lily – Easter

Republican Clady

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“We salute all those who have fought, died and assisted in the fight for Irish freedom. Ar dheıs Dé go raıbh a n-anamacha. West Tyrone remembers.”

Above is a recent (2025-06) mural painted in Clady of IRA volunteers c. 1971 defending the bridge a stone’s throw outside the town, to prevent it from being blown up by the British Army. A history of the bridge, and the photograph which the mural reproduces, can be found at The Pensive Quill. The work of painting the mural and refreshing the window-boards of the building has been undertaken by the Joseph Plunkett 1916 Society Clady/Grebe (Fb).

The two monuments, to volunteers generally and Neal Lafferty (d. 1975) specifically (Fb), stand together at the junction with Cluney Gardens. There is also a memorial to James McPhelimy (d. 1988) on the other side of Urney Road, and one to Jim McGann (d. 1973) on the bridge.

Urney Road, Clady

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
T08555 T08557 T08556 [T08558] T08559 T08560 T08561 T08562 [T08563]

The Cause Of Labour

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The board on the left includes a quote from Séamus Ó Conghaıle [James Connolly] from a 1916 piece entitled The Irish Flag, extolling the “cause of labour” as the cause of Ireland (alongside a quote from Pádraıg Mac Pıaraıs [Patrick Pearse] and portraits by Jim Fitzpatrick (Revolutionaries)).

The board on the right, from “Independent Republicans Armagh” – of a Celtic cross draped with a Tricolour – was generated by AI.

The board on the left was seen in 2023, in Ní Amháın Saor Ach Gaelach Chomh Maıth; the imagery on the right was also included in Only Our Rivers Run Free.

Dalton Park/Irish Street, Armagh

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
T08314

Only Our Rivers Run Free

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The photograph on the right is real: it shows British troops collaring a civilian in Coalisland in December 1971 – photographer unknown. The image on the left – a Celtic cross draped with a Tricolour – is AI slop. The first (or at least, an early and prominent) use of AI to produce images was Stop The Slaughter In Gaza from November 2023, and it is becoming more frequent in printed boards and wall-painting.

“”And still only our rivers run free” [youtube] – Independent Republicans Armagh [Fb]”

Lower English Street, Armagh

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
T08300

Continuity, Not Compromise

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The CIRA (Continuity IRA) is the military wing of Republican Sınn Féın (RSF web), which split from Provisional Sınn Féın in 1986, though the military campaign did not begin until the Provisional IRA ceasefire in 1994. Like all of the various IRAs, the CIRA claims to be continuing the fight for (all-island) Irish freedom begun with the 1916 Easter Rising – the board (above) commemorates the centenary of the Rising.

To the left is a slightly newer RSF board: “Stop the extradition of Liam Campbell now – don’t hand him over, don’t play England’s game”. Campbell was extradited from the Republic to Lithuania in 2022 (BBC) but was returned to Ireland later the same year when a court ruled the statute of limitations has expired (RN).

The CIRA’s armed campaign is represented by the hooded gunman in the ‘warning sign’ below.

Also included (last below) is a small IRSP (web) stencil.

The pieces are in the adjacent Meadowbrook and Drumbeg areas of Lurgan.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T08028 T08027 T08040 T08041

Derrybeg Volunteers

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

On the left of this Newry memorial is a list of the “1916 Easter Rising Leaders executed by the British government: Thomas Clarke, Padraig Pearse, Thomas Mac Donagh, Joseph Plunkett, Willie Pearse, Ned Daly, Michael O’Hanrahan John Mac Bride, Eamonn Ceannt, Sean Heuston, Con Colbert, Michael Mallin, Thomas Kent, Sean Mac Diarmada, James Connolly, Roger Casement.”

On the right are five members of the local Óglaıgh na hÉıreann: Patrick Hughes, Edward Grant, Michael Hughes, Brendan Watters, Colum Marks.” Michael Hughes/Mıcheál Ó hAodha is commemorated at the western entrance to the estate and the plaque also mentions the death of his father, Patsy, and the death by premature explosion of his friend Eddie Grant in 1973. Brendan Watters likewise died by premature explosion (UPI). There is a memorial stone in Downpatrick at the spot where Colum Marks was killed.

