McDonnell was born on Slate Street in the lower Falls Road of Belfast as one of 10 children. He attended a nearby Roman Catholic school. He married Goretti in 1970, and moved into her sister's house in Lenadoon. Their house was attacked on numerous occasions.
McDonnell was arrested in Operation Demetrius, and along with Gerry Adams and others was interned on the prison shipHMS Maidstone. He was later moved to HM Prison Maze for several months. Upon release, he joined the Provisional IRA Belfast Brigade. He met Bobby Sands during the preparation for a firebomb attack on the Balmoral Furnishing Company's premises in Dunmurry. During the ensuing shoot-out between the IRA and the Royal Ulster Constabulary (RUC) and British Army, both men, along with Séamus Finucane and Seán Lavery, were arrested. McDonnell and the others were sentenced to 14 years in prison for possession of a firearm. None of the men recognized nor accepted the jurisdiction of the court.
Hunger strike
McDonnell agreed with the goals of the Irish hunger strike, namely: the right not to wear a prison uniform; the right not to do prison work; the right of free association with other prisoners; the right to organise their own educational and recreational facilities and the right to one visit, one letter and one parcel per week.
Although McDonnell was not involved in the first (1980) hunger strike, he joined Bobby Sands and the others in the second (1981) hunger strike. During the strike he was a candidate at the 1981 general election in the Republic of Ireland for the Sligo–Leitrim constituency, but was not elected.[1] He went 61 days without food before dying on 8 July 1981. He has two children. His wife Goretti took an active part in the campaign in support of the hunger strikers.
McDonnell was buried in the grave next to Bobby Sands at Milltown Cemetery. John Joe McGirl, McDonnell's election agent in Sligo–Leitrim, gave the oration at his funeral. Quoting Patrick Pearse, he stated: "He may seem the fool who has given his all, by the wise men of the world; but it was the apparent fools who changed the course of Irish history".[2]
Allegations
In March 2006, former prisoner Richard O'Rawe alleged that three days before McDonnell's death the British government made a firm offer to the prison leadership substantive enough to end the protest. O'Rawe alleges that while the leadership inside the prison were prepared to go for the deal and end the protest to save the lives of McDonnell and the others who died after him, the leadership outside told them to continue.[3][4]
The IRA commander inside Long Kesh at the time, Brendan McFarlane (known as "Bik"), has publicly disputed this version of events. Only one other prisoner on the prison wing O'Rawe and McFarlane were on, Anthony McIntyre, has backed up O'Rawe's version of events in relation to the 1981 hunger strike.[5]
Commemoration
Memorial to 22 Irish Hunger Strikers Deaths Glasnevin Cemetery
McDonnell was one of 22 Irish republicans (in the 20th century) who died on hunger-strike.[6]
Upon his death, McDonnell was martyred alongside the other hunger strikers and remains a well-known figure in the movement today, even with his death.
McDonnell is commemorated on the Irish Martyrs Memorial at Waverley Cemetery in Sydney, Australia.
Joe McDonnell is also commemorated in the Wolfe Tones song, "Joe McDonnell". His family is also recognized in the Irish Brigade's "A Father's Blessing", and is one of the 10 hunger strikers mentioned in "The Roll of Honour".
