However, this was not done soon enough to prevent the escape. HM Prison Maze (also known as Long Kesh) was a maximum security prison considered to be one of the most escape-proof prisons in Europe. Canteen facilities in an H Block, 1981. 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. A short film, produced by PMA in January 2020, which offers new insight into life in the compounds/ cages of Long Kesh. 13. Never before told from the Loyalist perspective, Plum Smith shares his story of life within Long Kesh prison during the Troubles. The H-Blocks, eight in total, first opened in 1976. 02. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. When other staff responded via an intercom, a senior officer said while being held at gunpoint that the alarm had been triggered accidentally. The hospital and part of the H-Blocks are currently listed buildings, and would remain as part of the proposed site redevelopment as a "conflict transformation centre" with support from republicans such as Martin McGuinness and opposition from unionists, who consider that this risks creating "a shrine to the IRA".[16]. In the two years following the agreement, 428 prisoners were released. This chapter examines Long Kesh/Maze prison within the context of the Troubles in Northern Ireland, with particular emphasis on its impact on society. The republican prisoners who escaped but were captured and returned were forced to run a gauntlet of guard dogs which were allowed to bite them. 9. [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. [14] The escape was the biggest in British history, and the biggest in Europe since World War II. 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. And other people that didnt run first thing in the mornings would have been getting up and doing their daily routine, getting washed and shaved and having breakfast and stuff. 7. [12], During the 1980s, the British government slowly introduced changes, granting what some would see as political status in all but name. Poster depicting the 1983 escape. Archive of Steve Jensen Design www.stevejensen.design, 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. Ferris had already been stabbed three times in the chest, and before he could raise the alarm he collapsed. Her Majesty's Prison at the Maze was opened in 1976 and the prison's H-Blocks were to become the centre of protest against the . RM E07W9E - Dublin, Ireland. Republicans Against Fascism @RepublicansAF 22 hours ago. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. The highlight of your week would be getting the call for a visit Prisoner. 49.99 + 27.50 Postage. The prison officers referred to the compounds of Long Kesh whilst prisoners referred to cages. [38][39] Tony Kelly was arrested in Letterkenny, County Donegal in October 1997 but was not extradited. There was no evidence that prisoners in the loyalist wing were similarly treated. 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. The compounds/ cages were segregated along political lines. [55], The prison break was dramatised in the 2017 film Maze, written and directed by Stephen Burke, and starring Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and Barry Ward. It also included a recreation room, dental surgery and small operating theatre. Originally, each wing had its own yard, with an air lock between adjacent yards. [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. Determined to play his part, he goes to London to join the IRA. [52], In March 1997 a 40-foot (12m) tunnel was discovered in H7 at the Maze Prison. [10][19] A pathologist determined that the stab wounds Ferris suffered would not have killed a healthy man. [L] They drove it straight into the cage? The judge acquitted all sixteen as he could not correlate the stabbing to the heart attack. 47 relations. On 27 October 1980, seven republican prisoners refused food and demanded political status. Watch the clip of William. Give two reasons. Now, the prison authorities referred to them as compounds but we as prisoners referred to them as cages., The prison officer would have came around 7.30, would have opened the door, would have came in and done a head count. menu. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features Press Copyright Contact us Creators . Resources are directed towards it and a more liberal attitude adopted towards certain facilities. HM Prison Maze (also known as Long Kesh) was a maximum security prison considered to be one of the most escape-proof prisons in Europe, and held prisoners convicted of taking part in armed paramilitary campaigns during the Troubles. Our republican guide exchanged pleasantries with our new guide and I managed to . One prison officer, James Ferris, who had been stabbed, died after suffering a heart attack during the escape. The former terrorist was jailed for 10 years and was the first loyalist prisoner to arrive in Long Kesh RAF base near Lisburn. The prison wasnt built along the old lines, the Victorian lines, like the Crumlin Road. However, the government immediately reverted to their previous stance, in the belief that the prisoners would not start another strike. The H-Block from which thirty-eight PIRA prisoners escaped by taking prisoner officers hostage and hijacking a food lorry, on 25 September 1983. Two escaped through the gate, one was captured exiting the car, and another was captured after being chased by a soldier. [36] The men officially remain fugitives, but in 2003 Her Majesty's Prison Service said they were not being "actively pursued". It was also a deeply unpopular move among the loyalist community. There were 1,100 Special Category Status prisoners at that time. 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 . 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 . [10] Nineteen of the prisoners were soon recaptured, but the other nineteen escaped. Similarities between 1988-94 British broadcasting voice restrictions and Bernadette Devlin McAliskey. Football pitch, 1981. And the noise was just absolutely incredible Prisoner. [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 monitoring group was set up on 14 January 2003 to debate the future of the 360-acre (1.5km2) site. He was initially jailed for six months in 1971 but, shortly afterwards, served over another five years in the unionist paramilitary cages or compounds of Long Kesh. Their first act of defiance, initiated by Kieran Nugent, was to refuse to wear the prison uniforms, stating that convicted criminals, and not political prisoners, wear uniforms. [56], Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}542919N 6627W / 54.48861N 6.10750W / 54.48861; -6.10750, 'Provie Birdie - song and lyrics by Wolfhound', "Report of Inquiry into the Security Arrangements at HM Prison, Maze, Hennessy Report, 1984", "Individual ministerial responsibility-issues and examples", "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 14 March 1990", "U.S. Orders Deportation of Ex-Militant in Irish Republican Army", "Former IRA militant