1920 Cork hunger strike

Seven of the nine surviving hunger strikers, clockwise from top left: John Crowley, Peter Crowley, Joseph Kenny, Michael Burke, Seán Hennessy, Michael O'Reilly, Christopher Upton

The 1920 Cork hunger strike occurred in late 1920, during the Irish War of Independence, 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. Beginning on 11 August 1920, they were joined the following day by the Lord Mayor of Cork, Terence MacSwiney.[1] 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.

After the death of Thomas Ashe on hunger strike (25 September 1917) Irish Republicans prisoners carried out several hunger strikes with their demands being granted. In late 1920, British authorities then decided to resist the hunger strike tactic and warned that there would be no further concessions to the men on strike in Cork jail.[1] Michael Fitzgerald died after 68 days,[2] while Joe Murphy died after 79 days.[3] The nine surviving hunger strikers – Michael Burke, John Crowley,[a] Peter Crowley,[a] Seán Hennessy, Joseph Kenny, Thomas O'Donovan, Michael O'Reilly, John Power, and Christopher Upton – continued on for 94 days, ending their fast on 12 November 1920, following orders from Arthur Griffith.[4][5]

This hunger strike drew worldwide attention and sympathy to the cause of Irish independence.[6] The nine survivors of the 1920 Cork hunger strike hold the Guinness World Record for the longest hunger strike in history, in which no food was consumed, whether as a result of force-feeding or otherwise.[7]

  1. ^ a b Dwyer, Ryle (13 August 2019). "Death of MacSwiney had enormous significance as prisoners hunger strike drew global coverage". Irish Examiner. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  2. ^ "Hunger Striker Dies in Cork Jail After 68-Day Fast" (PDF). New York Times. 18 October 1920. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  3. ^ "Joseph Murphy Dies of 76 Days' Hunger Strike, the Second Prisoner to Succumb in Cork Jail" (PDF). New York Times. 26 October 1920. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  4. ^ "Important Message from Mr. Griffith". Irish Examiner. 13 November 1920.
  5. ^ Kenny, Conor; Cronin, Clare (2020). The Nine Survivors. Cork: Orla Kelly Publishing. ISBN 9781912328864.
  6. ^ Macardle, Dorothy (1965). The Irish Republic. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux. pp. 391–393.
  7. ^ Young, Mark C. (1994). The Guinness Book of Records 1995. Facts on File. ISBN 0816026467.


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