Born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Sands came of age at the height of ”the Troubles” in the early 1970s.
Intimidation by loyalists and the introduction of internment in 1971 radicalised his politics and by 1972 he was an active service member of the Provisional IRA.
Imprisoned in the H Blocks of Long Kesh for arms offences in 1976, Sands became the leader of a prisoner’s protest demanding the restoration of ”political status”.
The failure of the first ”dirty protest” (which involved the prisoners remaining naked and smearing excrement on cell walls) led to the adoption in 1980 of the more extreme strategy of hunger strike.
At first the principal organiser and negotiator for the prisoners, Sands joined the hunger strike in 1981. In April, he was elected UK member of Parliament for Fermanagh.
Despite the extremity of the situation and the intense mood of support among Northern Ireland’s Catholics, the Thatcher government refused to restore the privileges.
His death and those of nine other prisoners in the following months immeasurably deepened the crisis in Ulster in the 1980s.
Related Posts
Bobbysoxers The white anklets known as bobby sox (socks) rocked the conservative world when teenagers began wearing the socks with saddle…
Twiggy Twiggy's success story began in 1965 when Nigel Davies – a jack-of-all-trades who had worked as a bookie's office boy,…
Richardsons, The Charlie Richardson was born in Camberwell, south-east London in 1934. His brother Eddie was born in 1936, the youngest sibling…
Bobby Kennedy 1 9 2 5 - 1 9 6 8 Younger brother and close associate of John F Kennedy, Robert Kennedy trained…
Moonies The term "Moonies" was a popular name for followers of the Unification Church - a religious sect founded by Korean…
Tam Paton One of the most startling allegations about ex-Bay City Rollers manager Thomas "Tam" Paton (b. 1937) involved him setting his dogs…
Malcolm Fraser John Malcolm Fraser was born in Melbourne, Australia, in 1930. The grandson of an influential politician and businessman, Fraser was…
Robert Muldoon 1 9 2 1 - 1 9 9 2 New Zealand National Party right-of-centre politician and NZ prime minister from…
