Irish Hunger Strikes Chapter 18

1 March 1981
A Hunger Strike to the Death Begins

Statement from the Prisoners at the start of the Second Hunger Strike:

1 March 1981

We, the Republican POWs in the H-Blocks of Long Kesh, and our comrades in Armagh prison, are entitled to and hereby demand political status, and we reject today, as we have consistently rejected every day since September 14, 1976, when the Blanket protest began, the British government’s attempted criminalization of ourselves and our struggle.

Five years ago this day, the British government declared that anyone arrested and convicted after March 1st, 1976, was to be treated as a criminal and no longer as a political prisoner. Five years later we are still able to declare that that criminalization policy, which we have resisted and suffered, has failed.

If a British government experienced such a long and persistent resistance to a domestic policy in England, then that policy would almost certainly be changed. But not so in Ireland where its traditional racist attitude blinds its judgment to reason and persuasion.

Only the loud voice of the Irish people and world opinion can bring them to their senses and only a hunger strike, where lives are laid down as proof of the strength of our political convictions, can rally such opinion, and present the British with the problem that, far from criminalizing the cause of Ireland, their intransigence is actually bringing popular attention to that cause.

We have asserted that we are political prisoners and everything about our country, our arrests, interrogations, trials and prison condition show that we are politically motivated and not motivated by elfish reasons of for selfish ends. As further demonstration of our selflessness and the justness of our cause, a number of our comrades, beginning today with bobby Sands, will hunger strike to the death unless the British government abandons it criminalization policy and meets our demand for political status.

Reality Starts Today

When the announcement of another hunger strike hit the media and the community outside and that Bobby Sands would lead it, the realization that men would die came hard to the men inside. Not that they didn’t already know. Being there in time and space is different from worrying over strategy or projecting thoughts of what if this or what if that. Reality was now a cold, stone wall that they were running full force into.

Men Prepare To Die

Seanna Walsh remembers talking to Ray McCreesh through their cell doors just before Bobby began his strike. Raymond said, "The last time, when I volunteered for this hunger strike, I really believed we could win without any lives lost; it won’t be like that this time will it? Like, I’m going to die amn’t I?" Seanna couldn’t answer for fear of breaking down. Ray had spent the day praying.

He also remembered talking briefly to Frances Hughes who was to commence his strike several weeks after Bobby. With Frances, it was just like the rest of his adult life, just another day fighting British rule in his country. When Seanna ran into him while going on a visit and asked how he was doing, Frances just said, "Brilliant! The sooner we’re into it the better."

Meanwhile, Brendan Hughes, better known as "The Dark", had been released from hospital with the other men after coming off of the first hunger strike just before the second one began. He was shattered and would have given anything to be part of the unfinished business. Everyone knew how Brendan must have felt as though he was personally responsible for the circumstances the men were in as they began the second strike. But, of course, everyone also knew he had no real control over events and that the Brits had made this action necessary.

Bobby prepared for his ordeal in typical Bobby-manner, thinking about his comrades as he "told a book" from memory through the cell door after the screws left the wing. He finished the book the night before he took the last food he was to ever take.

"You are talking to dead a man"

The day before he was to begin his hunger strike was Sunday. The screws threw in trousers for him to wear at mass that were ripped beyond repair. A wing mate swung his into him so he could attend mass, where he was encouraged by the men. It was emotionally difficult for everyone. Bobby sent comms to the wing OCs and other leaders among the prisoners. He told them that he knew he was going to die. He hoped that his death would achieve an end to all the suffering the men had endured for all these years and that it could be achieved without further loss of life. He said that it would sadden him if he died and everyone didn’t understand fully why he died. He said he worried about his family and their suffering. Lastly, he said that even after his death, he would always be there.

At mass morning he told the men who wished him luck, "You are talking to a dead man."

The Men Come Off the "No Wash" Protest

On the day Bobby Sands went on hunger strike, the protesting prisoners went off the "no wash" protest. This strategy was hotly debated beforehand. Some thought this would show a lack of support for Bobby and his comrades on hunger strike, but Bobby himself was for it and as he was the man with his life on the line, this view prevailed.

Later almost all the men came to appreciate that coming off the "no wash" protest was a good idea in that it would focus attention clearly on the 5 demands and if the hunger strike failed to achieve its goals, the men would at least be able to better move forward into a new scenario.

Letter writing began in earnest now through the medium of smuggled out "comms" which were widely distributed. The press was, however, largely silent, as were the bishops and the do-gooders and groups who were so loud in urging the first hunger strikers to quit their protest to negotiate with the Brits.

Next: Bobby writes a hunger strike diary and is joined by Francis Hughes