John Francis Crowley (10 August 1891 - 22 October 1942) was an Irish revolutionary who holds the

Guinness World Record ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a reference book published annually, listing world ...

for the longest hunger strike in history. From 11 August to 12 November 1920, Crowley, along with 10 others, underwent a hunger strike for 94 days in

Cork County Gaol Cork County Gaol was a former prison located in Cork (city), Cork, Ireland. The main walls and gate entrance of the prison are today incorporated in the perimeter of University College Cork. History The main Cork County Gaol buildings were ere ...

, demanding the reinstatement of their political status and release from prison. The

1920 Cork hunger strike The 1920 Cork hunger strike began on 11 August 1920, when 65 men interned without trial in Cork County Gaol went on hunger strike, demanding release from prison, and reinstatement of their status as political prisoners. The following day, they were ...

took place at the same time as that of

Terence MacSwiney Terence James MacSwiney (; ga, Toirdhealbhach Mac Suibhne; 28 March 1879 – 25 October 1920) was an Irish playwright, author and politician. He was elected as Sinn Féin Lord Mayor of Cork during the Irish War of Independence in 1920. He ...

, Lord Mayor of Cork. He came from the prominent Irish republican Crowley family of

Ballylanders Ballylanders () is a village in south County Limerick, Ireland. It is situated on the R513 Mitchelstown-Limerick regional road, being approximately from the former and from the latter. The 2016 census recorded a population of 308 people. N ...

, being the son of Timothy Crowley, and the brother of

Tadhg Crowley Tadhg Crowley (1 May 1890 – 25 July 1969) was an Irish revolutionary and Fianna Fáil politician. He was first elected to Dáil Éireann as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Limerick constituency at the June 1927 general election. Early life Bo ...

and Peter Crowley, his fellow hunger striker.

References

Irish revolutionaries Irish hunger strikers 1891 births 1942 deaths {{Ireland-bio-stub