Smashing H-block: the rise and fallof the popular campaign against criminalisation 1976-1982

• Main Author: Ross, F. S.
• Published: Queen's University Belfast 2008
• Subjects: 941.5
• Online Access: http://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.492499

Activists and academics alike tend to agree that the republican hunger strikes . of 1980 and 1981 marked an important turning point in the history of Northern Ireland's 'Troubles.' While much has since been written about this period, most of this material has concentrated on the 'high politics' of the various negotiations between the Republican Movement and the British government. Other works have concentrated on the protest activity within the prisons. Looking back at this period, the National Committee of People's Democracy argued that '[p]erhaps the biggest and broadest solidarity movement since Vietnam ... [grew up] around the hunger strike campaign.' Yet little has been written by scholars, journalists or actual participants that focuses on this solidarity movement. How did this movement come about? Who were its movers and shakers? What were its accomplishments? Why did it collapse? This thesis answers these questions and more. I attempt to redress an imbalance in the historical record by telling the story of the anti-H-Block movement -- warts and all.