on Easter Monday, 5 April 1920, thirty-six Irish Volunteer prisoners in Mountjoy pledged 'not to eat food or drink anything except water until all here have been given prisoner-of-war treatment or are released.'

Joined by others in the days that followed, the Irish Independent reported that by 10 April the number participating had climbed to 101 - the largest scale on which this form of protest had ever been attempted.



Massive public protests ensued at the prison – along with a workers' strike - and the British authorities released 100 prisoners.

