Ex-IRA man breaks down at launch of Hunger Strike book

[Cáthasaigh]

[Trow]

At last the book. There were numerous debates surrounding this claim on various Republican forums over the last couple of years. There were debates and discussions elsewhere also.

Wonder what the Sinn Fein response will be?

[C. Flower]

At last the book. There were numerous debates surrounding this claim on various Republican forums over the last couple of years. There were debates and discussions elsewhere also.

Wonder what the Sinn Fein response will be?

I read some of it, without really knowing enough to recognise what might be true and what untrue.

My personal view of the hungerstrikes is enormous respect for the men who undertook them, but also sadness that such an amount of self sacrifice and loss of people very valuable to republicanism took place on the basis of what appears to have been a flawed analysis of the situation.

The demands were so puny in comparison with the power of the Hunger Strike and the British Government was always clearly out to defeat it.

[Trow]

I read some of it, without really knowing enough to recognise what might be true and what untrue.

My personal view of the hungerstrikes is enormous respect for the men who undertook them, but also sadness that such an amount of self sacrifice and loss of people very valuable to republicanism took place on the basis of what appears to have been a flawed analysis of the situation.

The demands were so puny in comparison with the power of the Hunger Strike and the British Government was always clearly out to defeat it.

There's alot of sadness and bitterness surrounding the events of 1981. As these revelations surfaced Sinn Fein/Gerry Adams held a number of meetings with Republican Families/relatives of the deceased Hungerstrikers to rubbish the claims.

At one meeting in Dunloy, Co Antrim, a few of those who were making the claims were refused entry to the meeting.

Just wondering about the timing of the book. Under the British Governments 30 year rule for the relaease of documents, material relevant to the Hungerstrike and the Governments handling of it should be due for release next year. Be interesting to see what thse files contain in relation to that era.

They could either rubbish or uphold the claims by O' Rawe.

[Whelan]

I'm reading Blanketmen right now, will have to get ahold of Afterlives soon enough to see what additional information it contains. Interesting that there was little publicity about O'Rawe's new book until its launch last week, probably in light of what happened when he released his previous book and also to others, such as Gerry Bradley, who released books critical of the PRM.

[Saoirse go Deo]

What do people make of this?

Thatchers files support the claim that there was an offer.

http://thebrokenelbow.com/2013/05/03...prison-leader/

I have always believed Morrison, Bik and co but I'm trying to digest this

[Mick Tully]

Breaking down is a sure way to get publicity for your book, remember the US pilot that was shot down in Bosina back in the nineties, he was missing for a few days, then rescued. He cried at his press conference. They made a film about it. Roll on Stephen Speilberg.