deported to Ireland", "Extradition (European Union Conventions) Bill, 2001: Second Stage", "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 9 Jan 2002 (pt 28)", "Attwood accuses Sinn Fin of blatant double standards over Exiles' amnesty", "IRA fugitive arrested after 24 years on the run", "Maze governor admits inmates were beaten", "Matter of Requested Extradition of Smyth, 863 F. Supp. The Maze Prison escape (known to Irish republicans as the Great Escape) took place on 25 September 1983 in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. [8] Thirty-three prisoners attempted to escape from Long Kesh on 6 November 1974 after digging a tunnel. (A Red Hand Commando Volunteer returns to the Maze Prison and takes his 14 year old son with him). [14] James Prior announced that the prison's governor had resigned, and that there would be no ministerial resignations as a result of the report's findings. Once put in a holding cell in Belfast, handcuffs were placed very tightly on his wrists and despite numerous requests, the handcuffs were not removed or loosened. A dozen prisoners also took uniforms from the officers, and the officers were also forced to hand over their car keys and details of where their cars were, for possible later use during the escape. A selection of clips from the archive exploring the theme from different perspectives. [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. 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. 8. So you had to get up at a certain time every morning, you had to have your bed pack made, you werent allowed to lie in your bed until a specific time in the afternoon and, you know, it was regimented like that. Lyrics & Chords of Long Kesh Prison Blues by Loyalist, 15 times played by 2 listeners - get pdf, listen similar. PRONI ref: INF/7/A/8/15, H-Block classroom, 1981. And they put all the beds against the gate. June 05, 2021 11:00. [42] However, Tony McAllister was not granted a similar amnesty. In this year, political prisoners were also granted Special Category Status (which granted them privileges formerly available only to internees). It replaced portacabin visiting facilities that originally served the H-Blocks when they opened in 1976. It is a slogan of Irish Republicanism. Jailed Loyalists and Republicans were freed from prison today, as the final wave of prisoner releases got underway in Northern Ireland. And the Brits surrounded the compound and they fired in CS gas all round. This resulted in the blanket protest escalating into the dirty protest, as the prisoners would not leave their cells to "slop out" (i.e., empty their chamber pots), and started smearing excrement on the walls of their cells to "mitigate the spread of maggots".[6]. Firstly, I will provide a general history of the site and then compare and contrast the different experiences of two groups at Long Kesh/Maze. Control Building Plan. Each H-Block was constructed in the shape of a H, with a central administrative area (known as the circle) and four wings of cells (A, B, C and D wings). 12.50 + 3.00 Postage. 49.99 + 5.99 Postage. Area for washing, showering and disposal of overnight waste. It was terrible, it really was. In October 2006, demolition work started in preparation for construction on the site. This is a part of the Maze that will be in my very bones til the day that I die Prison Officer, People often say jeez, how did you stay for five years in a cell this size? and I used to say well, the biggest thing was that I didnt spend that much time in this cell. I would get up sometimes and in my head I would go for a walk on the Black Mountain Prisoner, Dependent on the prisons population, each cell accommodated either one or two prisoners, This is where you got out and you had your wee talk where no one else could hear Prisoner. That was when you saw them really happy Educator, The physical instructor would have been, he would have been refereeing the match and done everything by the book Prisoner, There must have been over a hundred men, all with long, dirty, greasy hair, long beards some longer than others totally unkempt. The terminology of the circle comes from Victorian prison design. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. One officer who attempted to prevent the escape was shot in the head by Gerry Kelly, but survived. IRA member Hugh Coney was shot dead by a sentry, 29 other prisoners were captured within a few yards of the prison and the remaining three were back in custody within 24 hours. . Following nationalist protests, some Ulster loyalists were also arrested. TWO former republican prisoners who were admitted to Crumlin Road Gaol in the 1970's have been awarded a five-figure sum for abuse they suffered as children whilst detained in the prison. [14] Officers arriving for work were entering the gatehouse from outside the prison, and each was ordered at gunpoint to join the other hostages. People are encouraged to write and send cards to the prisoners. 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. The trouble started in Cage 13 where Malachy Cullen was cage O/C. On 17 November 1971, nine prisoners, dubbed the "Crumlin Kangaroos", escaped from Crumlin Road Jail when rope ladders were thrown over the wall. 15. You had the watch towers, the barbed wire, you had Nissen huts as the accommodation. 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. [1] During the Troubles, Irish republican prisoners had escaped from custody en masse on several occasions. Produced by Sarah McDonagh. I was no expert on escaping or tunnelling, but every person in the hut was expected to do their duty Prisoner/Internee. Inside the prison, the prisoners took another step and organised a hunger strike. It was possible to gain qualifications through the centre and obtain City and Guilds certificates. There was very little contact between the Loyalists and ourselves. corporals killings helicopter footagethe hardy family acrobats 26th February 2023 / in was forest whitaker in batteries not included / by / in was forest whitaker in batteries not included / by Long Kesh Prison Blues. In the biggest prison escape in UK history, 38 Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) prisoners escaped from H-Block 7 (H7) of the prison. The prison warders simply patrolled the perimeter of the camp. HM Prison Maze (also known as Long Kesh) was a maximum security prison considered to be one of the most escape-proof prisons in Europe. [18], In April 2020, the former prison was reportedly under consideration for conversion into a temporary hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic.[19]. . Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. This group was formed in 1974 with the goal of establishing a socialist republic in Ireland, free from British rule in the northeastern six counties. Internees and prisoners were allowed one half-hour visit a week. Prisoners participating in the protest were "on the blanket". 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