Irish Hunger Strike of 1981?

Question

Could someone explain to me the cause of the hunger strike? I know that 10 men wanted Britain to consider them citizens, but thats pretty much all I know. Could someone explain to me the 1981 hunger strike starting at square one?

Answer 1

Not to make Britain consider them citizens, but being imprisoned in the struggle between Catholics and Protestants in Northern Ireland, the Nationalist prisoners in the Maze Prison considered that should be considered as political prisoners. As inhabitants of Northern Ireland they were already subjects of the British Crown - the British system does not, in fact, recognise people as 'citizens' To start at stage one would require a full history of the Irish Troubles from the 17th century onwards

Answer 2

The hunger strike was undertaken by the republican prisoners in the Maze, a top security jail in Co Antrim, Northern Ireland who wanted political or Prisoner of War status, which they had up to 1976, restored to them.

Their five demands were
1. The Right not to wear a prison uniform;
2. The Right not to do prison work;
3. The Right of free association with other prisoners;
4. The Right to organise their own educational and recreational facilities;
5. The Right to one visit, one letter and one parcel per week.

The British government, under Margaret Thatcher, refused and the 10 men died rather than give in to the British system of criminalisation. What the men wanted was essentially phased in after the hunger strike was called off.

You can get historical and background information to the strikes at the sites below: