Bobby Sands

Bobby Sands was a prominent member of the IRA who was best known for his role in the various protest against British rule in Northern Ireland. Prior to the 1981 Hunger Strikes, the IRA members imprisoned at the Maze jail started the “dirty protests” by initially refusing to wear prison uniforms but later escalated to refusing to bathe or shave. This was all to protest against their given status as criminals rather than political prisoners. When British PM Margaret Thatcher refused to submit, Bobby Sands was the first to initiate a “hunger strike to the death.” After 66 days without eating, Sands died, followed by nine more of his IRA comrades. Bobby Sands among others became a martyr, as his death sparked numerous riots across Northern Ireland and resulted in a surge in IRA recruitment.