Rare 1981 Irish Hunger Strike Collection - Original Bobby Sands & Raymond McCreesh Memorial Cards, 1st Edition Pamphlets

An exceptional, curated 4-piece archive of authentic, original historical ephemera and literature directly from the 1981 H-Block Hunger Strike era in Long Kesh. preserving a critical window in Irish republican history. A highly desirable lot for serious militaria, political history, and Troubles-era collectors.What is Included:

Original 1981 Bobby Sands In Memoriam CardDetails: Authentic period funeral/mass card printed immediately following his death on May 5th, 1981. Features his iconic portrait, the "When you're alone with Jesus..." prayer, and the poignant closing line: "Blessed are they who hunger for justice."Condition: Excellent vintage condition. Crisp text, clean folding spine, no modern laminations.

2. Original 1981 Raymond McCreesh In Memoriam CardDetails: Authentic period matching memorial card for the third hunger striker to die (May 21st, 1981) at the age of 24. Features a framed portrait alongside traditional baptismal scripture and Psalm 146 ("A Hymn to the God of Help"). Same format and printer styling as the Sands card.Condition: Clean interior, excellent vintage condition with sharp, uncreased corners.

3. "The Writings of Bobby Sands" – True First Edition Pamphlet (April 1981)Details: Rare 36-page stapled pamphlet published by the Sinn Féin POW Department (Dublin). Crucially, the text inside the foreword notes that Sands and his comrades are "currently engaged in a second hunger-strike," authenticating this as a rare pre-death printing distributed while the strikes were actively taking place. confirming its contemporary print status. It preserves his smuggled political essays, diary entries, and poems written on contraband toilet paper and cigarette sheets.
Condition: Solid vintage condition. Intact staples with minor age-appropriate toning along the cover margins. No missing pages or ink annotations.

4. "One Day in My Life" by Bobby Sands – True First Edition Paperback (Mercier Press, 1983)Details: The rare, original 1983 first printing of Sands’ stark account of a single day inside the H-Blocks. Identifiable by the distinct red oval portrait frame on the front cover and the introduction by Nobel Peace Prize Winner Sean MacBride S.C. (later editions replaced this with Gerry Adams).Condition: Good readable condition with typical light shelf wear on the cover edges and light age-toning to the internal paperback pages. Clean spine.