HM Prison Maze (known colloquially as The H Blocks, Long Kesh, or The Maze or in Irish as Ceis Fada) was a prison used to house paramilitary prisoners during the Northern Ireland Troubles. Maze is an Electoral ward in the Lisburn City Council area of Northern Ireland. Lisburn (Lios na gCearrbhach meaning fort of the gamblers) is a predominantly Unionist city in Northern Ireland, south-west of and adjoining Belfast Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 522 BC - Darius I of Persia kills the Magian usurper Gaumâta securing his hold as king of the Persian Empire. 2000 ( MM) was a Leap year that started on Saturday of the Common Era, in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. The Northern Ireland Prison Service ( Seirbhís Phríosúin na Tuaisceart Éireann is an executive agency of the Northern Ireland Office (NIO established on 1 April 1995 Irish (ga ''Gaeilge'' is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish. A prison, penitentiary, or correctional facility is a place in which individuals are physically confined or interned and usually deprived of a range of

It is in the former Royal Air Force station at Long Kesh near Lisburn, nine miles outside Belfast, in County Down, Northern Ireland. RAF Long Kesh was a Royal Air Force station at Maze, Lisburn, Northern Ireland, from 1941 until 1971 Lisburn (Lios na gCearrbhach meaning fort of the gamblers) is a predominantly Unionist city in Northern Ireland, south-west of and adjoining Belfast Belfast ( is the capital city of Northern Ireland and the seat of government in Northern Ireland. County Down, ( Ulster Scots: Coontie Doun. is one of the nine counties that form the province of Ulster and one of six counties that form Northern Ireland (Tuaisceart Éireann Ulster Scots: Norlin Airlann) is a Country within the United Kingdom, lying in the northeast of The prison and its inmates have played a prominent role in recent Irish history, notably in the 1981 Irish Hunger Strike. The history of Ireland begins with the first known settlement in Ireland around 8000 BC when Hunter-gatherers arrived from Great Britain and continental The 1981 Irish hunger strike was the culmination of a five-year protest during The Troubles by Irish republican prisoners in Northern Ireland. The prison was closed in 2000 and razing began on 30 October 2006. Events 637 - Antioch surrenders to the Muslim forces under Rashidun Caliphate after the Battle of Iron bridge. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.

Background

The entrance to Compound 19, which during internment, was commanded by Gusty Spence-a Ulster Volunteer Force commander. Augustus Andrew "Gusty" Spence (born 28 June, 1933) is a former member of the Ulster Volunteer Force and a leading loyalist politician The Ulster Volunteer Force (more commonly referred to as the UVF) is a Loyalist group in Northern Ireland.

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 August 9, 1971. Internment is the imprisonment or confinement of people commonly in large groups without trial Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. Operation Demetrius, or Internment as it is more commonly known began in Northern Ireland on the morning of Monday 9 August 1971 The Royal Ulster Constabulary GC was the name of the Police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2001 The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. Events 48 BC - Caesar's civil war: Battle of Pharsalus - Julius Caesar decisively defeats Pompey at Pharsalus Year 1971 ( MCMLXXI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display full calendar of the 1971 Gregorian calendar. The police and army arrested 342 republicans, but key Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) members had been tipped off and 104 of those arrested were released when it emerged they had no paramilitary connections. The Provisional Irish Republican Army (Óglaigh na hÉireann ( IRA; also referred to as the PIRA, the Provos, or by some of its supporters as the A paramilitary is a force whose function and organization are similar to those of a professional military force but which are not regarded as having the same status ^[1] Those behind Operation Demetrius were accused of bungling, by arresting many of the wrong people and using out of date information. Later, some loyalists were also arrested. Ulster loyalism is a militant unionist ideology held mostly by Protestants in Northern Ireland. By 1972 there were 924 internees and by the end of internment on 5 December 1975 1,981 people had been detained; 1,874 of whom were Catholic and 107 Protestants. Year 1972 ( MCMLXXII) was a Leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 63 BC - Cicero reads the last of his Catiline Orations. Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. ^[2]

The personnel gate to the main guard office.

