The mural of Bobby Sands on Falls Road stands as a powerful emblem of the Northern Ireland conflict. It portrays Sands, a pivotal member of the Irish Republican Movement, capturing the profound and enduring impact of his life and legacy. Bobby Sands was a significant figure who became a symbol of a defining moment in Irish history. What were the circumstances that propelled him to such emblematic status?
The Early Years
Robert Gerard Sands, born on March 9, 1954, in Dunmurry, was the eldest of four children to John and Roseleen Sands. After his parents’ marriage, the family moved to Newtownabbey, on the outskirts of Belfast. In 1961, due to harassment and intimidation, they were forced to relocate again. This time spending six months with friends before securing housing in the Rathcoole development. As sectarian violence escalated in Belfast, Rathcoole, like many other areas, was deeply affected. By 1966, the minority Catholic residents, including the Sands family, were besieged. Despite having many Protestant friends, Bobby, noticed a growing distance from them, leading him to form closer bonds exclusively with fellow Catholics.
Photo courtesy of Eirigi.org
Bobby Sands was a figure deeply embedded in the pulsating core of Northern Ireland’s strife. As a working-class youth, he was acutely aware of the profound divisions and violence that sectarianism had inflicted upon his country. This firsthand experience ignited a passion within Sands, leading him to the Irish Republican Movement. Sands became a member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) during his younger years, embarking on an extraordinary life. He emerged as a key political figure and a dedicated activist, with his legacy firmly imprinted in the turbulent narrative of Ireland’s history.
Maze Prison – H-Block
In 1981, Bobby Sands initiated a hunger strike while incarcerated in the Maze Prison for firearm possession. This was not merely a protest; it represented a bold declaration of Irish political identity and a reaction to the British Government’s withdrawal of ‘special category status’ for political prisoners. His action inspired a series of similar protests by his fellow Irish Republican Army (IRA) and Irish National Liberation Army (INLA) inmates. His death marked the tragic end of this protest, posthumously elevating him to martyrdom among many supporters globally.
During his imprisonment, Bobby Sands’ impact extended well beyond Maze Prison’s walls. In an unexpected twist, he was elected as a Member of Parliament for Fermanagh and South Tyrone in a by-election, catapulting him into the global spotlight and highlighting the entrenched conflict in Northern Ireland.
Photo courtesy of Newsletter
Even while imprisoned, his political triumph highlighted the widespread backing for the Republican cause and contested the British Government’s controversial management of Irish political detainees. Sands’ political achievements, attained from within his prison cell, underscore the deep influence of his narrative and the enduring importance of his struggle for liberty.
Hunger Strikers Demands
- The right to no prison uniforms
- The right to no prison work
- The right of free association with other prisoners
- Full restoration of remission lost through protest
- The right to one visit, one letter and one parcel per week
Bobby Sands hunger strike lasted for 66 days, where his demands were not met. He was the first of 10 hunger strikers to die.
Funeral of Bobby Sands
Before his funeral, Sands had garnered global media attention through his actions, drawing the world’s gaze to Northern Ireland. His funeral on May 7, 1981, remains one of the largest political funerals in Irish history. The procession spanned over four miles. Starting from Twinbrook Parish Church, passing through Andersonstown and Lenadoon, and proceeding along Falls Road to Milltown Cemetery. Thousands of people lined the streets of Belfast, especially in West Belfast, which was brought to a halt as the community showed solidarity with the hunger strikers and paid their respects to Bobby Sands. Many viewed Sands as a martyr for the republican cause.
Photo courtesy of www.hungerstrikes.org
How to visit the Bobby Sands Mural?
You can visit the Bobby Sands mural and hear more about him and the wider story within Belfast and Northern Ireland during ‘The Troubles’ on our Belfast City Sightseeing tour bus, stop 13 on our tour will drop off beside the mural.
We can be contacted by email at info@citysightseeingbelfast.com or through our tour office on +44 (0)28 90 321321. We look forward to seeing you soon!
