Bobby Sands and the Hunger Strikers
Sands and the strikers.
Bobby Sands was born into a catholic family in Newtownabbey, County Antrim on the 9th of March 1954. He had 3 siblings which two were girls and the other was a boy. They were named Marcella who was the oldest of the siblings and was born in 1955, Bernadette was born in 1958 and John was born in 1962. Bobby left school and became a apprentice coach builder until he forced out at gunpoint by loyalists. He married Geraldine Noade and they had a son named Gerard who was born 8 May 1973. Sands' commitment to the republican cause, this put a great strain on his marriage and when his wife Geraldine lost her second child by miscarriage as a result of the stress caused by Bobby's IRA activities, their short marriage ended. She soon left to live in England with their son.
In 1972, the year in which was recorded the highest death toll during the Troubles, Sands opted to join the IRA. In October of that year, he was arrested and charged with possession of four handguns which were found in the house in which he was staying. In April 1973 he was sentenced to five years imprisonment. Bobby was released from prison in 1976, he returned to his family home in West Belfast, and resumed his active role in the IRA's campaign. He was then accused of taking part in the October 1976 bombing of the Balmoral Furniture Company in Dunmurry, but they had no evidence to back up that Bobby had any involvement in the bombings. Again he was accused of having another involvement in a gun battle with the Royal Ulster Constabulary, but once again the PSNI had not sufficient evidence to back up that Sands had any involvement. He was once again found in the possession of firearms and was back in court in September 1977 and he was imprisoned for fourteen years this was known as Long Kesh.
In prison, Sands became a writer both of journalism and poetry which was published in the Irish republican newspaper An Phoblacht. In late 1980 Sands was chosen as Officer Commanding of the
Bobby Sands was born into a catholic family in Newtownabbey, County Antrim on the 9th of March 1954. He had 3 siblings which two were girls and the other was a boy. They were named Marcella who was the oldest of the siblings and was born in 1955, Bernadette was born in 1958 and John was born in 1962. Bobby left school and became a apprentice coach builder until he forced out at gunpoint by loyalists. He married Geraldine Noade and they had a son named Gerard who was born 8 May 1973. Sands' commitment to the republican cause, this put a great strain on his marriage and when his wife Geraldine lost her second child by miscarriage as a result of the stress caused by Bobby's IRA activities, their short marriage ended. She soon left to live in England with their son.
In 1972, the year in which was recorded the highest death toll during the Troubles, Sands opted to join the IRA. In October of that year, he was arrested and charged with possession of four handguns which were found in the house in which he was staying. In April 1973 he was sentenced to five years imprisonment. Bobby was released from prison in 1976, he returned to his family home in West Belfast, and resumed his active role in the IRA's campaign. He was then accused of taking part in the October 1976 bombing of the Balmoral Furniture Company in Dunmurry, but they had no evidence to back up that Bobby had any involvement in the bombings. Again he was accused of having another involvement in a gun battle with the Royal Ulster Constabulary, but once again the PSNI had not sufficient evidence to back up that Sands had any involvement. He was once again found in the possession of firearms and was back in court in September 1977 and he was imprisoned for fourteen years this was known as Long Kesh.
In prison, Sands became a writer both of journalism and poetry which was published in the Irish republican newspaper An Phoblacht. In late 1980 Sands was chosen as Officer Commanding of the