Maghaberry Prison

History

HMP Maghaberry was built on the site of a Second World War airfield which was used as a transit base for the United States Army Air Force.

At the end of the war, the base was run down and various government agencies used parts of the old airfield until the Northern Ireland Office purchased the ground in 1974 and began work on the prison in 1976.

Mourne House which holds all female prisoners, young offenders and remands was the first part of the new prison to be opened in March 1986. This followed the closure of the existing female establishment in Armagh.

The male prison became fully operational on 2 November 1987.

Following the closure of HMP Belfast on 31 March 1996, Maghaberry became the adult committal prison in Northern Ireland.