Frank Stagg was born in Hollymount, Co.Mayo in 1941, the seventh of thirteen children. After emigrating to England for work in the early 70's, Frank joined the ever swelling ranks of the IRA.

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He was arrested in Coventry in 1973 and sentenced to 10 years for conspiracy to commit arson. He was first in Albany prison on the isle of white where he spent most of his time in solitary confinement because of his insistence to be treated as a political prisoner.

Frank was then transferred to Pankhurst where he and Michael Gaughan joined the hunger strike started by other political prisoners fighting for repatriation to Ireland. These included female POWs and sisters, Marian and Delores Price.

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All of the hunger strikers faced the brutal torture of forced-feeding which led to the death of Michael Gaughan after a tube puncured his lung. Frank continued on for another 70 days.

The hunger strike was eventually called off after assurances were made by the prison authorities to have the POWs shipped to a prison in Ireland.

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Unfortunately the British authorities carried on with a tradition of reneging on the agreements after prisoners came off the strike.

Between then and the end of 1975 Frank had embarked on four hunger strikes, the last of which would seal his fate. 

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Oglach Frank Stagg died on 12th February 1976 after sixty two days of hunger strike. His final message to his comrades:

      “We are the risen people, this time we must not be driven into the gutter. Even if this should mean dying for justice. The fight must go on. I want my memorial to be peace with justice.”