Hungerstrike Commemorative Mass

louth | miscellaneous | event notice Monday September 18, 2006 16:24 by Eugene Garvey - Ógra Shinn Féin osfnational at yahoo dot ie

A Mass will be held in St Patrick¹s Cathedral Dundalk on Tuesday 3rd October 2006 at 7.30pm. this is to commemorate the 25th Anniversary of the ten young Irish men who died on Hunger Strike in Long Kesh in 1981 for political status.

It is also to commemorate the sacrifice made by their two comrades Micheal Gaughan who died on Hunger Strike June 3rd 1974 Parkhurst Gaol and Frank Stagg who died on Hunger Strike 12th February 1976 Wakefield Prison.

The Mass has been organised to mark the ending of the 1981 Hunger Strike on the 3rd of October 1981 and to mark this tragic period in Irish history in a proper, fitting and dignified manner. The committee wish to stress that everyone is welcome to attend and participate in the Mass.

County Louth was deeply affected by the trauma of the Hunger Strikes and in electing Paddy Agnew as TD signalled their support for an end to the inhuman conditions which the prisoners had endured for many years. Commenting on what he witnessed in the H Blocks in 1978 the late Cardinal Tomás O Fiaich said, "One would hardly allow an animal to remain in such conditions let alone a human being. The nearest approach to it I have seen was the spectacle of hundreds of homeless people living in sewer pipes in the slums of Calcutta". These circumstances forced the prisoners to embark on Hunger Strike.

In remembering the suffering of these men and their families, we would ask all those who were involved in the various committees during the Hunger Strikes, those who marched in support of them, those who prayed for them, and the many people who remember these tragic times to attend this Mass to commemorate the lives of these courageous young men.