The Irish Republican hunger strike of 1981 was a pivotal event in the conflict that many refer to as The Troubles. Faced with the British government’s decision to criminalise armed struggle and revoke political status/special category status, a number of young men began refusing food in protest.
Joining the strike at staggered intervals, members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army and Irish National Liberation Army overcame ideological differences and sacrificed themselves. Ten young men were to die on the hunger strike and today marks the 40th anniversary of Patsy O’Hara (INLA) and Raymond McCreesh’s (IRA) passing. The pair were the third and fourth volunteers to die on the strike.
Ultimately, the British government conceded to the prisoner’s demands several months later and the world began to take a very different view of the conflict. The fact that two of the hunger strikers were elected into political institutions, Bobby Sands as an MP and Kieran Doherty as a TD, also meant that electoral politics grew within the Republican movement. Many feel that these developments were the embryonic stages of the future peace process.
There are of course varying opinions surrounding the relevance of Irish Republican history to Celtic Football Club. That’s another topic for another day, but one thing that cannot be denied is that a section of the Celtic support certainly sing about the struggle for Irish freedom.
The Green Brigade are one such group, and today they have unveiled a banner in memory of Patsy O’Hara and Raymond McCreesh. The image was uploaded to their Twitter account:
On 21st May 1981, both Patsy O’Hara and Raymond McCreesh died after 61 heroic days on hunger strike.
40 years on we remember the lives of two immensely brave young men who made the ultimate sacrifice.
Blessed are those who hunger for justice. pic.twitter.com/WbbB7l9tyP
— North Curve Celtic (@NCCeltic) May 21, 2021
