A NEW mural to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 1981 Hunger Strike has been officially unveiled at the former Andersonstown Barracks site.
The mural, which also commemorates Michael Gaughan and Frank Stagg who died on hunger strike in English prisons in the 1970's, was created by local artist Michael Doherty.
Launching the new artwork, above, Sinn Féin MLA and former hunger striker, Pat Sheehan, said: “Just over 40 years ago, on the first of March 1981, I shook hands with Bobby Sands in H-Block 3 as he embarked on a hunger strike that would end in his death 66 days later. And, of course, nine other Volunteers followed Bobby onto that hunger strike, and also sacrificed their lives in the cause of Irish freedom.
“And it’s fitting that we’re standing here today at Groves Reilly Corner at the junction of the Glen Road and Falls Road that used to be an RUC barracks. It’s also a place that many of our comrades who paid the ultimate sacrifice passed on their final journey into Milltown Cemetery, and of course Bobby, Joe (McDonnell), and Kieran (Doherty) also passed here on their final journey into the republican plot in Milltown Cemetery.
“Of course, I wasn’t here, I was in the H-Blocks, and I later replaced Kieran Doherty on the hunger strike and spent 55 days on that hunger strike until it was called to a close on the third of October in 1981.
“And it’s worth mentioning today that there are more republicans in Ireland than there have ever been at any time, and a lot of that is due to the inspiration of the hunger strikers, and we are now within touching distance of the objective for which they died; a free and independent united Ireland.”
Meanwhile, a new mural dedicated to Bobby Sands is set to be unveiled in his native Twinbrook. The mural on Juniper Park will be completed in the coming days.
