Patsy O'Hara
| Patsy O'Hara | |
|---|---|
| Born |
11 July 1957 Derry, Northern Ireland |
| Died | 21 May 1981 (aged 23) HM Prison Maze, Northern Ireland |
| Organization | INLA |
| Known for | Hunger strike of 61 days, from 22 March 1981 |
Patsy O'Hara (11 July 1957 – 21 May 1981) was an Irish republican hunger striker and member of the Irish National Liberation Army (INLA).
O'Hara was born in Bishop Street, Derry, Northern Ireland. He joined Na Fianna Éireann in 1970, and in 1971 his brother Sean was interned in Long Kesh. In late 1971, at the age of 14, he was shot and wounded by a soldier while manning a barricade. Due to his injuries he was unable to attend the civil rights march on Bloody Sunday but watched it go by him in the Brandywell, and the events of the day had a lasting effect on him.
In October 1974, O'Hara was interned in Long Kesh, and on his release in April 1975 he joined the Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP) and INLA. He was arrested in Derry in June 1975 and held on remand for six months. In September 1976, he was arrested again and once more held on remand for four months.
On 10 May 1978, he was arrested on O'Connell Street, Dublin, Republic of Ireland under section 30 of the Offences Against the State Act, and was released 18 hours later. He returned to Derry in January 1979 and was active in the INLA. On 14 May 1979 he was arrested and was convicted of possessing a hand grenade. He was sentenced to eight years in prison in January 1980.
He became Officer Commanding of the INLA prisoners at the beginning of the first hunger strike in 1980, and he joined the 1981 strike on 22 March.
...
Wikipedia