My granduncle died on IRA hunger strike
Pat Fitzpatrick visits the grave of his granduncle, who died on hunger strike in 1920. Picture: Denis Minihane
It was called the Joe Murphy Dinner. Whenever my mother gave us a dinner that included peas, potatoes, and carrots, she’d announce it as a ‘grand Joe Murphy dinner'.
I’m not surprised I remember it so well — four out of five dinners in 1970s Ireland included peas, potatoes, and carrots. Pasta was for intellectuals. This dinner was named after someone who died on hunger strike. Joe Murphy, my mother’s uncle, died just over 100 years ago in Cork Gaol, after 76 days on hunger strike.