Initially the internees were housed, with different paramilitary groups separated from each other, in Nissen huts at a disused RAF airfield that became the Long Kesh Detention Centre. The Nissen hut is a prefabricated steel structure made from a semi-circle of corrugated Steel, a variant of which (the Quonset hut) was used extensively The internees and their supporters agitated for improvements in their conditions and status; they saw themselves as political prisoners rather than common criminals. A political prisoner is someone held in Prison or otherwise detained perhaps under House arrest, for his or her involvement in political activity In July 1972 William Whitelaw introduced Special Category Status for those sentenced for crimes relating to the civil violence. William Stephen Ian Whitelaw 1st Viscount Whitelaw, KT, CH, MC, PC, DL (28 June 1918 &ndash 1 July 1999 commonly known as In July 1972 William Whitelaw, the British government 's Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, granted Special Category Status to all prisoners convicted There were 1,100 Special Category prisoners at that time.

"Special Category" status for convicted paramilitary-linked criminals gave them the same privileges previously available only to internees. These privileges included free association between prisoners, extra visits, food parcels and the right to wear their own clothes rather than prison uniforms (Crawford 1979).

However, Special Category Status was short-lived. As part of the government's policy of "criminalisation", and coinciding with the end of internment, the new Secretary of State, Merlyn Rees, ended Special Category Status from March 1, 1976. Secretary of State is a commonly used title for a Government Official. Merlyn Rees, later Merlyn Merlyn-Rees Baron Merlyn-Rees, PC ( 18 December 1920 &ndash 5 January 2006) was a Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. 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 HM Prison Maze. Existing prisoners remained in separate compounds and retained their Special Category status with the last prisoner to hold this status released in 1986. Year 1986 ( MCMLXXXVI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar) Some prisoners changed from being Special Category prisoners to being common criminals within the space of several hours; Brendan Hughes, an IRA prisoner, had been imprisoned with Special Category Status in Cage 11 but was alleged to have been involved in a fight with warders. Brendan Hughes (1948 – 16 February 2008) also known as "The Dark", who was mainly known as the leader of the 1980 Irish hunger strike He was taken to court and convicted then returned to the jail as a common prisoner and incarcerated in the H-Blocks as an ordinary prisoner - all within the space of several hours. ^[3]

H-Blocks

Prisoners convicted of terrorist offences after March 1, 1976 were housed in the eight new "H-Blocks" that had been constructed at Long Kesh, now officially HM Prison Maze. Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant Year 1976 ( MCMLXXVI) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Prisoners without Special Category status began protesting for its return immediately after they were transferred to the H-Blocks. Their first act of defiance, initiated by Kieran Nugent was to refuse to wear the prison uniforms, stating that convicted criminals wear uniforms, not political prisoners. Kieran "Header" Nugent ( Irish: Ciarán Núinnseann, 1958 - 4 May, 2000) was a volunteer in the Provisional Not allowed their own clothes, they wrapped themselves in bedsheets. Prisoners participating in the protest were "on the blanket". The blanket protest (Agóid na mBlancéid was part of a five year protest during The Troubles by Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA and Irish National Liberation By 1978 more than 300 men had joined the protest. Year 1978 ( MCMLXXVIII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link displays the 1978 Gregorian calendar) The British Government refused to yield. Her Majesty's Government, or when the monarch is male His Majesty's Government, is the title used by the Government of the United Kingdom, based at Prison guards soon refused to let the blanket protesters use the toilets without proper uniforms. The prisoners refused, and instead began to defecate within their own cells, smearing excrement on the walls. This began the "Dirty protest". The dirty protest (also called the no wash protest) was part of a five year protest during The Troubles by Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA and But again the new 1979 government of Margaret Thatcher stood firm. Year 1979 ( MCMLXXIX) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1979 Gregorian calendar) Margaret Hilda Thatcher Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS (born 13 October 1925

Hunger strike

Main article: 1981 Irish hunger strike

Republicans outside the prison took the battle to the media and both sides fought for public support. The 1981 Irish hunger strike was the culmination of a five-year protest during The Troubles by Irish republican prisoners in Northern Ireland. Inside the prison the prisoners took another step and organised a hunger strike. A hunger strike is a method of Non-violent resistance or pressure in which participants fast as an act of political Protest, or to provoke feelings of

A view along the corridor of one of the wings of H4.

