Ocras(2006)

Overview

Made to mark the 25th anniversary of one of the most dramatic periods of Northern Ireland history when in 1981 ten men, including elected MP Bobby Sands, starved to death on hunger strike for the right to political status in prison. The events served as a unifying force for Irish nationalists and marked a watershed in the relationship between the British Government and Irish Republicans. The international standing of Margaret Thatcher was affected as condemnation of British intransigence ricocheted around the world. It brought Sinn Féin into electoral politics and greatly influenced their strong electoral position as the largest political party in Northern Ireland today. One of the most extreme protests in prison history is revealed through first-hand accounts of key protagonists and witnesses central to the events of that time. Ocras, made in the Irish language for TG4 in 2006, is similar to The Hunger Strike broadcast earlier that year on BBC Northern Ireland.