The first iteration of Lisnevin school opened in October 1973, at a premises known as Kiltonga House near Newtownards. It could accommodate up to 40 boys, many of which were either violent or were at risk of absconding. It then moved to Bangor, before moving again to this site at Millisle in County Down in 1981. The new premises was designed as a secure borstal behind the older Woburn House; which served as an open borstal. The prison dealt with boys aged between 10 and 17 and generally presented violent or disturbed behaviour, with some charged with terrorist offences at the time of the Troubles. Boys generally stayed at the facility from nine months to three years.
Surrounded by a seven-meter fence, this was more like a prison than a school, with individual cells, controlled access and small windows to prevent anyone from escaping. Issues started at the site from the moment it was announced; locals didn’t want the facility built there, it was difficult to access via public transport and the building itself was designed as a category C prison, something not suited to young people.
A document on the The Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry website documents what staff had to endure: “a range of disruptive, provocative, destructive and, at times, violent behaviour from boys, including riots involving a number of boys acting together. The behaviour included boys barricading themselves in rooms, destroying furniture and fittings, flooding rooms, starting fires and fighting with each other and with staff.” Standards were constantly poor and at one point the reoffending rate was said to be around 100%.
Lisnevin had a range of facilities from an onsite medical clinic, with 3 nurses, workshops, laundry rooms and a sports hall, to name a few.
In November 2003 a new detention centre opened and the boys at Lisnevin were transferred. The PSNI (Police Service of Northern Ireland) took over the site as a training centre which remained in operation until 2016 when the site closed for good.
Sources: Urbexhub.com, The Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry
