Jail escape dinner-dance 'glorifies terrorism'

Plans for a dinner and dance to celebrate an IRA mass escape from the Maze Prison 20 years ago were attacked today as “glorifying in acts of terrorism”.

Up to 800 republicans and their families are due to gather at a Co Donegal hotel on Friday night to mark the biggest break-out in Irish and British prison history.

In September 1983, 38 IRA men shot their way out of the top security jail. While some were swiftly recaptured, 19 got clean away.

A three course meal, music and dancing will be on offer to those attending the re-union. Guests are expected to include some escapees still officially on the run and still wanted in Northern Ireland.

Ulster Unionist MP Jeffrey Donaldson condemned the event.

“I think that this celebration is totally inappropriate when one considers that a prison officer lost his life and others were left wounded and deeply traumatised because of the manner they were treated by the IRA.”

The Lagan Valley MP called on gardaí to monitor the gathering at the Holiday Inn in

Letterkenny and to arrest any escapees still wanted in Northern Ireland.

“A number of those who escaped are fugitives from justice and I hope the Garda Siochána will be on hand and arrest any of those who are wanted by the authorities in Northern Ireland,” he said.

“I think to celebrate the Maze escape is glorifying in acts of terrorism and rubbing salt into the wounds of those who were victimised as a result.”

According to an advertisement in An Phoblacht, the “true story” of the escape will be told by Gerry Kelly, and former IRA prison chief Brendan “Bik” McFarlane.

Mr Kelly was one of the escapees who went on the become the Sinn Féin representative for north Belfast in the now suspended Stormont Assembly.

Mr Donaldson called on Sinn Féin and Mr Kelly especially to abandon their plans for a celebration which, he said, was “totally unnecessary and unhelpful” in trying to get over the problems of the last 30 years.