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Anniversary of Thomas McElwee

On 8 August 1981 Thomas McElwee from South Derry became the ninth man to die in the H-Block hunger strike. His cousin Francis Hughes had been the second man to die (eight days after Bobby Sands) and both cousins are buried together in the same cemetery in Bellaghy. In...

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Kieran Doherty Remembered

Forty years ago today Kieran Doherty became the eighth blanket man to die on the seven-months’ long 1981 hunger strike. Kieran, from Andersonstown in West Belfast, was twenty-five-years old and had been on hunger strike for seventy-three days. After the introduction...

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Kevin Lynch Remembered

On this day forty years ago twenty-five-year old Kevin Lynch from Dungiven became the seventh prisoner to die on the 1981 H-Block hunger strike after seventy one days without sustenance. Kevin was a member of the INLA when he was arrested in December 1976, charged...

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Óglach Martin Hurson Remembered

There were a number of commemorations held in Tyrone for the fortieth anniversary of Martin Hurson, the sixth H-Block hunger striker to die in 1981. Martin, from Aughnaskea, aged twenty-four, died forty six days into his hunger strike on July 13th, 1981, and is buried...

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‘Fuair Seosamh bás.’

Forty years ago today, IRA Volunteer Joe McDonnell became the fifth hunger striker to die in that epic seven-months’ long hunger strike. Joe also stood as an abstentionist candidate in that June’s general election in the South where two H-Block prisoners, Kieran...

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The Friendship with Joe

Ciaran Quinn, Sinn Féin's North American representative, reviews Jaz McCann's prison memoir, 6000 Days, which was published earlier this year to widespread acclaim and takes its rightful place in the canon of enduring Irish republican prison writings. It is always a...

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Bobby Sands’ Lecture

The Bobby Sands’ annual lecture took place at Áras Uí Chonghaile James Connolly Visitor Centre on the Falls Road in West Belfast on 9 May. Due to Covid restrictions the lecture was delivered in an online broadcast, featuring Bobby's school friend Mary McGinn; and...

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Raymond & Patsy Remembered

On this day forty years ago, INLA Volunteer Patsy O’Hara and IRA Volunteer Raymond McCreesh, who had both begun the hunger strike on the same day, died within hours of each other in the prison hospital. Below are two tributes to the men. The first is a tribute by...

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Francis Hughes – The Boy From Tamlaghduff

Today marks the fortieth anniversary of the death of Francis Hughes after fifty nine days on hunger strike. Frank, from Bellaghy, South Derry, joined Bobby Sands on hunger strike on 15th March, 1981. Here is a link to a tribute to Francis Hughes, including...

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About the Writing of Bobby Sands’ Diary

NVTV's In Focus broadcast this film on Wednesday night, 5 May, the fortieth anniversary of the death of Bobby Sands. The film looks at the the writing of Bobby Sands' prison diary and has readings, including as Gaeilge, from young people, and an interview with Danny...

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Bobby Sands Trust

The Bobby Sands Trust was established to publish, promote and keep in print the extraordinary writings of Bobby Sands, who from prison isolation became an international figure in 1981, and who to this day continues to inspire Irish republicans in their pursuit of freedom from British rule.

Contact us

Email: info@bobbysandstrust.com
Post: The Secretary, Bobby Sands Trust, 51-53 Falls Road, Belfast, BT12 4PD, Ireland