Laurence McKeown and Pat Sheehan both took part in the 1981 Hunger Strike. In this concluding episode of the Guthanna ’81 series, they reflect on their own experiences of the strike, on the impact the Hunger Strike had at the time and on the le...

Ted Howell, a Republican strategist and lifelong activist from Belfast, talks in this podcast about the context in which the 1981 Hunger Strike came about and the critical support that came from the United States during that time, continuing a ...

Joe Doherty was one of eight escapees from Crumlin Road Gaol in June 1981. In this podcast, he explains the escape, the impact that time had on him personally and how it gave the prisoners’ spirits a much needed lift during a very dark time.

Sue O’Halloran was a Sinn Féin activist in London in the 1970s and 80s. In this episode of Guthanna ’81, she reflects on her activism at that time, on the impact of the Hunger Strike on the attitudes on the ground in England and on the apathy t...

Labhraíonn Pilib Ó Ruanaidh fá thionchar na Gaeilge ar na príosúnaigh sna Blocanna-H agus an saoirse a thug an teanga dóibh agus iad faoi ghlas. Déanann sé tagairt chomh maith ar an tionchar a bhí ag pobal na n-iarchimí ar fhorbairt na teanga ó...

When Monica Culbert’s husband was sentenced to life imprisonment, her life, and the life of their two young sons, changed completely. In this episode, she talks about being the wife of a political prisoner, about trying to maintain a sense of n...

Martin Ferris, a former Sinn Féin TD from County Kerry, was an IRA prisoner in Port Laoise Gaol in 1981, having spent 47 days on Hunger Strike himself in 1977. In this episode, he reflects on the tradition of Hunger Strike in the campaign for I...

Eoghan ‘Gino’ McCormaic was in the H-Blocks of Long Kesh with Michael Devine. Michael, who died on 20th August 1981, was the last of the Hunger Strikers to die. In this podcast, we hear about ‘Red Mick’, as he was known, his politics and the ci...

Chris Glackin was a childhood friend of Thomas McElwee, the ninth Hunger Striker to die in 1981. They grew up in Bellaghy in south Derry, attending primary and secondary school together. He reflects here on the young man he knew who liked worki...

John Pickering, a former Hunger Striker himself, grew up in Andersonstown along with Kieran Doherty. In this episode, he talks about growing up as the conflict broke out, their time in gaol and Kieran’s strength in his beliefs as he went on Hun...

Jake Mac Siacais, a former Blanketman, was in jail with Kevin Lynch in both Crumlin Road Gaol and the H-Blocks. Both on the same wing in H-3, Jake recalls Kevin’s quiet determination, his passion for the GAA and his grá for the Irish language.&...

Gerry Adams, former President of Sinn Féin, was a key player in the Sinn Féin leadership at the time of the 1981 Hunger Strike. In this podcast, he recalls his visit to the H-Block prison hospital in July of that year and his meeting with the H...

Nuala McKernan-Donnelly, from East Tyrone, has written a soon to be published book on the life of Martin Hurson on behalf of the Tyrone Sinn Féin Commemoration Committee. In this podcast, she shares what she has learned about Martin's life grow...

Jaz McCann, a teacher, author and former blanketman, was a close friend of Joe McDonnell. He reflects here on the man he knew and the strange and turbulent times in which they lived.

French barrister, Aude Catala, was a student of just 15 years old when she first visited Belfast during the Hunger Strike in 1981. In this podcast she talks about the international support that existed for the Hunger Strikers and the impact tha...

Julie Livingstone was fourteen years old in 1981 when she was shot by a plastic bullet, dying the next day as a result of her injuries. She was one of seventeen people killed during the course of the conflict by plastic bullets, eight of whom w...

Michael McVeigh, from the Short Strand in Belfast, was a member of the original ‘Youth Against H-Block and Armagh’ committee which was founded to encourage young people to voice their opposition to the prison regime at the time of the 1980 and ...

Uachtarán Shinn Féin, Mary-Lou McDonald, was a young teenager in Dublin during the time of the 1981 Hunger Strike. She speaks in this episode about her earliest memories hearing about Bobby Sands’ death, to this year of reflection four decades ...

Pat McGinn, from Camlough in South Armagh, was a childhood friend of Raymond McCreesh. In this episode of Guthanna ’81, he reflects on their experiences growing up together, on the strong Republican history of that area and on the impact the Hu...

Patsy O’Hara., from Derry city, was only 23 years old when he died on Hunger Strike. Former blanketman, Séanna Walsh, recalls his memories of a determined young man who stood true to his beliefs and defied the criminalisation process in the nor...

Andrée Murphy, Deputy Director of Relatives for Justice, was a 10 year old living in Dublin during the 1981 Hunger Strike. In this podcast, she reflects on the pivotal impact the Hunger Strike had on southern politics and how the determination ...

Life long Republican activist from South Derry, Peter Bateson, was a friend and comrade of Hunger Striker, Francis Hughes. In this episode, he reflects on his friendship with Francis, on his strength of resolve in challenging times and on his l...

Bobby Sands’ election agent, Owen Carron, speaks on this episode of Guthanna ’81 about the period after the historic 1981 election, the death of Bobby Sands on 5th May and the hugely significant impact of that period on politics across Ireland....

Fermanagh-based priest, Father Joe McVeigh, is a life-long civil rights activist and Republican. In this episode, he looks back on the role of the Catholic Church during the time of the prison protests in the late-1970s, into the turbulent era ...

Danny Morrison was a key negotiator between the Republican Movement and the British Government during the 1980 and 1981 Hunger Strikes. In this podcast, he looks back on those discussions, reflecting on the intricacies of the process and on the...