Every March shamrock sales skyrocket as people around the world celebrate Saint Patrick’s Day and Ireland’s culture and heritage. This year will be no different as cities across all corners of the globe prepare for some of the largest parades and festivities of 2014. We here on ‘Talking Books’ are delighted to be celebrating our first Saint Patrick’s Day and have put together an Irish themed show for the occasion.
Hunger Strikes
On March 1st 1981 Bobby Sands, the former commanding officer of the IRA, refused food and began one of history’s most famous hunger strikes. By the time the strike ended on the 3rd of October ten men had died of starvation, Sands amongst them. The strike had been the culmination of years of protest from IRA and INLA prisoners in the Maze Prison and saw a strong resurgence of violence in Northern Ireland.
In 1971 internment was introduced in Northern Ireland in an attempt to combat Irish republican paramilitaries. This policy and the way it was implemented became one of the greatest recruiting tools for the IRA and other republican paramilitaries. Having never been convicted internees were exempt from wearing prison uniforms, doing prison work, and were free to associate with one another.
In 1972 40 republican paramilitaries went on hunger strike seeking to be recognised as political prisoners. As a result Special Category Status was introduced. This gave the prisoners much of what they asked for, though it didn’t recognise convicted paramilitaries as political prisoners. Internment ended in 1975 and the following year Special Category Status was done away with as the British authorities began the policy of ‘criminalisation’.
The reaction to this loss of status was almost immediate. IRA and INLA prisoners refused to wear their prison uniforms, going naked or fashioning clothes from their blankets instead. This escalated into the dirty protest as prisoners began to smear their excrement on the prison walls. The aim of these protests was to secure the rights of political prisoners for republican paramilitaries.
Blanket and Dirty Protests
Though these protests were initially met by indifference or opposition from the outside world, including from republican paramilitary groups, the campaign soon began to build momentum. In 1979 Bernadette McAliskey ran for the European Parliament on the platform of supporting the protesting prisoners. Later that year the National H-Block/Armagh Committee was set up to support the prisoner’s demands with McAliskey as the organisation’s main spokesperson.
This increased politicisation and publicity of the prison campaign saw violence in Northern Ireland increase, with a number of prison officers and members of the National H-Block/Armagh Committee targeted and killed. These early incidents foreshadowed the massive wave of violence that was to come in the 1980s in reaction to the hunger strikes of 1980 and 1981.
Hunger striking has a strong history in Ireland reaching back to pre-Christian times when people would fast to protest a perceived injustice or wrong. The practice was strongly employed by Irish Republicans during the early 20th century, with Lord Mayor of Cork Terence MacSwiney probably the most famous example. Though the practice largely died out in the years following the Irish Civil War, the Troubles saw Irish Republicans return to this tactic in the 1970s and after.
In 1980 the republicans protesting in the Maze Prison for political status decided to go on hunger strike. On October 27th six members of the IRA and one member of the INLA, reflecting the seven signatories of the 1916 Proclamation of the Republic, refused food. Other prisoners would join the protest over the next 53 days, including three women from Armagh Women’s Prison, as the protesters and the British government played a game of nerves.
Bobby Sands
On the 18th of December the strike was ended when it appeared that the British government had conceded to most of the prisoners demands. After the details of the agreement were realised, however, it became clear that the settlement wasn’t what the prisoners had expected and they promised to strike again. It was decided that the second hunger strike would have individuals join at staggered intervals for greater impact, beginning with Bobby Sands.
This second protest was to have much further reaching consequences. A by-election for MP of Fermanagh and South Tyrone was held in April following the death of the sitting MP Frank Maguire. Bobby Sands was the only republican candidate put forward and won the seat by more than 1,400 votes over the Ulster Unionist Party candidate Harry West. This public political platform was extended later in the year when prisoners Kieran Doherty and Paddy Agnew were elected TDs in Ireland’s 1981 general election.
Despite these gains the British Government refused to cede to the protestors’ demands with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher declaring ‘Crime is crime is crime, it’s not political.’ As the protestors’ health began to fail and individuals began to die from starvation pressure began to mount on both sides to reach an accord. Despite this increased pressure neither side was willing to compromise.
The first cracks in the strike started to appear in July 31st when the family of Paddy Quinn insisted on medical intervention to save his life. As more and more families insisted on medical intervention the strike collapsed and was official called off on October 3rd. It was, however, a victory only in name for the British government as partial concessions were announced by Secretary of State for Northern Ireland James Prior a mere 3 days later.
Entrance to former compound 19 H.M.P. Maze
The hunger strikes of 1980 and 1981 are one of the most important moments in the Troubles. The new Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher became one of the most despised figures in the Irish Republican movement while the violence of the Troubles was given a new vigour. Join ‘Talking Books’ as Susan talks with Professor Thomas Hennessey about his book Hunger Strikes: Margaret Thatcher Battle with the IRA 1980-1981 and the impact this period had on the Troubles, Great Britain, and the island of Ireland.
Martin McDonagh
Ireland has long been known as the Island of Saints and Scholars. Renowned for our way with the written word we can claim some of the world’s greatest authors, poets, and dramatists as our own. This prowess isn’t confined to the pages of history, however, and our little island continues to produce and influence some of the world’s best writers.
Join ‘Talking Books’ as we take a look at one of these figures and the great works he has produced. Born in London to Irish Parents Martin McDonagh turned to his ancestral home for material and inspiration when he began his writing career. Through a series of plays set in Galway, the Arran Islands, and the west of Ireland McDonagh established himself as a capable and talented playwright before moving into the world of cinema.
In 2006 McDonagh made his film debut with Six Shooter, which won the Academy Award for short film. Since then he has established himself as a formidable name in cinema with movies like In Bruges and Seven Psychopaths.Tomorrow on ‘Talking Books’ Susan talks with Dr Eamonn Jordan about his book From Leenane to LA: The Theatre and Cinema of Martin Mc Donagh. Join us as we take a look at the life and career of this great screenwriter and dramatist and master of Irish black comedy.
