257. Inside the Maze: Prisoners, Paramilitaries & Death Threats | William McKee
8 November 2026
About This Episode
William McKee served as a prison governor during some of the most difficult years of the Troubles.
In the first part of this extended conversation, William takes Fender inside Northern Ireland’s prison system: from learning how to establish authority among prisoners to managing republican and loyalist paramilitary organisations within the Maze.
He describes confrontations with prisoners, the constant struggle for control inside the H-Blocks and the moment the IRA told him he was a “dead man walking.” William also reflects on the physical and emotional consequences of maintaining a professional exterior while living under threat - and the effect his work had upon his family and marriage.
Recorded at William’s home in Carrickfergus, this is a firsthand account of authority, fear and survival inside one of the most politically charged prisons in modern European history.
This is Part One of Fender’s conversation with William McKee.
William McKee
William McKee is a former senior prison governor and author whose career included service within the Maze Prison during the Troubles. His work placed him in direct contact with republican and loyalist paramilitary prisoners and exposed him and his family to intimidation and death threats. He now writes and speaks about his experiences within Northern Ireland’s prison system.