The 1920 Cork hunger strike began on 11 August 1920, when 65 men interned without trial 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 ...
went on
hunger strike, demanding release from prison, and reinstatement of their status as political prisoners. The following day, they were joined by the Lord Mayor of Cork,
Terence MacSwiney. A week into the hunger strike, all but 11 of the hunger strikers were released or deported to prison in England, with MacSwiney being among the latter.
Michael Fitzgerald died after 68 days, while
Joe Murphy died after 79 days. The nine surviving hunger strikers -
Michael Burke,
John Crowley John Crowley may refer to:
*John Crowley (Irish revolutionary) (1891-1942), Irish revolutionary and hunger striker
*John Crowley (author) (born 1942), American author
*John Crowley (baseball) (1862–1896), American Major League catcher
*John Crowl ...
,
Peter Crowley,
Seán Hennessy
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 ...
,
Joseph Kenny,
Thomas O'Donovan
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 ...
,
Michael O'Reilly,
John Power, and
Christopher Upton
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 ...
- continued on for 94 days, ending their fast on 12 August 1920, following orders from
Arthur Griffith.
The nine survivors of the 1920 Cork hunger strike hold 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, in which no food was consumed, whether as a result of force-feeding or otherwise.
In October 1923 mass hunger strikes were undertaken by
Irish republican
Irish republicanism ( ga, poblachtánachas Éireannach) is the political movement for the unity and independence of Ireland under a republic. Irish republicans view British rule in any part of Ireland as inherently illegitimate.
The develop ...
prisoners protesting the continuation of their internment without trial (see
1923 Irish Hunger Strikes).
References
{{reflist
1920 in Ireland
Hunger strikes
Cork (city)