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History

Bobby Sands

What is bobby sands?

· James MacDonald

Key facts

Born 9 March 1954, Rathcoole, Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland[1]
Died 5 May 1981, HM Prison Maze, near Lisburn, Northern Ireland[1]
Affiliation Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA)[1]
Hunger strike Began 1 March 1981; lasted 66 days[4]

Bobby Sands was a Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) member who became internationally known for his 1981 hunger strike while imprisoned at HM Prison Maze in Northern Ireland, where he died after 66 days without food [1].

Context

Bobby Sands, born Robert Gerard Sands, was a Provisional IRA member imprisoned for activities related to the armed campaign against the British government [1]. He began a hunger strike on 1 March 1981 to protest prison conditions, and died on 5 May 1981 after 66 days [4]. His action drew international attention and led to his election as a Member of Parliament while on strike [2]. He was also a writer and poet [3].

Documented claims

  • Bobby Sands was a writer and poet. [3]
  • During the hunger strike, he was elected a Member of Parliament. [2]

Questions and answers

How long did Bobby Sands go without eating?

He went without food for 66 days, from 1 March 1981 until his death on 5 May 1981 [4].

What happened to Bobby Sands?

He died on 5 May 1981 at HM Prison Maze after 66 days on hunger strike [1].

Was Bobby Sands Catholic or Protestant?

The sources describe him as a member of the Provisional IRA, but do not specify his religion.

Sources

  1. Bobby Sands and the 1981 Hunger Strike — thenonviolenceproject.wisc.edu (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. Bobby Sands: Remembering the Irish hunger striker — irishcentral.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  3. Sands, Robert ('Bobby') | Dictionary of Irish Biography — dib.ie (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  4. Bobby Sands Trust — bobbysandstrust.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in History