Bobby Sands (1954 - May 5, 1981) was a member of the Irish Republican Army, who died after 66 days of a hunger strike in HM Maze Prison. Sands was nominated for and won the Fermanagh-South Tyrone by-election while on hunger strike. Over 75,000 people lined the route of his funeral.
Nine other members who were involved in the hunger strike also died shortly after Bobby Sands. Most Irish Republicans and IRA sympathizers widely regard Bobby Sands and the other nine men as being brave heroes who stood firm against the astrigence of the British Government.
The media coverage that surrounded the death of Bobby Sands resulted in a new surge of IRA activity, with the group obtaining many more members.
