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1923 Irish hunger strikes
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1923 Irish hunger strikes
In October 1923 mass hunger strikes were undertaken by Irish republican prisoners protesting the continuation of their internment without trial. The Irish Civil War had ended six months earlier yet the newly formed Provisional Government of the Irish Free State was slow in releasing the thousands of Irish republican prisoners opposed to the Anglo-Irish Treaty.
In the 20th-century, 22 Irish republicans died while on hunger strike. In the early part of 20th century hunger strikes were adopted as a protest of last resort by Irish republican prisoners. In the period between 1916 and 1918 there had been over a dozen hunger strikes in Ireland. In the period between August 1918 and October 1923 over 30 more hunger strikes occurred. Eight Irish republicans died during these hunger strikes with many more suffering health complications at later dates. Irish revolutionary Thomas Ashe died as a result of forced feedings on 25 September 1917 in Mountjoy Prison. He was arrested after making a speech in County Longford and was charged with "causing disaffection" among the people. After the death of Ashe, the remaining striking prisoners were granted political status and ended that hunger strike.
A highly publicized hunger strike began on Easter Monday, 5 April 1920, when sixty men went on hunger strike protesting their internment without charges/trials and demanding release or political prisoner status. Eventually there were 101 men participating in the strike which brought much media attention to the hunger strikers. At that time this was the largest hunger strike in Irish history. The British government made the decision to not interfere with and to support the decisions concerning the hunger strikers made by their representative in Ireland - the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland John French. After large demonstrations (estimates range from 5,000 to 10,000) and a general strike throughout Dublin, the government released the prisoners (14 April 1920). Within the following month, approximately 200 internees were also released from HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs in London.
Peadar Clancy and Frank Gallagher led the Mountjoy hunger strikers and refused all concessions from the prison authorities. After a 14-day strike, Clancy was able to successfully negotiate the release of all hunger strikers being detained in Mountjoy. On 3 May 1920 the special powers (searching of individuals/property and internment) given to the military were cancelled (see Defence of the Realm Act 1914). Those powers were quickly returned to the military in the Restoration of Order in Ireland Act 1920.
On 13 August 1920 seventy-eight Irish republican prisoners went on hunger strike in Cork County Gaol demanding a general, immediate and unconditional release. Notables in the group included Terence MacSwiney the Lord Mayor of Cork and Liam Lynch, Irish Republican Army Commandant, Cork No 2 Brigade. A week into the hunger strike, all but 11 of the hunger strikers were released or deported to prisons in England.
During the course of the strike three fully observed work stoppages took place in Cork. These work stoppages were organised by the city's Civic and Labour Council allowing workers to attend masses for the hunger strikers. On 12 November 1920 (after 94 days) the men were directed to come off the strike by Arthur Griffith. Griffith said that they had 'sufficiently proved their devotion and fidelity, and that they should now, as they were prepared to die for Ireland, prepare again to live for her.'
When the hunger strike was called off the remaining nine strikers required hospitalization and all died relatively young. This strike resulted in three death from starvation: MacSwiney (d. 25 October 1920) in Brixton Prison, London (he had been transferred there from Cork Gaol) and two men died in Cork Gaol – Michael Fitzgerald (d.17 October 1920) and Joe Murphy (d. 25 October 1920).
In the spring of 1923 it became evident to the anti Anglo-Irish Treaty Irish Republican Army (IRA) that they could not win the Irish Civil War. On 20 April 1923 Frank Aiken assumed the leadership position (Chief of Staff) of the anti-treaty IRA. He ordered a cessation of military operations on 30 April and his ceasefire order to 'dump arms' on 24 May 1923 effectively ended the Irish Civil War. Aiken wrote "We took up arms to free our country and we'll keep them until we see an honourable way of reaching our objective without arms." With no decisive battle or formal surrender by the anti- treaty IRA, Republicans continued to be rounded up and interned by the Irish Free State Army. The civil war was now ended, but the Irish Free State still had to deal with at least 12,000 anti treaty men and women in prison. The Free State government did not issue a general amnesty to the IRA internees until the following year (1924), leaving many republican prisoners interned long after the ending of the war.
