Fin vs History A Dirty Protest Without A Cause (with Vittorio Angelone!) | IRA Hunger Strikes (Part 2)
Mar 26, 2026
Vittorio Angelone, comedian and self-described Troubles correspondent, brings wry personal takes and sharp commentary. He riffs on the dirty protest, the origins of blanket and hunger strikes, and the dramatic rise of Bobby Sands. Expect dark humour, prison anecdotes, and candid reflections on fame, diagnoses, and political fallout.
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Why The Protest Focused On Special Category Status
- The hunger strikes centered on a narrow demand called special category status rather than broad political goals.
- Special status meant wearing own clothes, not doing prison work, extra visits and parcels, which became a powerful symbol for political recognition.
Kieran Nugent Started The Blanket Protest
- Kieran Nugent refused to wear a prison uniform and instead wrapped himself in a blanket, inspiring the Blanket Men protest.
- Nugent lay on the floor initially and adopted the blanket as symbolic resistance to criminal classification.
How The Blanket Protest Turned Into The Dirty Protest
- The dirty protest began when prisoners refused to leave cells to shower or use toilets after alleged assaults, escalating from blankets to no-wash tactics.
- Guards removed furniture and emptied chamber pots ceased, producing prolonged unsanitary conditions that intensified public attention.