Thousands at hunger strike rally

The rally commemorated the hunger strikes at the Maze prison

Thousands of people have lined the streets of west Belfast for a parade marking the 25th anniversary of the republican hunger strikes.

Ten IRA and INLA inmates died in the protest over political status at the Maze prison in County Antrim.

Hundreds of former republican prisoners and supporters gathered at a rally in the Casement Park GAA ground off the Andersonstown Road.

Relatives of the hunger strikers were among the platform speakers.

Leading figures from the republican movement were also among those at the rally.

There had been some criticism of the GAA in County Antrim for allowing the event to take place at one of its sports grounds.

Casement Park comes under the jurisdiction of the GAA's Antrim County Board and it is understood it did not object to the rally.

However, the GAA's Central Council in Dublin had discussed the matter and agreed that the Casement Park rally would break the organisation's rules about staging political events.