Bobby Sands was a young man who died after 65 days on a hunger strike in (cell block H of) a Northern Irish prison in May of 1981. He had been arrested for IRA type activities and was on hunger strike to try to get a "political prisoner" status for himself and his fellow IRA-member inmates. This was important because this would force the British/Northern Irish government to admit that the actions of the IRA were political and not just random acts of violence/criminality. This in turn would force the British to admit that they were facing a real political movement that had at its core actual, deep seated problems.

Bobby was not the only one to die, but he has remained probably the most famous because he wrote some very lovely and memorable poetry during his time in jail.

As I've said, I don't feel entirely comfortable "taking sides" in these matters since it isn't my country and I don't feel like I'm qualified to really do so. The people who really created the situation in Northern Ireland are all long-dead and the living are left to try to untie an incredibly tangled knot. I will say that I can't imagine the kind of... loyalty and strength of character that would be involved in starving oneself to death for one's beliefs. It amazes me.

The net is full of information on Bobby Sands, but I've picked out some good links.

Here is an excellent, concise but complete bio of Bobby Sands.

The Bobby Sands Trust: The "official" Bobby Sands site. Tons and tons of info not just on Bobby but on the entire hunger strike movement.

For your further searching needs, may I recommend Google? As if you don't already know about it, you savvy, savvy, savvy net person you.