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 died of starvation during the hunger strike. The first to die, Bobby Sands, was elected as a Member of Parliament in the United Kingdom during his hunger strike.

 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: 

NameParamilitary organisationStrike startedDate of deathLength of strikeReason for imprisonment Bobby Sands IRA5 March5 May 66 days Possession of a handgun Francis Hughes IRA15 March 12 May 59 days Various offences, including the murder of a soldier Raymond McCreesh IRA22 March 21 May 61 days Attempted murder, possession of a rifle, IRA membership Patsy O’Hara INLA22 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

Category:1981 in the United Kingdom
Category:1980s in Northern Ireland
Category:Deaths from starvation
Category:1980s protests
Category:Provisional Irish Republican Army
Category:Suicides in the United Kingdom