Belfast republicans to mark 30 years since 1980 Hunger Strike

THE 30th anniversary of the start of the 1980 Hunger Strike by republican prisoners in Long Kesh and Armagh women's jail who were protesting for political status is to be marked by republicans in Belfast on Wednesday October 27th.

In west Belfast, white-line pickets will be held at the top of the Whiterock, the Andersontown Leisure Centre and Poleglass roundabout at 5.30pm.

In north Belfast, republicans will gather at the New Lodge/Antrim Road Junction at 5:30pm and in the east of the city a vigil will take place on the Mountpottinger Road at 5:30pm also.

Falls Road republicans will gather at 6.30pm at the International Wall for a candlelight vigil.

Following the white-line pickets, republicans from across the city will gather at the International Wall at 7pm, where a mural on the Armagh prison struggle and the women's hunger strike, painted by Danny Devenny, will be unveiled.

Then ex-POW and Assembly member Jennifer McCann will be the main speaker at an event at the Falls Memorial Garden, which will be chaired by former Blanketman Fra McCann MLA.

This event will be the first in a series of commemorations over the next year organised by the 1980/1981 committees to mark the 30^th anniversary of the prison hunger strikes.