Irish Hunger Strike - Ireland 1981 Commemoration T-Shirt

The hunger strike took place in 1981 and was a showdown between the prisoners and the Prime Minister, Margaret Thatcher. One hunger striker, Bobby Sands, was elected as a member of parliament during the strike, prompting media interest from around the world. The strike was called off after ten prisoners had starved themselves to death, including Sands, whose funeral was attended by 100,000 people. The strike radicalized Irish nationalist politics and was the driving force that enabled Sinn Féin to become a mainstream political party.