After several attempts the prisoners had opened the main gate, and were waiting for the prisoners still in the gatehouse to rejoin them in the lorry. 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. 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). [14][19] The report also placed blame with the designers of the prison, the Northern Ireland Office and successive prison governors who had failed to improve security. I jumped at the chance, especially as I was able to . [6][7] Prisoners "on the blanket" reported that one of the things that caused the most stress was "waiting for the moment the cell door would open and they would be dragged out, naked and defenseless, and then pounded into semi-consciousness before being thrown back in again". [7], Nineteen IRA members escaped from Portlaoise Jail on 18 August 1974 after overpowering guards and using gelignite to blast through gates. which began as Long Kesh internment camp in 1971, will . That would have taken 70 minutes roughly. And that was every morning I done 10 miles around here: 70 laps. [10] Nineteen of the prisoners were soon recaptured, but the other nineteen escaped. Never before told from the Loyalist perspective, Plum Smith shares his story of life within Long Kesh prison during the Troubles. Afterwards, the prison was emptied of its paramilitary prisoners as the groups they represented agreed to the ceasefire. The Maze and Long Kesh overview map was supplied to PMA during filming in 2007. Documentation of an attempted escape from a compound within Maze and Long Kesh Prison, 6 November 1974. Officer James Ferris ran from the gatehouse towards the pedestrian gate attempting to raise the alarm, pursued by Dermot Finucane. One officer who attempted to prevent the escape was shot in the head by Gerry Kelly, but survived. Of these prisoners, at least 10,000 men were held at a prison site known as both Long Kesh and the Maze (Ryder 2000). [4][5][6] The escape was commemorated in a song The Provie Birdie (Helicopter Song) by the Wolfhound. One of the men was arrested in November 1973, aged 17, and brought to . menu. The prison and its inmates were involved in such events as the 1981 hunger strike. Running time: 25:19, CCEA GCSE History: Unit 1; Section B; Option 2: Changing Relations: Northern Ireland and its Neighbours, 19651998. There were 1,100 Special Category Status prisoners at that time. 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. Long Kesh was also used for sentenced republican and loyalist prisoners from 1972. The highlight of your week would be getting the call for a visit Prisoner. [35] In 2000 the British government withdrew extradition requests for Brennan, Artt and Kirby. 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. Get FREE shipping on H Blocks by Louise Purbrick, from wordery.com. 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. During the breakout, four prison officers were stabbed, including one, James Ferris, who died of a heart attack. The escape was a propaganda coup for the IRA, and a British government minister faced calls to resign. PRONI ref: INF/7/A/8/15, H-Block classroom, 1981. Another officer was shot in the head by Gerry Kelly, and several other officers were injured by the escapees. The prisoner was taken away to solitary confinement, and rumours spread across the wing that the prisoner had been badly beaten. The existing research on the psychological impact of the Northern Ireland conflict for the prisoners shows that 70% of the ex-prisoners say that they experience poor or very poor emotional health. 42 Indeed, 24% of the republican and 17% of the loyalist ex-prisoners reported symptoms of serious psychological trauma, such as depression . The H-Blocks, eight in total, first opened in 1976. Each wing was self-contained and contained 25 cells. [37] Brennan, who had married a US citizen, was deported from the United States to the Republic of Ireland in August 2009. A RETURN TO COMPOUND 19 - 2007. [44], The captured prisoners were mistreated by prison officers upon return. 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. Catholics are marching for civil rights and loyalist attacks have brought the British army onto the streets to quell the riots. H-Block classroom, 1981. This incident was seen by a soldier on duty in a watch tower, who reported to the British Army operations room that he had seen prison officers fighting. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Similarities between 1988-94 British broadcasting voice restrictions and Bernadette Devlin McAliskey. PRONI ref: INF/7/A/8/17, External view of an H-Block, 1981. It also includes reflective interviews with . PRONI ref: INF/7/A/8/21, Once a week youd maybe get out to the gym Prisoner, You could have played basketball, 5 a sides, volleyball, stuff like that Prisoner. Watch the clip of William. Used in 1942 by Short Bros. to assemble and test-fly Stirling bombers. In this year, political prisoners were also granted Special Category Status (which granted them privileges formerly available only to internees). [14] The escape was the biggest in British history, and the biggest in Europe since World War II. The Minister of Justice denied the application and guaranteed that Kane would not be abused upon his return. 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. Abstract. Author:Smith, William. Image courtesy Ulster Aviation Society. Three prison staff are being treated in hospital after rioting prisoners set fire to the Long Kesh Maze prison near Belfast. 8. 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 prisoner who fired the shot was captured after being shot and wounded by a soldier in a watch tower, and the other prisoner was captured after falling. The terminology of the circle comes from Victorian prison design. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. Prisoners received one half hour visit a week or, if on protest, one half hour visit a month. One prison officer died of a heart attack during the escape and twenty others were injured, including two who were shot with guns that had been smuggled into the prison. And the Brits surrounded the compound and they fired in CS gas all round. And the noise was just absolutely incredible Prisoner. Each H-Block also had its own individual control room. 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. More than 130 prisoners were injured in the trouble - nine needed hospital treatment. Republican and loyalist prisoners were housed according to group. It is a slogan of Irish Republicanism. close. And then they followed in and they battered everybody stupid, boy. These cookies do not store any personal information. Republicans Against Fascism @RepublicansAF 22 hours ago. Ferris had already been stabbed three times in the chest, and before he could raise the alarm he collapsed. One officer is being treated for a suspected fractured skull. Ulster loyalist prison art Glasgow Rangers, U.V.F., U.D.A., long Kesh, Maze. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. The entire site was encircled . 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? [8] Thirty-three prisoners attempted to escape from Long Kesh on 6 November 1974 after digging a tunnel. [13] Prisoners had been planning the escape for several months. 3 13. Tiocfaidh r l (Irish pronunciation: [tki a la]) is an Irish language sentence which translates as "our day will come". [17] The site is now known as Balmoral Park. [38][39] Tony Kelly was arrested in Letterkenny, County Donegal in October 1997 but was not extradited. PRONI ref: INF/7/A/8/16, H-Block classroom, 1981. 37 prisoners climbed into the back of the lorry, while Gerry Kelly lay on the floor of the cab with a gun pointed at the driver, who was also told the cab had been booby trapped with a hand grenade. [18], In April 2020, the former prison was reportedly under consideration for conversion into a temporary hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic.[19]. H-Block 2 (or H2). D. Morley Camp O/C 4th Batt. [1], Following the introduction of internment in 1971, Operation Demetrius was implemented by the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) and British Army with raids for 452 suspects on 9 August 1971. Her Majesty's Prison Maze (previously Long Kesh Detention Centre, and known colloquially as The Maze or H-Blocks) was a prison in Northern Ireland that was used to house alleged paramilitary prisoners during the Troubles from mid-1971 to mid-2000. Numerous prison officers took part in the mistreatment of the returned escapees. Along with ex-UVF men Gusty Spence and David Ervine, he went on to . All naked to the waist, just wearing the prison, the trousers from the prison uniform. The Maze Prison escape (known to Irish republicans as the Great Escape) took place on 25 September 1983 in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. GiollaUidir / Wikipedia / (CC BY-SA 2.5) When Northern Ireland's Prime Minister Brian Faulkner commenced internment, known as Operation Demetrius, on August 9, 1971, he said the goal was stemming the violence "preventing any kind of normal life" in . Aircraft hangars built for the Royal Air Force (RAF) station at Long Kesh, 1941-1946. You couldnt escape it you see. 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. 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