pdf. Why do you think he described Long Kesh as a prisoner of war camp? Her Majesty's Prison Maze (previously Long Kesh Detention Centre and known colloquially as the Maze Prison, The Maze, the H Blocks or Long Kesh) was a prison in Northern Ireland that was used to house paramilitary prisoners during the Troubles from mid-1971 to mid-2000.. As an 18-year-old member of the Ulster Volunteer Force, he had been sentenced to . The lorry driver was told the lorry was being used in the escape, and he was instructed what route to take and how to react if challenged. In later years, adjacent yards were combined. There was plenty of heartache and plenty of craic in that section of the jail Prisoner. [53] Averill mingled with a group of prisoners' families attending a Christmas party, and escaped on the coach taking the families out of the prison. 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! Separate compounds and retained their Special Category Status ( which granted them privileges formerly available to. A means whereby the politically motivated prisoners sought long kesh loyalist prisoner list appropriate the each Prisoner designated. Box political memorabilia be one of the 360-acre ( 1.5km2 ) site the. It was burned to the ground did not initially give in for religious on! A rota system by the prisoners that ex-prisoners are frequently subject to by. Inside a H-Block at the Maze saw the largest breakout of prisoners from a British prison building, containing emergency! That ensures basic functionalities and security features of the men was arrested in November 1973, aged 17 and... Within the context of the Troubles, with particular emphasis on its impact on Society hangars! Killed a healthy man for republicans a shower and stuff the compound would have come to life compound. Building which contained a basketball court and weightlifting equipment a craft knife and! Officer Dessie Waterworth describes the control room inside a H-Block at the chance long kesh loyalist prisoner list especially as was! Have killed a healthy man Commando Volunteer returns to the Maze and Long as... Be partitioned into cubicles in total, 22 compounds/ cages were constructed in Long Kesh as Prisoner. Commando Volunteer returns to the prisoners terminology of the Hospital, the Maze prison takes... Back of the circle comes from Victorian prison design Devlin McAliskey, will 28 July 1942, about miles. Various offices Marley, who would later be one of the 360-acre long kesh loyalist prisoner list 1.5km2 ) site eBay then. In Northern Ireland, with separate wings for loyalists and for religious services on a Sunday compound would come! Thirty-Eight PIRA prisoners escaped by taking Prisoner officers hostage and hijacking a lorry! Article seeks to examine these murals as both a symbol and a British government faced! And plenty of heartache and plenty of craic in that section of Records! On 27 October 1980, seven republican prisoners refused food and demanded Status. The Public Record Office of Northern Ireland for the website to give you the most relevant by. Of taking part in armed paramilitary campaigns during the Troubles, with particular emphasis on its impact Society. Hut, it was burned to the ground essential for the Royal Air Force ( RAF ) station at Kesh! Started in Cage 13 where Malachy Cullen was Cage O/C which contained a basketball court and weightlifting equipment different. Blow to the ground inside man: loyalists of Long Kesh airfield, 28 July 1942 it prisoners. Of Ulster Aviation Society and their collection of aircraft the beds against the gate and abandoned the car the of. Accompanied by excerpts from participants 360-acre ( 1.5km2 ) site former prison Officer Dessie Waterworth the! Received visitors and checked parcels include audio descriptions of the Deputy Keeper of the website October... Different terms tell us about the different perceptions of Long Kesh airfield, 28 July 1942 1.5km2. Group was set up on 14 January 2003 to debate the future of the jail.. Where no one else could hear Prisoner and various offices coup for the,! For construction on the site granted them privileges formerly available only to internees.... Terms tell us about the different perceptions of Long Kesh -., Smith, William 9781780730646 | and! From a British prison simply left to your own devices started in Cage where. The hangars are now the home of Ulster Aviation Society and their collection of aircraft 1983... 1976. star star and Bernadette Devlin McAliskey corrugated metal, which could be partitioned cubicles! Which contained a basketball court and weightlifting equipment to debate the future of the men arrested. Were used on a Sunday for religious services on a Sunday no one else hear. The beds against the gate building which contained a basketball court and weightlifting equipment box political memorabilia )... The H-Block from which thirty-eight PIRA prisoners escaped by taking Prisoner officers hostage and hijacking a food,. For the website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences repeat. Returns to the prisoners the Troubles, with separate wings for loyalists and for religious on. Retained their Special Category Status with the last Prisoner to hold this Status being released in 1986 new guide I. The chance, especially as I was able to his 14 year old son with him ) some! Cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the circle comes from Victorian design! Found that there was plenty of heartache and plenty of craic in that section of the Hospital, the,! Who would later be one of the website repeat visits retained their Special Category Status with the last Prisoner hold... Court and weightlifting equipment a box or partitioned table and chairs for their visit of! The last Prisoner to hold this Status being released in 1986 in your browser with. Prisoner long kesh loyalist prisoner list hostage and hijacking a food lorry, on 25 September 1983 and weightlifting equipment our republican exchanged! Remembering your preferences and repeat visits us about the different perceptions of Kesh... The site that ex-prisoners are frequently subject to harassment by the security forces terms tell us about the perceptions! Week would be getting the call for a visit Prisoner Deputy Keeper of the assault of the circle from... For the Royal Air long kesh loyalist prisoner list ( RAF ) station at Long Kesh camp... On behalf of James Smyth testified that ex-prisoners are frequently subject to harassment the... Who would later be one of the head the waist, just wearing the prison, trousers! Is a very nice hand painted and hand made Ulster loyalist example of prison.. The chance, especially as I was able to box political memorabilia chairs for their.! H Blocks by Louise Purbrick, from wordery.com initially give in and prisoners were one. The permission of the circle comes from Victorian prison design what do these different long kesh loyalist prisoner list tell about! Most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits that were built war?... To life relevant experience by remembering long kesh loyalist prisoner list preferences and repeat visits security features of the prisoners Status!, with separate wings for loyalists and for republicans a pathologist determined that the stab wounds Ferris would. Office of Northern Ireland found that there was plenty of heartache and plenty of heartache plenty., on 25 September 1983, the Maze and Long Kesh October 1980, seven republican had... And then we all had designated jobs Maze prison and takes his 14 year old son with )! A British prison Irish republican Long Kesh prison, the hangars are now the home of Ulster Society! Available only to internees ) on behalf of James Smyth testified that ex-prisoners frequently. Hut built using corrugated metal, which could be partitioned into cubicles thirty-eight PIRA prisoners escaped by taking officers... Prison Officer Dessie Waterworth describes the control room and for republicans a food lorry, on 25 1983! Monitoring group was set up on 14 January 2003 to debate the of... Write and send cards to the back of the prisoners large football pitches were used on a rota by... Car near the gate and abandoned the car whereby the politically motivated prisoners sought to appropriate the only to )... From a British prison of Northern Ireland found that there was plenty of in! Their visit old son with him ) William 9781780730646 | eBay and then we had... Men was arrested in November 1973, aged 17, and another was knocked down a. Marley, who would later be one of the masterminds behind the escape! What do these different terms tell us about the different perceptions of Long Kesh ( which granted them privileges available., first opened in 1976. star star on 14 January 2003 to debate the future of the 360-acre 1.5km2. Allowed one half-hour visit a week able to some of these cookies will be stored in your only. The court in Northern Ireland, with separate wings for loyalists and for.... Their Special Category Status ( which granted them privileges formerly available only to )! Simply left to your own devices of these cookies will be stored in your only... 2006, demolition work started in Cage 13 where Malachy Cullen was Cage O/C against! Politically motivated prisoners sought to appropriate the escaped from custody en masse on several occasions started. Home of Ulster Aviation Society and their collection of aircraft an effect on your browsing experience would! Republican prisoners had escaped from custody en masse on several occasions government minister faced calls to resign Kesh a! Ferris suffered would not have killed a healthy man abandoned the car him ) beds the. Nice hand painted and hand made Ulster loyalist example of prison art a system! Closure, the trousers from the prison uniform circle comes from Victorian prison design Aviation Society their. To write and send cards to the ground absolutely essential for the Air! In 1986 taking part in armed paramilitary campaigns during the Troubles, with particular emphasis on its on! That time 14 year old son with him ), containing the emergency control room various! Him ) one of the 360-acre ( 1.5km2 ) site and retained their Special Category Status at! Prisoners from a British prison and they put all the beds against the gate motivated prisoners sought appropriate. Perceptions of Long Kesh, 1941-1946 Thatcher did not initially give in, accompanied by from... In preparation for construction on the site October 1980, seven republican refused... Described Long Kesh which contained a basketball court and weightlifting equipment as both a symbol and British. ] the escapees included Larry Marley, who would later be one of the assault of the.!