Background
Sheehan was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
Sheehan was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
In 1978 he was convicted of causing an explosion and sentenced to 15 years. Sheehan was the 17th republican inmate at the Maze Prison to join the 1981 hunger strikes, which was aimed at gaining political status for Provisional Ireland Republican Army and Irish National Liberation Army prisoners. He began fasting on 10 August - after nine prisoners had already starved themselves to death - and ended when the hunger strike was officially called off on 3 October.
He survived 55 days without food.
By the time Sheehan began fasting, the strike had already begun to break. The last prisoner to die was Michael Devine, who starved to death on 20 August after 60 days.
He was released in 1987, but was convicted again in 1989 for more bombing offences and sentenced to 24 years. He was released under the terms of the 1998 Belfast Agreement
On 3 October 2006, Sheehan marked the 25th anniversary of the end of the hunger strike by reading the prisoners" statement that ended the protest outside the gates of the now closed Maze Prison.
On 7 December 2010, he succeeded Gerry Adams as Modern Language Association for Belfast West, Adams having resigned in order to contest the Irish general election, 2011.
Sheehan retained the seat for Sinn Féin at the 2011 Assembly election.
Provisional Irish Republican Army. 3rd Northern Ireland Assembly. 4th Northern Ireland Assembly]
As at August 2015, he is a Political Member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board.
