ON THIS DAY: 20 August 1981 : Mickey Devine was the tenth and last hunger striker to die in Long Kesh

Memorial for Hunger Strikers in Milltown Cemetery, West Belfast. Used under CC Licence

Mickey Devine was the last man to die on the hunger strike started by Bobby Sands in early March. As a young man Bloody Sunday had a deep effect on him, he was there with this brother-in-law who remembered Mickey rhetorically ask “How can you sit back and watch while your own Derrymen are shot down like dogs?”

The Hunger Strike was Intended to secure the Five Demands, which were:

The right not to wear a prison uniform;
The right not to do prison work;
The right of free association with other prisoners, and to organise educational and recreational pursuits;
The right to one visit, one letter and one parcel per week;
Full restoration of remission lost through the protest.

Mickey wrote this poem on the eve of the beginning of his hunger strike

If Jesus Christ appeared tonight

With his body bruised and bare

And He said He lived in H-Block

And asked you did you care,

If He asked you would you help him

Before He went insane

To help Him bear His burden of suffering and pain,

I wonder would it stir you

To raise your voice and cry

To tell the world of torture

And all the reasons why?

But what about His children

Who suffer day and night,

Have you raised a hand to free them

From their lonely hell-like night?

For this day a broken body

Will live through trial and fear

And feel the pain of hunger

And shed a silent tear.

He’ll take a look around him

And to heaven make a plea:

“They crucified you, Jesus,

Now they’re doing it to me”.

But even through his anguish

When nothing seems worthwhile

The thought of home and family

Will always raise a smile.

The efforts of His loved ones,

His friends and comrades too,

They’ve tried their best to help him.

The question is- will you?

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