Aftermath
In the two weeks following Sands' death, three more hunger strikers died. Francis Hughes died on 12 May, resulting in further rioting in nationalist areas of Northern Ireland, in particular Derry and Belfast. Following the deaths of Raymond McCreesh and Patsy O’Hara on 21 May, Tomás Ó Fiaich, by then Primate of All Ireland, criticised the British government's handling of the hunger strike. Despite this, Thatcher still refused to negotiate a settlement, stating "Faced with the failure of their discredited cause, the men of violence have chosen in recent months to play what may well be their last card", during a visit to Belfast in late May.
Nine protesting prisoners contested the general election in the Republic of Ireland in June. Kieran Doherty and Paddy Agnew (who was not on hunger strike) were elected in Cavan–Monaghan and Louth respectively, and Joe McDonnell narrowly missed election in Sligo–Leitrim. There were also local elections in Northern Ireland around that time and although Sinn Féin did not contest them, some smaller groups and independents who supported the hunger strikers won seats, e.g. the Irish Independence Party won 21 seats, while the Irish Republican Socialist Party (the INLA's political wing) and People's Democracy (a Trotskyist group) won two seats each, and a number of pro-hunger strike independent candidates also won seats. The British government rushed through the Representation of the People Act 1981 to prevent another prisoner contesting the second by-election in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, which was due to take place following the death of Sands.
Following the deaths of Joe McDonnell and Martin Hurson the families of some of the hunger strikers attended a meeting on 28 July with Catholic priest Father Denis Faul. The families expressed concern at the lack of a settlement to the priest, and a decision was made to meet with Gerry Adams later that day. At the meeting Father Faul put pressure on Adams to find a way of ending the strike, and Adams agreed to ask the IRA leadership to order the men to end the hunger strike. The following day Adams held a meeting with six of the hunger strikers to outline a proposed settlement on offer from the British government should the strike be brought to an end. The strikers rejected the settlement, believing that accepting anything less than the "Five Demands" would be a betrayal of the sacrifice made by Bobby Sands and the other men who had died.
On 31 July the hunger strike began to break, when the mother of Paddy Quinn insisted on medical intervention to save his life. The following day Kevin Lynch died, followed by Kieran Doherty on 2 August, Thomas McElwee on 8 August and Michael Devine on 20 August. On the day Devine died, Sands' election agent Owen Carron won the Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election with an increased number of votes. On 6 September the family of Laurence McKeown became the fourth family to intervene and asked for medical treatment to save his life, and Cahal Daly issued a statement calling on republican prisoners to end the hunger strike. A week later James Prior replaced Humphrey Atkins as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and met with prisoners in an attempt to end the strike. Liam McCloskey ended his strike on 26 September after his family said they would ask for medical intervention if he became unconscious, and it became clear that the families of the remaining hunger strikers would also intervene to save their lives. The strike was called off at 3:15 pm on 3 October, and three days later Prior announced partial concessions to the prisoners including the right to wear their own clothes at all times. The only one of the "Five Demands" still outstanding was the right not to do prison work. Following sabotage by the prisoners and the Maze Prison escape in 1983 the prison workshops were closed, effectively granting all of the "Five Demands" but without any formal recognition of political status from the government.
Participants who died on the 1981 hunger strike
Nine protesting prisoners contested the general election in the Republic of Ireland in June. Kieran Doherty and Paddy Agnew (who was not on hunger strike) were elected in Cavan–Monaghan and Louth respectively, and Joe McDonnell narrowly missed election in Sligo–Leitrim. There were also local elections in Northern Ireland around that time and although Sinn Féin did not contest them, some smaller groups and independents who supported the hunger strikers won seats, e.g. the Irish Independence Party won 21 seats, while the Irish Republican Socialist Party (the INLA's political wing) and People's Democracy (a Trotskyist group) won two seats each, and a number of pro-hunger strike independent candidates also won seats. The British government rushed through the Representation of the People Act 1981 to prevent another prisoner contesting the second by-election in Fermanagh and South Tyrone, which was due to take place following the death of Sands.
Following the deaths of Joe McDonnell and Martin Hurson the families of some of the hunger strikers attended a meeting on 28 July with Catholic priest Father Denis Faul. The families expressed concern at the lack of a settlement to the priest, and a decision was made to meet with Gerry Adams later that day. At the meeting Father Faul put pressure on Adams to find a way of ending the strike, and Adams agreed to ask the IRA leadership to order the men to end the hunger strike. The following day Adams held a meeting with six of the hunger strikers to outline a proposed settlement on offer from the British government should the strike be brought to an end. The strikers rejected the settlement, believing that accepting anything less than the "Five Demands" would be a betrayal of the sacrifice made by Bobby Sands and the other men who had died.
