may 9, 1981 - Northern Irelad Hunger Strikes End

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On October 27, 1980, republican prisoners in HM Prison Maze began a hunger strike demanding to be treated as political prisoners rather than as criminals. The hunger strike group consisted of IRA members: Brendan Hughes, Tommy McKearney, Raymond McCartney, Tom McFeeley, Sean McKenna, Leo Green, and Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) member John Nixon. On December 1, members of the women's prison joined the strike as well. This strike ended shortly after when a striker lost consciousness and fell into a coma. The British government seemed to concede to the 30+ pages of demands the strikers had presented.

In 1981, after the government failed to comply with the demands, a new hunger strike began with several more members joining in an effort to increase prison rights and gain public involvement. This time, the strike was started by IRA member, Bobby Sands. Although the 1981 hunger strike gained popularity and public notoriety, Margaret Thatcher refused to concede to the demands of the strike.

Sands died on day 6 of his hunger strike and more than 100,000 people lined the route of his funeral, which was conducted with full IRA military honours. Margaret Thatcher showed no sympathy for his death, telling the House of Commons that "Mr. Sands was a convicted criminal. He chose to take his own life. It was a choice that his organization did not allow to many of its victims"

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