The Five Demands

Sean McKenna è morto all’età di 56 anni.
Originario di Newry, egli partecipò, insieme a Brendan Hughes, Tommy McKearney,Raymond McCartney e contro la volonta del Irish Republican Army Council,  allo scipero della fame del 1980.
Entrò in coma, ma poco prima che lui potesse morire, lo sciopero della fame venne sospeso. Digiunò per 53 giorni.
Brendan ‘The Dark’ Hughes, officer commanding nel Maze in quel periodo, dichiarò che non lo avrebbe mai lasciato morire.
Si ritiene che Sean McKenna si sia ammalato subito dopo il suo rilascio, e soprattutto non recuperò mai completamente l’uso della vista.

Former hunger striker dies
Former IRA hunger striker Sean McKenna has died at the age of 56.
Originally from Newry, Mr McKenna spent 53 days on the first hunger strike in the October 1980 protest.
Against the wishes of the IRA army council Mr McKenna went on the fast with six other republican prisoners including Brendan Hughes, Tommy McKearney and Raymond McCartney.
He had slipped into a coma but before he died, the strike was called off and he was revived.
Before he lost consciousness Brendan ‘The Dark’ Hughes, OC in the Maze at the time, had promised that he would not let him die.
It is believed Mr McKenna suffered ill health since his release from prison, in particular he never fully recovered his eyesight.