On October 27, 1980, seven Republican prisoners refused food and demanded political status. Events 312 - Constantine the Great is said to have received his famous Vision of the Cross. Year 1980 ( MCMLXXX) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link displays the 1980 Gregorian calendar) Thatcher's Conservative government did not initially give in. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative and Unionist Party) is a Political party in the United Kingdom. In December they called off the hunger strike when the government appeared to concede their demands. However, the government immediately reverted to their previous stance, confident the prisoners would not start another strike. Bobby Sands, the leader of the Provisional IRA prisoners, and members of the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) began a second action on March 1, 1981. Robert Gerard Sands (Roibeard Gearóid Ó Seachnasaigh commonly known as Bobby Sands, (9 March 1954 – 5 May 1981 was a Provisional Irish Republican Army The Provisional Irish Republican Army (Óglaigh na hÉireann ( IRA; also referred to as the PIRA, the Provos, or by some of its supporters as the The Irish National Liberation Army ( INLA; Arm Saoirse Náisiúnta na hÉireann in Irish is an Irish Republican, Left-wing paramilitary organisation Events 86 BC - Lucius Cornelius Sulla, at the head of a Roman Republic army enters in Athens, removing the Tyrant Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Outside the prison in a major publicity coup, Sands was nominated for Parliament and won the Fermanagh & South Tyrone by-election, 1981 (April). The by-election held in Fermanagh and South Tyrone on April 9 1981 is considered by many to be the most significant By-election held in Northern Ireland But the British government was still resisting and on May 5, after 66 days on hunger strike, Sands died. Events 553 - The Second Council of Constantinople begins 1215 - Rebel Barons renounce their allegiance to King John More than 100,000 people attended Bobby Sands's funeral in Belfast. Belfast ( is the capital city of Northern Ireland and the seat of government in Northern Ireland. Another nine hunger strikers died by the end of August before the hunger strike was called off in October. The British government effectively conceded to the prisoners' demands over the next few months, granting them Political Status in everything but name.

Breakouts and attempted breakouts

See also: Maze Prison escape

On September 25, 1983, the Maze suffered the largest break-out of prisoners from a British prison. The Maze Prison escape (known to Irish republicans as the Great Escape) took place on 25 September 1983 in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Events 303 - On a voyage preaching the Gospel, Saint Fermin of Pamplona is beheaded in Amiens, France Year 1983 ( MCMLXXXIII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays the 1983 Gregorian calendar) 38 prisoners hijacked a prison meals lorry and smashed their way out. Two prison officers died in the incident. James Ferris, died of a heart attack while being held captive at knifepoint and another officer was stabbed to death. In addition another five officers were injured. Nineteen of the prisoners were soon recaptured, but the remainder escaped.

In March 1997, an IRA escape attempt was foiled when a 40ft underground tunnel was found. Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar The tunnel, which was fitted with electric lighting, led from H-block 7 and was only 80ft short of the perimeter wall.

In December 1997, IRA prisoner Liam Averill escaped from the prison dressed as a woman during a Christmas party for prisoners' children. ^[4]

Organisation

Over the 1980s the British government slowly introduced changes, granting what some would see as political status in all but name. Republican and loyalist prisoners were housed according to group. They organised themselves along military lines and exercised wide control over their respective H-Blocks. The Loyalist Volunteer Force (LVF) leader Billy Wright was killed in December 1997 by Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) prisoners. The Loyalist Volunteer Force ( LVF) is a loyalist Paramilitary group in Northern Ireland which broke away from the Ulster Volunteer Billy Wright (July 7 1960 &ndash December 27 1997 was a Northern Irish loyalist Paramilitary figure Year 1997 ( MCMXCVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1997 Gregorian calendar The Irish National Liberation Army ( INLA; Arm Saoirse Náisiúnta na hÉireann in Irish is an Irish Republican, Left-wing paramilitary organisation

