By David McCullagh, Conor McMorrow and Justin McCarthy
They thought they were plotting The Great Escape; but in reality, they were taking part in occupational therapy.
In March 1997, IRA prisoners in the Maze were trying to tunnel their way to freedom. But according to the Director of the North's Probation Board, it was merely "a form of occupational therapy, to keep prisoners away from drugs".
Briege Gadd also told officials from the Anglo-Irish Secretariat in Belfast that the Republican leadership in the prison had "no intention" of allowing the tunnel to be completed.
In late March 1997, the escape tunnel was discovered at the jail in County Antrim, after some of the displaced soil was found during a search. It was reported that IRA prisoners had burrowed to within 30 metres of the perimeter fence.
"The work on this tunnel did not constitute a serious escape bid"
A few days after the incident, the Secretary of State Patrick Mayhew privately admitted to Irish officials that the thwarted breakout was "a serious embarrassment".
The following month Ms Gadd "castigated the relaxed regime at the Maze."
According to a 'confidential’ record of her view, she believed "from recent contacts with the inmates, that the work on this tunnel did not constitute a serious escape bid".
Leadership 'intended to step in'
While the tunnel was approved by the republican leadership in the Maze, she said that they had no intention of allowing it to be completed.
"The project would have had value as a form of occupational therapy, to keep prisoners occupied and away from drugs.
"However, the republican command structure would have been aware that, had the escape succeeded, the prisoners concerned would in all likelihood have been rearrested not long afterwards, and would have found themselves back in prison, paying a stiff penalty (in the form of an additional tariff) at a time when, conceivably, a renewed ceasefire might be letting many of their colleagues out."
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She said the republican command in the prison was worried that if some hard-line prisoners escaped, they would wish to see a full-scale return to IRA violence.
"Ms Gadd understands the Republican leadership in the prison always intended to intervene to halt the escape attempt shortly before the tunnel was finished. They would also have been conscious of the propaganda value of even a failed escape bid," the letter stated.
She said "they were going to abort the operation", and she believed the republican movement was "preparing for peace".
A hand-written note to the Taoiseach observed that "Ms Gadd is well-placed and well-informed. She is by no means an IRA or Sinn Féin fellow-traveller and is a strong supporter of peace…".
Based on documents now available to view in the National Archives of Ireland.
