Francis Joseph Sean Hughes (28 February 1956 – 12 May 1981) was a volunteer in the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) from Bellaghy, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland.

[1] At his trial, he was sentenced to a total of 83 years' imprisonment; he died during the 1981 Irish hunger strike in HM Prison Maze.

[5] Hughes was returning from an evening out in Ardboe, County Tyrone when he was stopped at an Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) checkpoint.

[4][6] Hughes initially joined the Official Irish Republican Army, but left after the organisation declared a ceasefire in May 1972.

[10] Another IRA member described the activities of Hughes: He led a life perpetually on the move, often moving on foot up to 20 miles during one night then sleeping during the day, either in fields and ditches or safe houses; a soldierly sight in his black beret and combat uniform and openly carrying a rifle, a handgun and several grenades as well as food rations.

[10][12] The IRA members attempted to escape by performing a u-turn, but lost control of the car which ended up in a ditch.

[12] Hughes was arrested on 17 March 1978 at Lisnamuck, near Maghera, County Londonderry, after an exchange of gunfire with the British Army the night before.

[13] British soldiers manning a covert observation post spotted Hughes and another IRA volunteer approaching them wearing combat clothing with "Ireland" sewn on their jackets.