The last murals of Long Kesh: fragments of political imprisonment at the Maze Prison, Northern Ireland

Abstract

The prison called both Long Kesh and the Maze is regarded as a symbol of the Northern Ireland conflict. Since its closure in 2000, the meaning of its history, the significance of its legacy and its possible futures have been disputed. The majority of the site has been demolished, access to its buildings restricted and plans for re-development have faltered. Using records of the prison made prior to the demolitions, this chapter interprets a fragment of the material culture of the prison; it examines a series of murals in one of its H Blocks, and argues that close attention to the materiality of this site can contribute to some understanding of the violence of the conflict itself.