Mayo to host 45th anniversary national hunger strike commemoration
THE 45th anniversary national hunger strike commemoration was officially launched in Castlebar, with organisers calling on people from across Ireland to gather in Ballina on Sunday, August 30, to honour those Irish republicans who died on hunger strike and all those who made that sacrifice throughout Irish history.
The launch, chaired by Councillor Gerry Murray, heard contributions from George Stagg, Deputy Rose Conway-Walsh and former hunger striker Pat Sheehan.
George Stagg reflected on the sacrifice of his brother, Frank, who died on hunger strike in 1976, and on the special significance of this year’s national commemoration taking place in his native Mayo.
Sinn Féin TD Rose Conway-Walsh paid tribute to Mayo’s unique contribution to Ireland’s struggle for freedom, remembering Jack McNeela, Michael Gaughan and Frank Stagg, and said it was fitting that Mayo would host the landmark anniversary.
Former hunger striker Pat Sheehan spoke of the enduring significance of the 1981 hunger strike, describing it as a defining moment in modern Irish history that transformed the political landscape and continues to inspire people committed to justice, equality and national self-determination.
The commemoration marks the 45th anniversary of the deaths of Bobby Sands, Francis Hughes, Raymond McCreesh, Patsy O’Hara, Joe McDonnell, Martin Hurson, Kevin Lynch, Kieran Doherty, Thomas McElwee and Mickey Devine, who died during the 1981 hunger strike in the H-Blocks of Long Kesh. The commemoration will also honour Mayo's Jack McNeela, Michael Gaughan and Frank Stagg, together with all those who participated in hunger strikes throughout Irish history.
On behalf of the organising committee, Pat Sheehan said: “Forty-five years on, the courage, dignity and sacrifice of the hunger strikers continue to inspire people across Ireland and throughout the world. We remember them not simply for the manner of their deaths, but for the values they lived and died to uphold - the right of the Irish people to determine our own future, and the ideals of freedom, equality and national independence.
“The journey they helped shape did not end in 1981. It continues today through peaceful and democratic means. As the conversation about Ireland’s constitutional future grows, it is important that we remember those whose sacrifice helped create the political momentum that has brought us to this point.”
Organisers encouraged people from across Ireland to attend the national commemoration in Ballina on August 30 to honour the memory, courage and enduring legacy of all those who participated in the hunger strike campaign.