Mayo ceremony to mark 50th anniversary of Frank Stagg's death

A commemoration to mark the 50th anniversary of Frank Stagg’s death by hunger strike will take place in Ballina on Saturday, February 14.

This will be the first major event in the National Hunger Strike Commemoration of 2026.

A native of Hollymount, he died in Wakefield Prison in England in 1976 after 62 days on hunger strike. He was 35 years old.

Frank received a 10-year sentence in 1973 for conspiracy to committ arson.

During his time in prison, he endured three gruelling hunger strikes brought on by the dehumanising conditions of his incarceration and his refusal to accept being classified as a common criminal.

In 1974, Frank went on hunger strike with Gerry Kelly, Michael Gaughan, Hugh Feeney and the Price sisters.

They had three demands: an end to solitary confinement, access to educational facilities instead of prison work and repatriation to a prison in Northern Ireland.

Michael Gaughan’s death from injuries suffered while being force fed led to the practice being banned.

The strike ended when authorities agreed to transfer the strikers, with the exception of Frank, to serve out their sentences in the Northern Ireland.

He was denied repatriation because he was born in Mayo rather than the United Kingdom.

He was instead transferred to Long Larkin Prison where he went on hunger strike a second time.

He called off his protest after 34 days when the prison governor met his demands.

Frank Stagg’s third and final hunger strike—the one that claimed his life—took place at Wakefield Prison in 1975.

The governor at Wakefield had dismissed the terms of the settlement that Frank had won at Long Larkin and ordered punitive treatment because of Frank’s refusal to do prison work. Frank went on hunger strike and died after 62 days.

The ensuing spectacle of Frank’s funeral garnered national and international attention when the Fine Gael government under Liam Cosgrave hijacked his coffin in mid-flight while en route to Dublin.

The cargo plane carrying Frank’s remains was diverted to Shannon Airport.

The Cosgrave government neither consulted with nor sought permission from the Stagg family, which waited in vain at Dublin Airport for the coffin’s arrival.

When the plane landed in Shannon, special branch men arrested George Stagg, who had accompanied his dead brother’s remains on the flight, and seized the coffin.

Authorities refused to allow family members to view the coffin. The government never released the body prior to burial.

The following day, Frank’s remains were flown by military helicopter to Robeen Church in Hollymount.

The coffin was then transported by military convoy to Leigue Cemetery in Ballina.

Frank was buried under government order in an isolated grave well outside the republican plot in direct violation of the wishes he had expressed in his last will-and-testament three days before he died.

The morbid drama continued to play out over the coming months.

Garda Síochana began round-the-clock surveillance of the grave from a hut built on site for that purpose.

All visitors to the grave, including Frank’s widowed mother, were photographed.

The 24-hour surveillance finally ended in July 1977.

The garda hut was dismantled and a load of concrete was dumped upon the grave to ensure that the coffin could never be dug up and re-buried.

Four months later, on cold November night with no moon, a party of six men, including George Stagg, dug up the coffin and re-interned it in the republican plot, as Frank had wished.

The Stagg commemoration will feature several speakers.

Gerry Kelly, who stood with Frank Stagg on hunger strike in 1974, will deliver the keynote address.

Others speakers include Gerry Murray, Sinn Féin councillor, and Rose Conway-Walsh, Mayo Sinn Féin TD.

The day’s events will begin at 12 noon with 12k run that departs from the Michael Gaughan monument at Healy Terrace.

Hugh Armstrong, a Knockmore native and one of Ireland's finest distance runners, will lead the run along with Collyn Kelly of the Cú Chulainn Runners Club of Derry. A 5k walk is also scheduled to start at the same time.

Attendees will assemble at 1.30 p.m. at the lower car park of Leigue Cemetery. A lone piper will lead a colour party to the rave followed by a black flag procession and members of the Stagg family. A general procession will follow behind.

The ceremony at the grave will begin at 2 p.m. with music by members of the Stagg family.

Following the speakers, Kenneth Morrison will play the Last Post on bugle.

Morrison, a native of Cork, played the Last Post at Frank’s funeral 50 years ago when he was 14 years old.

George Stagg will offer concluding remarks on behalf of the Stagg family.

Following the commemoration, a social gathering will take place at the at the Great National Hotel from 7 p.m. until late.

Spirit of Freedom, with support from Máirtín McDonnell and Bernie Carroll, will provide live music. There is no cover charge