UNIT 8- Changing Republican Strategy Flashcards
Reasons for the 1980 & 1981 hunger strikes:
-To restore special category status which had been removed in 1976. (Expand where necessary).
-Object criminalisation (introduce with info about Rees’ successor, Mason, bringing in Ulsterisation and criminalisation then describe SCS, criminalisation,
etc)
-New prison conditions- H Blocks at the Maze prison had stricter conditions.
-Failure of the ‘blanket protest’ and ‘dirty protest’. There was little support and publicity for these- hunger strikes were a more effective method.
-Had been a successful tactic for Republicans previously.
-1981 strike started due to how nothing had been achieved despite the prisoners belie being that they thought they had won an agreement to wear their own clothes.
What was the British government’s reaction to the hunger strikes?
-The British government refused to reintroduce SCS and prisoners got no sympathy from them.
-Thatcher’s government would not give in and refused to grant the strikers any concessions.
What was the Nationalist reactions to the hunger strikes?
-Nationalists gave huge support during the second hunger strike especially when Bobby Sands won the by-election to attain the Fermanagh-South Tyrone seat and became a Westminster MP.
-After the death of Sands and the other strikers, support grew.
-Sinn Fein grew in popularity and benefited from the ‘Ballot Box and the Armalite strategy”.
What was the unionist reactions to the hunger strikes?
-Unionist reactions showed little sympathy and viewed the strikers as criminals and gun men.
-Unionists were deeply shocked at the huge support that Sands received.
-Unionists expressed more alarm for the growing IRA support.
Describe the rise of Sinn Fein:
-The party was soon winning lots of nationalist support.
-IRA men wanted more involvement in politics; particularly after Sands winning the Fermanagh-South Tyrone seat whilst being on hunger strike.
-Sign of real progress when Gerry Adam’s beat the SDLP’s Gerry Fitt for the West Belfast seat in the June 1983.
Describe what happened in the 1980 and 1981 hunger strikes:
-Group hunger strike in late 1980 which was called off in December. No concessions were granted despite the prisoners believing they had a deal of wearing their own clothes.
-March 1st 1981: second hunger strike began and was led by Sands, the IRA inmates’ commanding officer.
-This time prisoners would join the strike at intervals to elongate the protest and maximise its effect.
-This gained huge publicity & sympathy of many in the nationalist community but didn’t change government policy.
-When Frank Maguire (MP for Fermanagh-South Tyrone) died, Sands was put forward as candidate which put more pressure on the British.
-On the 40th day of his strike, Sands was elected as an anti-H block candidate to Westminster.
-Sands died on May 5th, 66 days after starting his strike.
-Thousands attended his funeral
What were the consequences of the hunger strikes?
-Rise of Sinn Fein (elaborate where necessary)
-10 people died of starvation
-Violence was lower than 1970s but still a huge problem.
-INLA emerged after a further split in republican groups in 1975.
-December 6th 1982- 17 died (11 being soldiers) from an IRA bomb in Ballykelly.
Who was the commanding officer of the IRA inmates?
Bobby Sands
What was criminalistation?
The 1976 removal of special category status under the new secretary of state, Roy Mason. (expand on SCS where necessary)
What was special category status?
It meant that those convicted of terrorist offences could claim they broke the law for political reasons and live as prisoners of war with privileges (examples where necessary)
Give some privileges which POWs had:
-Wear their own clothes
-Exempt from prison work
-More visits allowed
-Could associate freely with each other.
When was special category status removed?
March 1976
What was Ulsterisation?
One of Mason’s policies which would reduce the influence of the British Army and instead increase the size of the RUC and UDR.
When was the first hunger strike?
27 October 1980 to December 1980
Which seat did Sands win?
Fermanagh-South Tyrone
Which election showed the growth of Sinn Fein? How?
June 1983 where Gerry Adams beat Gerry Fitt (SDLP) for the West Belfast seat
When was the Ballykelly bombing?
6 December 1982
How many died in the Ballykelly bombing?
17, 11 of which being soldiers.
