Joe McDonnell (hunger striker)

Joe McDonnell
Born	Joseph McDonnell (1951-09-14)14 September 1951 Belfast, Northern Ireland
Died	8 July 1981(1981-07-08) (aged 29) HMP Maze, Northern Ireland
Burial place	Milltown Cemetery
Organization	Provisional IRA
Known for	Hunger strike of 61 days, from 9 May 1981
Spouse	Goretti (1970–1981; his death)
Children	2

Joseph McDonnell (14 September 1951 – 8 July 1981) was a volunteer in the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) who died during the 1981 Irish hunger strike.

Joe McDonnell was born on Slate Street in the lower Falls Road of Belfast as fifth of eight children.^[1][2] He attended a nearby Roman Catholic school. He married Goretti in 1970, and moved into her sister's house at Horn Drive in the Lenadoon area.^[2] Their house, being one of only two catholic households on an otherwise loyalist street, was attacked on numerous occasions before they were forced to move into Goretti's mother's house.^[2]

McDonnell was arrested in Operation Demetrius, and along with Gerry Adams and others was interned on the prison ship HMS Maidstone. He was later moved to HM Prison Maze for several months. Upon release, he joined the Provisional IRA Belfast Brigade. He met Bobby Sands during the preparation for a firebomb attack on the Balmoral Furnishing Company's premises in Dunmurry.^[3] During the ensuing shoot-out between the IRA and the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) and army, both men, along with Séamus Finucane and Seán Lavery, were arrested. McDonnell and the others were sentenced to 14 years in prison for possession of a firearm. None of the men recognized nor accepted the jurisdiction of the court.^[2] Following sentencing, he was returned to HMP Maze and imprisoned in the H5 Block.^[4]

McDonnell agreed with the goals of the Irish hunger strike, namely: the right not to wear a prison uniform; the right not to do prison work; the right of free association with other prisoners; the right to organise their own educational and recreational facilities and the right to one visit, one letter and one parcel per week.

Although McDonnell was not involved in the first (1980) hunger strike, he joined Bobby Sands and the others in the second (1981) hunger strike.^[2] During the strike he stood as an Anti-H Block candidate in the 1981 general election in the Republic of Ireland for the Sligo–Leitrim constituency, receiving 5,639 votes and just missing out on a seat by 315 votes.^[2][5] His hunger strike lasted for 61 days before dying on 8 July 1981.^[2][6] He had two children. His wife Goretti took an active part in the campaign in support of the hunger strikers.^[2]

McDonnell was buried in the grave next to Bobby Sands at Milltown Cemetery.^[7] John Joe McGirl, McDonnell's election agent in Sligo–Leitrim, gave the oration at his funeral.^[8] Quoting Patrick Pearse, he stated: "He may seem the fool who has given his all, by the wise men of the world; but it was the apparent fools who changed the course of Irish history".^[9]

In March 2006, former prisoner Richard O'Rawe alleged that three days before McDonnell's death the British government made a firm offer to the prison leadership substantive enough to end the protest. O'Rawe alleges that while the leadership inside the prison were prepared to go for the deal and end the protest to save the lives of McDonnell and the others who died after him, the leadership outside told them to continue.^[10][11]

The IRA commander inside Long Kesh at the time, Brendan McFarlane, has publicly disputed this version of events. Only one other prisoner on the prison wing O'Rawe and McFarlane were on, Anthony McIntyre, has backed up O'Rawe's version of events in relation to the 1981 hunger strike.^[12]

McDonnell was one of 22 Irish republicans (in the 20th century) who died on hunger-strike.^[13]

Joe McDonnell is also commemorated in the Wolfe Tones song, "Joe McDonnell".^[14] His family is also recognized in the Irish Brigade's "A Father's Blessing",^[15] and is one of the 10 hunger strikers mentioned in "Roll of Honour".^[16]

• General Election: 11 June 1981 Sligo/Leitrim
• Ireland's OWN: The Hungerstrikes – Joe McDonnell
• Stailc 81 Hunger Strike Commemoration Committee Archived 9 January 2022 at the Wayback Machine