Bobby Sands, an influential member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA), initiated a hunger strike on March 1, 1981, inside HM Prison Maze, located in Northern Ireland. This action was undertaken alongside several other IRA prisoners who were protesting against the British government's refusal to grant them political status. Following the British government's introduction of legislation in 1976 that dismantled special category status for paramilitary prisoners, these inmates were subjected to the same treatment as ordinary criminals.

The hunger strike aimed to address several demands, including the right to wear their own clothes, the right to free association, and maintenance of family visits. Sands, who had been incarcerated for his involvement in the IRA, emerged as a key figure in this protest, and his decision to refuse food was a calculated effort to rally both Irish and international support. As his hunger strike extended, Sands's health deteriorated, placing him in the global spotlight regarding the conditions faced by political prisoners in the UK.

Throughout the hunger strike, media coverage intensified, with Sands becoming a symbol of resistance for Irish republicans. His eventual death on May 5, 1981, ignited widespread protests, both in Northern Ireland and abroad, and further polarized the political climate. The strike had profound implications for the IRA, increasing recruitment and support for their cause while drawing significant international attention.