15 OCTOBER marks the 50th anniversary of the burning of Long Kesh camp in 1974 by republican POWs in protest at conditions and ill-treatment. In an article originally published in the November 1994 issue of Captive Voice, a magazine produced by republican POWs, former prisoner JOE DOHERTY, from north Belfast, recalls that historic act of resistance by republicans among the 1,500 prisoners and internees. Free article

Book Review by Mícheál Mac Donncha: ‘Policy of Deceit – Britain and Palestine 1914-1939’ by Peter Shambrook Free article

From midnight on Wednesday 31 August 1994 the Irish Republican Army commenced what it described as “a complete cessation of all military operations”. The IRA said it was taking this momentous step “to enhance the democratic peace process and underline our definitive commitment to its success”. Free article

‘The Last Disco - the Story of the Stardust Tragedy’ by Seán Murray, Christine Behan and Nicky Ryan. Published by Eriu. Free article

ONE of the most successful and spectacular escapes during the present struggle for freedom was the mass breakout by 19 republican prisoners from Portlaoise Prison in the summer of 1974.

In November 1973, ten days after the dramatic escape of three republicans by helicopter from Mountjoy Jail, all republican prisoners in Mountjoy and the Curragh Camp were moved to Portlaoise Prison.... Free article

Thomas McElwee, at the age of 23, was the tenth man to join the 1981 Hunger Strike. From Bellaghy in south Derry, he was imprisoned in 1976 after a premature bomb explosion in which he lost an eye. Free article

IRA Volunteer Kieran Doherty, TD for Cavan/Monaghan, died at 7:15pm on Sunday 2 August 1981, the day after Kevin Lynch’s death. Kieran had joined the hunger strike one day before Kevin Lynch and survived one day longer. Free article

He spent 71 days on hunger strike from 23 May 1981. He died on 1 August 1981. Free article

This week marks the 40th anniversary of the heroic anti-apartheid strike by a group of young workers in Dunnes Stores, Henry Street, Dublin. We re-publish here special features first published on the 20th anniversary. Free article

THE death of IRA Volunteer Martin Hurson on 13 July 1981, after 46 days on the Hunger Strike, was unexpected. The suddenness of his death, coming only five days after that of Joe McDonnell, came as a shock since two other Hunger Strikers – Kieran Doherty and Kevin Lynch – had been almost a week on hunger strike ahead of Martin. Free article

IN JUNE 1974, Ireland was in turmoil as the Troubles were in their fifth year. In the Six Counties, internment without trial was in force and the British Army was on the rampage throughout nationalist areas. Free article

THURSDAY, 21 MAY 1981, witnessed the deaths of two more Hunger Strikers. Raymond McCreesh passed away at 2:30am. That evening, Patsy O’Hara died. The deaths of Raymond and Patsy – who had started the strike on the same day, died on the same day and were born within a fortnight of each other in February 1957 – marked a critical escalation in the prison struggle as well as the struggle outside the prisons walls. Free article

Film review: ‘May-17-74 Anatomy of a Massacre’. Directed by Joe Lee, produced by Fergus Dowd with Justice for the Forgotten. Free article

The death of Francis Hughes at the age of 25 on hunger strike in the H-Blocks of Long Kesh saw not the end of a legend but a new chapter in what was, by any measure, the story of one of the most fearless and tenacious guerrilla fighters of the 20th Century and of the Irish Republican Army. Free article

“Sands, Bobby. Anti H-Block/Armagh Political Prisoner, 30,492”. These words of election returning officer Alastair Patterson, became in 1981 the live televised public proof of the power of republican voters. Bobby Sands was elected MP for Fermanagh-South Tyrone 43 years ago on 9 April 1981. We republish two unique first-hand accounts of the events that led to Sands victory from Jim Gibney and Danny Morrison. Free article