1981 Irish hunger strike
The 1981 Irish Hunger Strike was a hunger protest in Northern Ireland by Irish republican prisoners during the Troubles. During the protest, seven prisoners from the Provisional Irish Republican Army and three from the Irish National Liberation Army starved themselves to death in the hunger strike. The first to die, Bobby Sands, was elected as a Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom during his hunger strike.
Hunger strike memorial in Derry. The shape of the monument represents the H Block of the Maze Prison in Belfast
Deaths
By the end of the protest 10 prisoners had died. Their names, paramilitary affiliation, dates of death, and length of hunger strike are as follows:
| Name | Paramilitary organisation | Strike started | Date of death | Length of strike | Reason for imprisonment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bobby Sands | IRA | 5 March | 5 May | 66 days | Possession of a handgun |
| Francis Hughes | IRA | 15 March | 12 May | 59 days | Various offences, including the murder of a soldier |
| Raymond McCreesh | IRA | 22 March | 21 May | 61 days | Attempted murder, possession of a rifle, IRA membership |
| Patsy O’Hara | INLA | 22 March | 21 May | 61 days | Possession of a hand grenade |
| Joe McDonnell | IRA | 8 May | 8 July | 61 days | Possession of a firearm |
| Martin Hurson | IRA | 28 May | 13 July | 46 days | Attempted murder, involvement in explosions, IRA membership |
| Kevin Lynch | INLA | 23 May | 1 August | 71 days | Stealing shotguns, taking part in a punishment shooting |
| Kieran Doherty | IRA | 22 May | 2 August | 73 days | Possession of firearms and explosives, hijacking |
| Thomas McElwee | IRA | 8 June | 8 August | 62 days | Manslaughter |
| Michael Devine | INLA | 22 June | 20 August | 60 days | Theft and possession of firearms |
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