Twenty-two....

Throughout the 20th Century, Irish Republican Prisoners battled successive British and Irish Governments to be recognised as, Political Prisoners.

When all else failed the Prisoners were forced to use the Hunger-Strike, as a last resort. The first such Strike to gain notoriety was back in 1913, when prominent Socialist, James Connolly was imprisoned. For his role in the Great Dublin Lock-Out. Resulting in Connolly's release from Mountjoy Gaol.

In 1917, IRB President. Thomas Ashe was incarcerated by British authorities for making, 'a seditious speech'. Soon after, Ashe demanded Political Status, which was promply refused. This prompted him to embark on an agonising Hunger-Strike. The British responded by repeatedly force-feeding him, a brutal and degrading experience. During one experiment, Volunteer. Ashe died.

Between 1917 - 1981, twenty-two Irishmen died on Hunger-Strike