On 31 July the hunger strike began to break, when the mother of Paddy Quinn insisted on medical intervention to save his life. The following day Kevin Lynch died, followed by Kieran Doherty on 2 August, Thomas McElwee on 8 August and Michael Devine on 20 August. On the day Devine died, Sands' election agent Owen Carron won the Fermanagh and South Tyrone by-election with an increased number of votes. On 6 September the family of Laurence McKeown became the fourth family to intervene and asked for medical treatment to save his life, and Cahal Daly issued a statement calling on republican prisoners to end the hunger strike. A week later James Prior replaced Humphrey Atkins as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, and met with prisoners in an attempt to end the strike. Liam McCloskey ended his strike on 26 September after his family said they would ask for medical intervention if he became unconscious, and it became clear that the families of the remaining hunger strikers would also intervene to save their lives. The strike was called off at 3:15 pm on 3 October, and three days later Prior announced partial concessions to the prisoners including the right to wear their own clothes at all times. The only one of the "Five Demands" still outstanding was the right not to do prison work. Following sabotage by the prisoners and the Maze Prison escape in 1983 the prison workshops were closed, effectively granting all of the "Five Demands" but without any formal recognition of political status from the government.
Participants who died on the 1981 hunger strike
- Bobby Sands, aged 27 - from March 1 to May 5 (66 days). Reason for imprisonment: Possession of a handgun.
- Francis Hughes, aged 25 - from March 15 to May 12 (59 days). Reason for imprisonment: Various offences, including the murder of a soldier.
- Raymond McCreesh, aged 24 - from March 22 to May 21 (61 days). Reason for imprisonment: Attempted murder, possession of a rifle, IRA membership.
- Patsy O'Hara, aged 24 - from March 22 to May 21 (61 days). Reason for imprisonment: Possession of a hand grenade.
- Joe McDonnell, aged 30 - from May 8 to July 8 (61 days). Reason for imprisonment: Possession of a firearm.
- Martin Hurson, aged 24 - from May 28 to July 13 (46 days). Reason for imprisonment: Attempted murder, involvement in explosions, IRA membership.
- Kieran Doherty, aged 25 - from May 22 to August 2 (73 days). Reason for imprisonment: Possession of firearms and explosives, hijacking.
- Kevin Lynch, aged 25 - from May 23 to August 1 (71 days). Reason for imprisonment: Stealing shotguns, taking part in a punishment shooting.
- Thomas McElwee, aged 23 - from June 8 to August 8 (62 days). Reason for imprisonment: Manslaughter.
- Michael Devine, aged 27 - from June 22 to August 20 (60 days). Reason for imprisonment: theft and possession of firearms.
You'll find more information about the hungerstrikers at 'People/Repulican' page.
Other participants on the 1981 hunger strike
Although ten men died during the course of the hunger strike, thirteen others began refusing food but were taken off hunger strike, either due to medical reasons or after intervention by their families. Many of them still suffer from the effects of the strike, with problems including digestive, visual, physical and neurological disabilities.
Although ten men died during the course of the hunger strike, thirteen others began refusing food but were taken off hunger strike, either due to medical reasons or after intervention by their families. Many of them still suffer from the effects of the strike, with problems including digestive, visual, physical and neurological disabilities.
- Brendan McLaughlin - from May 14 to May 26 (13 days). Strike ended because he was suffering from a perforated ulcer and internal bleeding.
- Paddy Quinn - from June 15 to July 31 (47 days). Strike ended because he was taken off by his family.
- Laurence McKeown - from June 29 to September 6 (70 days). Strike ended because he was taken off by his family.
- Pat McGeown - from July 9 to August 20 (42 days). Strike ended because he was taken off by his family.
- Matt Devlin - from July 14 to September 4 (52 days). Strike ended because he was taken off by his family.
- Liam McCloskey - from August 3 to September 26 (55 days). His family said they would intervene if he became unconscious.
- Patrick Sheehan - from August 10 to October 3 (55 days), the end of the hunger strike.
- Jackie McMullan - from August 17 to October 3 (48 days), the end of the hunger strike.
- Bernard Fox - from Ausut 24 to September 24 (32 days). Strike ended because he was suffering from an obstructed kidney.
- Hugh Carville - from August 31 to October 3 (34 days), the end of the hunger strike.
- John Pickering - from September 7 to October 3 (27 days), the end of the hunger strike.
- Gerard Hodgkins - from September 14 to October 3 (20 days), the end of the hunger strike.
- James Devine - from September 21 to October 3 (13 days), the end of the hunger strike.