West Donegal to host landmark debate on Hunger Strikes

donegal | history and heritage | event notice Thursday October 16, 2008 17:39 by Tí Chonaill08

Controversial author and Blanketman to discuss explosive claims

A talk entitled ' Personal Reflections of the 1980/81 Hunger strikes' will be taking place

DATE: SAT 25th October

VENUE: Ionad Teampaill Chróine ,Dungloe

TIME: 6pm

PANEL: Tommy McKearney (Former Hunger striker)
Laurence McKeown (Former Hunger striker)
Richard O'Rawe (Former POW )

West Donegal to host landmark debate on Hunger Strikes

Controversial author and Blanketman to discuss explosive claims

West Donegal is set to host a lively discussion on the topic of the Hunger Strikes and their legacy in a weeks time — and controversial author Ristéard O’ Rawe will be reiterating some of his sensational claims about the period on the night.

The former IRA prisoner’s book, Blanketmen, caused a stir when it was released two years ago, provoking debate and controversy in republican circles. O’Rawe’s explosive claim – that the IRA refused a British settlement offer after the death of the fourth hunger striker and prolonged the hunger strike to maximise political support for Sinn Féin – sent shockwaves throughout the Republican Movement. Now he will discuss the Hunger Strike period with two other key republican figures.

On 25th October at 6pm in Ionad Teampaill Chróine Dungloe , O’Rawe will be joined by fellow panellists and former POWs Laurence Mc Keown and Tommy Mc Kearney in a talk entitled ‘Personal Reflections of the 1980/81 Hungerstrikes’. They will all share their experiences as republican prisoners within Long Kesh as their comrades faced death.