Operation Motorman, the British Army’s retaking of ‘Free Derry’, took place on July 31st, 1972. This is a repainting; for the previous version, see T02079, and for the 2001 original, see M01426.
(Part of The People’s Gallery by the Bogside Artists.)
The plaque is to Patrick Shiels (see M03583).
For the ICA-INLA board, see T04237.
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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
T05272 T05271
The Easter lily and the red star mark this graffiti-art-style slogan in Durrow Park, Derry, as republican-socialist; RSYM = Republican Socialist Youth Movement (Fb), IRSP = Irish Republican Socialist Party (web), AFA = Anti-Fascist Action (Fb)). There is a small “Victory to Hamas” graffito to the right.
For the large Arm Saoırse Náısıúnta Na hÉıreann (INLA) board, see Serious Trouble.
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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
T05238 T05237
Commemorations of the INLA’s fiftieth anniversary have so far been limited to graffiti – see Saoırse Go Deo in Derry and Let The Fight Go On in Belfast – but here we have two deliberately painted panels in the Bogside (specifically Meenan Square) (one replacing The Way We Were).
The “Men’s Mental Health” addition to the Mandela-Sands mural is also from the IRSP (Xitter)
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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
T05239 T05240 T05241 T05242
X10917 courtesy of Seosamh Mac Coille 2022
“H” for “H-blocks” and for “hunger” – the flower garden in front of the hunger strikers’ memorial in Rossville Street, Derry, has been replaced with this “H” in white pebbles among black.
For close-ups of the memorial stones, see this entry in the Peter Moloney Collection. Through the legs in the large “H” can be seen the IRA Derry Brigade memorial.
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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
T05269
The 1918 ‘Representation Of The People’ act gave 8.4 million women in the United Kingdom the right to vote (WP). (For the two women on the left holding the ‘Votes For Women’ sign, see Women’s Hall And Cost-Price Restaurant.) In that same year, Countess Constance Markievicz was the first woman elected to Westminster and became Sınn Féın Minister For Labour in the first Dáıl Éıreann that was established as an alternative. Ten years earlier, she had co-founded Na Fıanna Éıreann with Bulmer Hobson. The names of Derry fianna are listed on the right. “Fuaır sıad bás ar son saoırse na hÉıreann.” (This board replaces the former Fianna mural that celebrated the centenary in 2009.)
To the left (above) is a “Join RSYM” stencil with the names of the ten deceased 1981 hunger strikers; to the right is a picture of the memorial across the street to the dead of the 3rd battalion of the Doıre Brigade Óglaıgh na hÉıreann.
“But while Ireland is not free I remain a rebel, unconverted and unconvertible. There is no word strong enough for it. I am pledged as a rebel to the one thing – a free and independent republic.”
“Ach a fhad is nach bhfuıl Éıre saor, seasfaıdh mé an fód mar cheannaırceach, gan géılleadh, gan athrú. Níl focal dá bhfuıl atá chumhachtach go leor. Tá gealltanas tugtha agam mar cheannaırceach, cuspóır amháın a chur ı gcrích – poblacht shaor agus neamhspleach.”
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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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T05182
Here is a painting of a model from Femelle Studios (ig) by London artist Mr Cenz (web | tw) in Londonderry’s Waterside, with support from UVArts (ig). With “Death dealers out” graffiti to the right.
Bond’s Street, Waterside, Londonderry
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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
T05199 T05200 [T02060]
Shane O’Malley’s (web) piece for the “Famine Street Art Trail” (youtube) in Derry was inspired by the tune The Coffin Ships (score | youtube) by Tommy Peoples (web). The other piece in the “trail” is Omin’s Stars, Look Down/A Réaltaí, Féachaíg’ Anuas.
Great James Street, Derry
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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
T05236 T05235
This is the second mural in Derry to Sister Clare Crockett. The first was in her Brandywell home (see All Or Northing!!) while this one is in Shantallow. Crockett became a nun in 2001 and died at the age of 33 in an earthquake in Ecuador in 2016 – the mass for the seventh anniversary of her death was held last month (youtube).
A documentary film about Crockett’s life is available on youtube.
Painted by Razer (ig) in Racecourse Road, Shantallow, Derry.
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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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This is the mural painted by UVArts (web) to accompany the About Us film exhibition that visited London-/Derry in March, showing life from the Big Bang until the present day, commissioned by Unboxed.
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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
T05175 [T05174]
A new painting of Amelia Earhart has been created by JEKS (ig), on the side of the Foyle building, North West Regional College, on Queen’s Quay. A number of sources claim without citation or measurement that it is the tallest piece of street art in the north – both the BBC and the Chamber Of Commerce use the passive “thought to be”. Its closest competitor would be the recent piece by Zabou on the Telegraph Building in Belfast – see Broken Promises.
The Foyle Building has six “levels” (NWRC) while the original Telegraph Building had four storeys (Archiseek). In addition to comparing images of the two paintings, you can also judge by comparing Street View images of the buildings: Derry vs Belfast.
Information about Earhart’s connection to the Maiden City can be found in the entries on the printed board (But What Do Dreams Know Of Boundaries?) and the mosaic (Flying Solo) to Earhart in Derry.
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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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Paddy Duffy Collection 