Gerry Adams To Launch Book In Tralee On Thursday

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Gerry Adams.

PRESIDENT of Sinn Féin Gerry Adams TD will be in The Rose Hotel Tralee on Thursday September 21 at 7.30pm to launch ‘Ireland’s Hunger for Justice’, the story of Ireland’s 22  hunger strikers.

Early in 2017 a  committee consisting of Martin Ferris TD, John Buckley, Pól O’Clúbháin, Seán O’Braoin, Éamonn deBairéad, Seán O’Luing, Tadhg O’Duinneacha came together as The Tomás Ághas Centenary Memorial Committee.

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The intention was to honour Thomas Ashe, the centenary of whose death falls on September 25th. It was decided that a book would be written to not alone tell the story of Ashe but to remember all who died on hunger strike from the first hunger striker, Thomas Ashe, in 1917 to the last, Mickey Devine, in 1981.

The stories of Ashe, McSwiney and Sands are well known but others like Joseph Whitty of Wexford or Tony D’Arcy of Galway have almost been forgotten.

The book gives a snippet of each of the men’s lives and will be the first time that all 22 men have been remembered in the one book.

Deputy Martin Ferris stated; “What we set out to do was to honour the memory of Lispole native Thomas Ashe, and while we discussed Ashe’s life and death we realised that there were 21 others who also gave their lives on hunger strike from 1917 to 1981. We decided to write a short book detailing as much as possible the story of each of these brave men. Some died in British jails but others too died in Irish jails and have almost been written out of history.”

“I am honoured to have played a small role in bringing this book to print, hunger strike was sometimes the only option republican prisoners had to use, the suffering and sacrifice of these 22 brave men should never be forgotten.”

“I am delighted that Gerry Adams and Gerry Kelly will be in Kerry to launch the book, Gerry Kelly who was force fed for over 200 days while on hunger strike will give a description of force feeding, there will also be a hunger strike exhibition which many people will not have seen before, it should be great occasion.”

The event is open to the public and the book will be available to purchase on the night.

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