Joe McDonnell (hunger striker)

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Joseph McDonnell (14 September 1951 – 8 July 1981) was a volunteer in the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) who died during the 1981 Irish hunger strike.

Early life

McDonnell was born on Slate Street in the lower

IRA activity

McDonnell was arrested in

McDonnell agreed with the goals of the Irish hunger strike, namely: the right not to wear a prison uniform; the right not to do prison work; the right of free association with other prisoners; the right to organise their own educational and recreational facilities and the right to one visit, one letter and one parcel per week.

Although McDonnell was not involved in the first (1980) hunger strike, he joined Bobby Sands and the others in the second (1981) hunger strike. During the strike he was a candidate at the 1981 general election in the Republic of Ireland for the Sligo–Leitrim constituency, but was not elected.^[1] He went 61 days without food before dying on 8 July 1981. He has two children. His wife Goretti took an active part in the campaign in support of the hunger strikers.

McDonnell was buried in the grave next to Bobby Sands at Milltown Cemetery. John Joe McGirl, McDonnell's election agent in Sligo–Leitrim, gave the oration at his funeral. Quoting Patrick Pearse, he stated: "He may seem the fool who has given his all, by the wise men of the world; but it was the apparent fools who changed the course of Irish history".^[2]

Allegations

In March 2006, former prisoner Richard O'Rawe alleged that three days before McDonnell's death the British government made a firm offer to the prison leadership substantive enough to end the protest. O'Rawe alleges that while the leadership inside the prison were prepared to go for the deal and end the protest to save the lives of McDonnell and the others who died after him, the leadership outside told them to continue.^[3][4]

The IRA commander inside Long Kesh at the time, Brendan McFarlane (known as "Bik"), has publicly disputed this version of events. Only one other prisoner on the prison wing O'Rawe and McFarlane were on, Anthony McIntyre, has backed up O'Rawe's version of events in relation to the 1981 hunger strike.^[5]

Commemoration

McDonnell was one of 22 Irish republicans (in the 20th century) who died on hunger-strike.^[6] Upon his death, McDonnell was martyred alongside the other hunger strikers and remains a well-known figure in the movement today, even with his death.

McDonnell is commemorated on the Irish Martyrs Memorial at Waverley Cemetery in Sydney, Australia.

Joe McDonnell is also commemorated in the

References