Peace process

The prisoners also played a significant role in the Northern Ireland peace process. When discussing the History of Northern Ireland, the " peace process " is generally considered to cover the events leading up to the 1994 Provisional Irish Republican On January 9, 1998, the British Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Mo Mowlam, paid a surprise visit to the prison to talk to members of the Ulster Defense Association/Ulster Freedom Fighters (UDA/UFF) including Johnny Adair and Michael Stone. Events 475 - Byzantine Emperor Zeno is forced to flee his capital at Constantinople. Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) Marjorie "Mo" Mowlam PhD (18 September 1949 &ndash 19 August 2005 was a British Politician, Secretary of State for Northern Ireland and The Ulster Defence Association ( UDA) is a loyalist Paramilitary criminal organization in Northern Ireland, outlawed as a Terrorist Johnny Adair (b 27 October 1963, Belfast, Northern Ireland) was the leader of "C Company" of the Ulster Loyalist Paramilitary Michael Stone (born 2 April 1955) is a loyalist Paramilitary and Artist. They had voted for their political representatives to pull out of talks. Shortly after Mowlam's visit, they changed their minds, allowing their representatives to continue talks that would lead to the Good Friday Agreement of April 10, 1998. The Agreement, most often referred to as the Belfast Agreement (Comhaontú Bhéal Feirste Belfast Greeance or the Good Friday Agreement (Comhaontú Aoine an Events 879 - Louis III becomes King of the Western Franks. 1407 - the lama Year 1998 ( MCMXCVIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar) Afterwards, the prison was emptied of its paramilitary prisoners as the groups they represented agreed to the ceasefire. In the two years following the agreement, 428 prisoners were released. On September 29, 2000, the remaining four prisoners at Maze were transferred to other establishments in Northern Ireland and the Maze prison was closed. Events 522 BC - Darius I of Persia kills the Magian usurper Gaumâta securing his hold as king of the Persian Empire.

Future

A monitoring group was set up on 14 January 2003 to debate the future of the 360 acre site. With close motorway and rail links, there were many proposals including a museum; a multi-purpose sports stadium and an office, hotel and leisure village. In January 2006 the government unveiled a masterplan ^[5] for the site incorporating many of these proposals, including a 45,000 seat national multi-sport stadium for football, rugby and Gaelic Games. This proposal has raised concerns among sports fans, particularly Rugby and Football fans and online petitions such as the one at Stadium For Belfast have been created to run alongside fan surveys. More detailed information can be found on the official website.

In October 2006, demolition work started in preparation for construction on the site.

Discussion is still ongoing as to the listed status of sections of the old prison. 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 like Nigel Dodds ^[6]

See also

• 1981 Irish Hunger Strike

References

1. ^ Coogan, Tim Pat. James Martin Pacelli McGuinness (Máirtín Mag Aonghusa born in Derry on 23 May 1950 is the Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland. Nigel Alexander Dodds, OBE, MP, MLA, BL (born Derry, 20 August 1958) is a Barrister and Northern The 1981 Irish hunger strike was the culmination of a five-year protest during The Troubles by Irish republican prisoners in Northern Ireland. (1995) The Troubles: Ireland's ordeal 1966-1996 and the search for peace London: Hutchinson (p. 126)
2. ^ University of Ulster's CAIN archive
3. ^ Bobby Sands:Nothing but An Unfinished Song, Denis O'Hearn (2006), Pluto Books. ISBN 0-7453-2572-6
4. ^ 'Re-arrest escaped IRA killer' - BBC News, 2000
5. ^ "First peek at Maze masterplan", BBC News, 2006-01-30. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1648 - Eighty Years' War: The Treaty of Münster is signed ending the conflict between the Netherlands and Spain Retrieved on 2006-10-18. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1009 - The Church of the Holy Sepulchre, a Christian church in Jerusalem, is completely destroyed by the Fatimid  
6. ^ "FMaze must keep status: McGuinness", BBC News, 2007-07-07. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 1456 - A retrial verdict acquits Joan of Arc of heresy 25 years after her death Retrieved on 2007-07-10. Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. Events 48 BC - Battle of Dyrrhachium, Julius Caesar barely avoids a catastrophic defeat to Pompey in Macedonia.  

• Crawford, Colin. 1979. "Long Kesh: an alternative perspective. "

External links

• History Of The Maze Prison - MazePrison.Com Coming Soon
• BBC: Inside the Maze, a history
• Jonathan Glancey , New Statesman, May 31, 2004 Hell on earth
• CNN Special on the Maze
• Luxury hotel, equestrian centre, cinema complex - welcome to the new Maze — The Guardian newspaper article, 31 May 2006
• Inside Long Kesh Irish documentary about The Maze prison released after its closure. The New Statesman is a British Left-wing political Magazine published weekly in London. Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt. The Guardian (until 1959 The Manchester Guardian) is a British Newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. Events 1279 BC - Rameses II (The Great (19th dynasty becomes pharaoh of Ancient Egypt.
• 1981 Irish Hunger strike Site
• Long Kesh song lyrics guitar chords and video
• Archaeology at the Maze/Long Kesh Site, Northern Ireland (Laura McAtackney)
• Prison Break - Place of Dark History - images from within The Maze - 28dayslater