The equality commission says Omagh District Council has breached its own equality regulations when it erected a monument to the hunger strikers, consisting of a graveyard, a tree for each hunger striker and an Irish tricolour, in the grounds of the Old D… more »

An MLA has claimed that "hunger strike commemorations are only being used as another weapon in what republicans would describe as 'the struggle'". Commenting on the use of a parish centre near Dunloy, Co. Antrim, for a hunger strikers commemoration DUP a… more »

Conviction: Theft and possession of firearms Sentence: 12 years Joined Hunger Strike: 22nd June Suicided: 20th August Michael (or Micky) Devine was born in Springtown, a former US army camp In Londonderry, in 1954 where the family lived until they… more »

Conviction: manslaughter, possession of explosives Sentence: 20 years (reduced from life) Joined Hunger Strike: 7th(?) June Suicided: 8th August Thomas McElwee was born the 5th of 12 siblings to a family in Bellaghy. The previous year McElwee's fat… more »

Conviction: Possession of firearms and explosives, hijacking a car Sentence: 18 years Joined Hunger Strike: 22nd May Suicided: 2nd August Born in Andersonstown in west Belfast in 1955, Kieran/Ciaran Doherty was the third of 6 children in his family… more »

Sentence: 10 years Joined Hunger Strike: 23rd May Suicided: 1st August Born in Park, near Dungiven, Co. Londonderry in 1956, Lynch was the youngest of 8 children. He grew up well known for his strong desire to win and while a good sportsman (particu… more »

Conviction: possession of landmines, conspiracy to kill members of the security forces, IRA membership, causing an explosion Sentence: 20 years Joined Hunger Strike: 29th May Suicided: 13th July Hurson was the 8th of 9 children born to a farming fa… more »

The hunger strikers were political prisoners. I love how this little gem goes so unquestioned in Irish America (and even by many in Northern Ireland). Kate McCabe is obviously a classic Irish American who begins her story with this quote from a Guantanam… more »

Conviction: possession of a weapon Sentence: 14 years Joined Hunger Strike: 9th May Suicided 8th July Born on the Falls Road as the youngest child in a family of 10, Joe McDonnell is claimed not to have been involved with the paramilitaries in th… more »

Conviction: Possession of a hand grenade Sentence: 8 years Went Hungry: 22nd March Suicided: 21st May Born in Londonderry in 1957, O'Hara joined the INLA and was sentenced to 8 years in January 1980 for possession of a hand grenade. O'Hara's gr… more »