WHEREAS, March 2006 marks the Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of one of the most pivotal events in Irish History, the Irish Hunger Strike; and
WHEREAS, On March 1, 1981 Bobby Sands, an Irish Republican Prisoner, began the Hunger Strike after four years of the Blanket and Dirty Protests in an attempt to regain status and rights of Political Prisoners in Ireland; and
WHEREAS, Bobby Sands lived through sixty-six days of the strike before passing away on May 5, 1981. Nine other prisoners died as a result of the strike before Political Status was restored by the British Government; and
WHEREAS, The Hunger Strike brought worldwide attention to the Irish Conflict. In Philadelphia thousands marched in support of the prisoner's demands; and
WHEREAS, The Hunger Strike empowered the people of Ireland to begin a process which ultimately through time has led to the current Peace Process. The deaths of the Hunger Strikers ultimately saved many other lives by transforming armed campaigns to a peaceful political process; and
WHEREAS, The political and moral effects of the 1981 Hunger Strike have inspired generations. The unselfish sacrifice of those ten brave Irishmen: Bobby Sands, Francis Hughes, Raymond McCreesh, Patsy O'Hara, Thomas McElwee, Joe McDonald, Martin Hurson, Kevin Lynch, Kieran Doherty, and Mickey Devine have transformed the Irish political landscape forever and their dream of a United Ireland has become much closer because of them; now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That we honor and commemorates the Twenty-Fifth Anniversary of the Irish Hunger Strike.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an Engrossed copy of this resolution be presented to Paul Doris, National Director of Irish Northern Aid, an organization who supports the peace process in Ireland and works to educate the world on the political process in Ireland.
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