Ireland - FAMOUS PEOPLE 1

BOBBY SANDS

Bobby Sands was born in Abbots Cross, an area of Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland. Born into a Catholic family, he lived in Abbots Cross with his parents, John and Rosaleen, and his two sisters, Marcella (born April 1955) and Bernadette (born November 1958) until 1960, when the family was forced to move to Rathcoole, Newtownabbey. In 1962 was born the youngest of the family, John. Bobby Sands quickly left school and became an apprentice coachbuilder. Following death threats, he abandoned his apprenticeship and joined forces with the IRA.

Bobby Sands joined forces with the IRA in 1972, before the end of the year, in October, he was arrested and imprisoned until 1976 for possession of four firearms in his home.

Upon his release, he returned to his family and lived in Twinbrook, west Belfast. Bobby quickly became a leading activist in his community. He remained free one year. He was arrested with three of his companions, Joe McDonnell, Seamus Finucane and Sean Lavery, in a car, in possession of a gun as they tried to flee immediately after the bombing of the Balmoral Furniture Company in Dunmurry, and a gun battle between the IRA and the RUC. At his trial in September 1977, the accusation of involvement in the attack was abandoned for lack of evidence. He was nevertheless convicted for possession of the weapon, which was used, according to prosecutors, in the shooting, and sent to prison for a period of 14 years.

He was imprisoned in the Maze prison which was called Long Kesh by Republicans. And he died after a hunger strike of 66 days in the Maze Prison.

Murat & Erton