Included last below is a Saoradh (web) board: “End British political policing”.

Second Avenue, Derrybeg, Newry, next to the new commemoration of the Burning Of Long Kesh.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07610 T07609 T07608
T07611

To The People Of Ireland

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The central space in Ardoyne’s Easter Rising centenary wall, combining stencils of the signatories to the Proclamation around a tarp of the document (see In Commemoration Of 1916) has been empty – except for some electoral signs – since 2019’s board marking the centenary of Sınn Féın (see Still The People Spoke). This new tarp returns to the Proclamation and Easter lily and matches the frame of signatories once more.

The last full mural on the wall fell down in 2014 and there does not appear to have been the energy to paint another full mural since then – but perhaps the fading paint around Clarke and Connolly will provoke a complete re-do.

For the stone in the right-hand corner, see the Peter Moloney collection.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T06993

Am D’Aontacht

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

For Sunday’s parade (in Belfast) commemorating the Easter Rising of 1916, Sınn Féın lined the route with placards featuring quotations from republican heroes past and present: the first Dáıl, Wolfe Tone, Robert Emmet, James Fintan Lalor, Roger Casement, the Proclamation of 1916, William Allen, the Declaration Of Independence, James Larkin (as Gaeılge), Máıre Drumm, Rita O’Hare, Martin McGuinness, Mary Lou McDonald, Bobby Sands, O’Donovan Rossa, John O’Mahony, Seán Mac Dıarmada, James Connolly, Liam Lynch, Thomas Clarke, Pádraıg Mac Pıaraıs, Maıréad Farrell, the IRB, Michelle O’Neill, Gerry Adams, Constance Markievicz, Winifred Carney, Na Fíníní.

William Allen was one of the “Manchester Martyrs” – for a link to background and the photograph used on the placard see the Peter Moloney Collection.

All of the placards include the emblem of the “Time For Irish Unity/Am Le hAontacht Na hÉıreann” campaign.

The speaker in Belfast was Donegal Sınn Féın TD Pearse Doherty; party leader Mary Lou McDonald spoke in Carrickmore, Co Tyrone; Michelle O’Neill was in Coalisland and Dublin.

See also the new National Graves Association/Cumann Uaıgheann Na Laocradh Gaedheal mural in Beechmount: Cuımhnímıs.

A Saoradh parade takes place in Belfast this afternoon (Easter Monday) in Derry – see Wear Your Easter Lily With Pride.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T06467 T06469 T06470 T06472 T06473 T06474 T06475 T06476 T06477 T06478 T06479 T06480 T06481 T06482 T06483 T06484 T06485 T06486 T06487 T06488 T06489 T06490 T06491 T06492 T06493 T06494 T06495 T06496 T06497 T06498 T06499 T06500 T06501 T06502 T06503 T06504 T06505 T06506 T06507 T06508 T06509 T06511 T06512

Cuımhnímıs!

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Honour Ireland’s dead – wear an Easter lily”. This year (2025) is the ninetieth anniversary of the founding of Cumann Uaıgheann Na Laocradh Gaedheal, Béal Feırste (the National Graves Association, Belfast (Fb)) which maintains the graves of about 149 republicans in Milltown Cemetery (Belfast Media).

The graves under its care are marked with a red hand – for an example, see the grave of Joseph (Joe) Malone in Far Dearer The Grave Or The Prison.

This new mural, which features a Celtic Cross (emblem of the Association) and Cú Chulaınn (symbol of republican dead), is part (along with Free Palestine) of the side-wall next to Éırí Amach Na Casca. Easter Monday, this year, is April 21st.

See also: the Visual History page on Cú Chulaınn.

Beechmount Avenue, west Belfast

March 23rd:

March 18th:

March 16th:

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T06363 T06356 T06357 T06358
T06365
[T06338] T06339
T06332 [T06333]