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1923 Irish hunger strikes
In October 1923 mass hunger strikes were undertaken by Irish republican prisoners protesting the continuation of their internment without trial. The Irish Civil War had ended six months earlier yet the newly formed Provisional Government of the Irish Free State was slow in releasing the thousands of Irish republican prisoners opposed to the Anglo-Irish Treaty.
In the 20th-century, 22 Irish republicans died while on hunger strike. In the early part of 20th century hunger strikes were adopted as a protest of last resort by Irish republican prisoners. In the period between 1916 and 1918 there had been over a dozen hunger strikes in Ireland. In the period between August 1918 and October 1923 over 30 more hunger strikes occurred. Eight Irish republicans died during these hunger strikes with many more suffering health complications at later dates. Irish revolutionary Thomas Ashe died as a result of forced feedings on 25 September 1917 in Mountjoy Prison. He was arrested after making a speech in County Longford and was charged with "causing disaffection" among the people. After the death of Ashe, the remaining striking prisoners were granted political status and ended that hunger strike.
A highly publicized hunger strike began on Easter Monday, 5 April 1920, when sixty men went on hunger strike protesting their internment without charges/trials and demanding release or political prisoner status. Eventually there were 101 men participating in the strike which brought much media attention to the hunger strikers. At that time this was the largest hunger strike in Irish history. The British government made the decision to not interfere with and to support the decisions concerning the hunger strikers made by their representative in Ireland - the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland John French. After large demonstrations (estimates range from 5,000 to 10,000) and a general strike throughout Dublin, the government released the prisoners (14 April 1920). Within the following month, approximately 200 internees were also released from HM Prison Wormwood Scrubs in London.
Peadar Clancy and Frank Gallagher led the Mountjoy hunger strikers and refused all concessions from the prison authorities. After a 14-day strike, Clancy was able to successfully negotiate the release of all hunger strikers being detained in Mountjoy. On 3 May 1920 the special powers (searching of individuals/property and internment) given to the military were cancelled (see Defence of the Realm Act 1914). Those powers were quickly returned to the military in the Restoration of Order in Ireland Act 1920.
On 13 August 1920 seventy-eight Irish republican prisoners went on hunger strike in Cork County Gaol demanding a general, immediate and unconditional release. Notables in the group included Terence MacSwiney the Lord Mayor of Cork and Liam Lynch, Irish Republican Army Commandant, Cork No 2 Brigade. A week into the hunger strike, all but 11 of the hunger strikers were released or deported to prisons in England.
During the course of the strike three fully observed work stoppages took place in Cork. These work stoppages were organised by the city's Civic and Labour Council allowing workers to attend masses for the hunger strikers. On 12 November 1920 (after 94 days) the men were directed to come off the strike by Arthur Griffith. Griffith said that they had 'sufficiently proved their devotion and fidelity, and that they should now, as they were prepared to die for Ireland, prepare again to live for her.'
When the hunger strike was called off the remaining nine strikers required hospitalization and all died relatively young. This strike resulted in three death from starvation: MacSwiney (d. 25 October 1920) in Brixton Prison, London (he had been transferred there from Cork Gaol) and two men died in Cork Gaol – Michael Fitzgerald (d.17 October 1920) and Joe Murphy (d. 25 October 1920).
In the spring of 1923 it became evident to the anti Anglo-Irish Treaty Irish Republican Army (IRA) that they could not win the Irish Civil War. On 20 April 1923 Frank Aiken assumed the leadership position (Chief of Staff) of the anti-treaty IRA. He ordered a cessation of military operations on 30 April and his ceasefire order to 'dump arms' on 24 May 1923 effectively ended the Irish Civil War. Aiken wrote "We took up arms to free our country and we'll keep them until we see an honourable way of reaching our objective without arms." With no decisive battle or formal surrender by the anti- treaty IRA, Republicans continued to be rounded up and interned by the Irish Free State Army. The civil war was now ended, but the Irish Free State still had to deal with at least 12,000 anti treaty men and women in prison. The Free State government did not issue a general amnesty to the IRA internees until the following year (1924), leaving many republican prisoners interned long after the ending of the war.