Joe McDonnell's health seriously weakening

THIS SATURDAY is leading H-Block Hunger Striker Joe McDonnell's 50th day without food, and his physical condition is now seriously weakening as every agonising day passes by.

The previous four blanket men Ñ Bobby Sands, Francis Hughes, Raymond McCreesh and Patsy O'Hara Ñ who died as a result of the British Government's H-Block death policy, survived 66, 59, 61, and 61 days rspectively, on their fast.

So time is running out all too rapidly for Joe McDonnell who is out two week ahead of his hunger-Strikeing comrades Kieran Doherty and Kevin Lynch. The cruel intransigence of British premier Margaret Thatcher and her Tory henchmen needs to be broken now, otherwise there will soon be the tragic first of a fresh procession of coffins coming out of the H-Blocks.

On Monday, yet another blanket man will join the Hunger Strike, bringing the number on the fast up to its expected maximum of eight at any one time. The seventh Hunger Striker, IRSP blanket man Mickey Devine from Derry City, began refusing food in his cell on H-5 last Monday.

The prisoners intend to maintain the number on Hunger Strike at eight and have staggered the timing of those joining the protest, since the first four deaths and their replacements, in such a way that the British Government will be allowed no lull should they persist in their infexibility towards the prisoners' five demands.

With Joe McDonnell now reaching the critical stage of his Hunger Strike, his condition has deteriorated markedly over the past week Ñ his seventh without food.

Since Sunday last he has been unable to leave his bed and any movement results in dizzy spells. His vision has now become blurred and he is having great difficulty in keeping water down.

Both Kieran Doherty and Kevin Lynch who on Saturday will be 37 and 36 days on hunger strike respectively, have lost almost two stone in weight and both are now in the prison hospital with Joe McDonnell.

Also in the hospital is Martin Hurson, who was moved from H5 on Monday after 25 days on Hunger Strike. He has already lost 24lbs weight since he started the fast. By this Saturday Martin will have gone 30 days without food.

Joe McDonnell is now suffering the serious physical problems of a prolonged Hunger Strike. With the other Hunger Strikers following him in almost weekly succession the H-Block crisis can only sharpen drastically.

An Phoblacht, Saturday 27 June 1981.