FROM THE ARCHIVES:In the last week of Bobby Sands's life all efforts to resolve the IRA and INLA hunger strikes in the North seemed to have been exhausted. One of his last visitors, four days before he died on the 66th day of his protest, was his election agent and successor as MP for Fermanagh, Owen Carron. The Republican press centre issued a statement describing the visit. – JOE JOYCE
MR OWEN Carron, the election agent for Mr Bobby Sands, visited the hunger-striker in the Maze Prison, Long Kesh, yesterday for what he said the authorities had told him would be his last visit.
After the visit the Republican press centre in Belfast issued the following statement by Mr Carron: “Bobby was in tremendous pain and is obviously close to death. One of his eyes is closed and he cannot see from the other. He only recognised me by my voice. His voice is slightly distorted and he speaks very slowly and with great effort.
“Bobby said he was not asked if he wished to see [Don] Concannon . Concannon told him that he was there to inform the hunger-strikers of the support of the national executive of the Labour Party, his own support and the support of Michael Foot for the Government’s position.
“Bobby put it to Concannon that he [Bobby] was involved in a political struggle, Concannon agreed. Bobby then asked him why he did not support the five demands. Concannon replied that the five demands equalled political status. He gave Concannon a dirty look and Concannon left.
“Bobby told me if he had had the energy he would have told Concannon of his responsibility for H-Blocks and Armagh and of the British Government’s responsibility for what was happening in Ireland.
“Bobby had given account of Papal envoy’s visit to one of the prison chaplains and asked him to pass it on to outside. He told the chaplain that he was suspicious of Papal Legate and that he felt more pressure was being put on prisoners than on the British Government.
“He asked that thanks be extended to three Euro TDs. He was surprised that Sile de Valera hadn’t called publicly on Haughey. He asked that Haughey should publicly demand that the Brits move on the prisoners’ five demands.
“He asked for all his friends, Gerry, Danny, Jim, Tom and the two Marys, asked for ex-blanket man, Fra McCann, who had accompanied me to Long Kesh. Told me to watch myself, look after his mother . . . If the Brits didn’t give then we all had to accept his death. The hunger-strike was going on. It didn’t matter what happened to him – the other boys were sound. Frankie [Hughes] would not have the benefit of an election but the support was there. The Brits had no sense. Tell everyone I’ll see them somewhere sometime.”
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