Sheehan began fasting on 10 August – after nine prisoners had already died – and ended when the hunger strike was officially called off on 3 October.

[7] Sheehan spent his first two years at Crumlin Road Gaol, before being moved to H-Block, sharing a cell with Danny Morrison.

He picked up his education again on his release and in 1992 began to study Social Sciences and Philosophy with The Open University.

Sheehan has provoked anger and controversy by describing the Troubles as "probably quite civilised" and saying the IRA "could have left a 1,000lb car bomb on the Shankill" if it wanted to kill Protestants.

[11] Pat Sheehan is the widower of Sinn Féin activist Siobhán O'Hanlon who died from cancer in 2006.