Hunger Strikes

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What was Criminalisation and what was the problem with it?
Criminalisation was a policy introduced by the British Government in 1976 which removed Special Category Status, which had meant that those convicted of crime relating to the Troubles were counted as POWs. Prisoners were outraged
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How did the prisoners react?
-The male prisoners in the Maze prison and female prisoners in Armagh refused to co-operate -They began the blanket protests -Later they began the dirty protests
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What were the 5 demands of the prisoners?
1. The right to wear their own clothes 2. The right not to do prison work 3. Free association among prisoners 4. The right to one letter and parcel per week 5. Full restoration of remission lost during the protest
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When did the first hunger strike begin and end?
It was begun in late 1980 by the IRA and called off in December of that year as they believed they had gained some of their demands (they hadn't)
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What was different about the second hunger strike?
This was started in March 1981 and was led by Bobby Sands. This time it was held at intervals to maximise the impact and gain sympathy from Catholics who otherwise didn't support the IRA
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What happened in the Fermanagh South Tyrone By-Election?
When the Independent MP for Fermanagh-South Tyrone died, Sands was put up as a candidate. He won on the 40th day of his strike
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What were the results of this?
-It put huge pressure on the British government -There was increased support for hunger strikers -This support
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When did the strike end and why?
The strike ended on 3rd October after 10 hunger strikers had died, including Bobby Sands who died on 5th May. A week later several concessions were granted
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What concessions were granted?
1. Prisoners would be allowed to wear their own clothes at all time 2. The 50% reduction in sentence length lost by protesters would be restored 3. A greater number of prison visits would be permitted 4. More association among prisoners
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Why did Sinn Fein re-emerge?
The election of Bobby Sands launched Sinn Fein into politics as the Sands election showed how much power they could gain from using elections. They were committed to contesting elections while also continuing their violence.
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Why did Sinn Fein re-emerge? (Cont.)
In 1983 Adams beat Fitt for the West Belfast seat and SF won 13.4% of the vote in NI. 'A Ballot Box in one hand and an Armalite in the other'
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What else did the Hunger Strikes result in?
-IRA violence increased -Unionists and Nationalists grew further apart -Nationalist opposition to the British government increased -61 people died in the violence that erupted
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Other cards in this set

Card 2

Front

How did the prisoners react?

Back

-The male prisoners in the Maze prison and female prisoners in Armagh refused to co-operate -They began the blanket protests -Later they began the dirty protests

Card 3

Front

What were the 5 demands of the prisoners?

Back

Preview of the front of card 3

Card 4

Front

When did the first hunger strike begin and end?

Back

Preview of the front of card 4

Card 5

Front

What was different about the second hunger strike?

Back

Preview of the front of card 5
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