Michael Devine was the last of the 1981 hunger-strikers to die, on August 20th, 1981, and although the strike was not called off until October 3rd, his death now marks the end of the strike for commemorative purposes. The 44th annual national commemoration of the strike will take place this year on the 24th, “assembling at Dunville Park” in west Belfast.
Beechmount Street, west Belfast. The MLK tarp goes back to 2014.
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This mural celebrates the Irish-language institutions in west Belfast. From left to right, the buildings by the loch are: Gaeltacht Bhóthar Seoıghe, Bunscoıl Phobal Feırste, Raıdıó Fáılte, An Chultúrlann, Teach Ard Na bhFeá, Coláıste Feırste, and Áras Na bhFál. In a sense they are all ripples from the initial drop that was the Shaw’s Road Gaeltacht, established in 1969 and which led quickly to the bunscoıl in 1971 (WP). The NVTv documentary about the Shaw’s Road gaeltacht borrows its title from the slogan motivating the early efforts, “Ná habaır é, déan é” [Don’t say it, do it] – the bunscoıl was not officially recognised until 1985.
Among the pioneers (“ceannródaıthe”) of those early ventures were the Mac Seáın family, who grew up in a house adjacent to the wall on which the new mural is painted: “Tógadh Séamus Mac Seáın, Seán Mac Seáın, agus Caıtlín Mıstéıl (née Mhıc Sheáın) sa teach seo. Bhí an trıúr seo ı measc na gceannródaıthe a bhunaıgh Gaeltacht Bhóthar Seoıghe.”
The mural was commissioned by Spórtlann Na hÉıreann’s Irish-language heritage project “Gael Staır” (Meon Eıle | Belfast Media), with support from Mary’s Gift (Belfast Media), and painted by Aodán Ó Manacháın (Fb). It was unveiled Sunday 10th.
Rodney Drive, St James’s, west Belfast
In-progress image from July 27th:
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Féıle An Phobaıl (web) is now headquartered in the renovated (BCC) St Comgall’s on Divis Street in Ionad Eileen Howell, and during this year’s (2025) festival is home to an exhibition called “Vibrant Colours, Violent Past”, the centrepiece of which is a 20-foot-long panoramic history of republicanism, with Wolfe Tone, James Connolly, and Martin McGuinness as pivotal figures.
A leaflet distributed at the launch (on August 1st) explained the genesis of the project, as follows:
“A few years ago I met a great friend of Ireland and art collector Darius Anderson from California who was here on a trip with his wife Wendy and hoping to see some new work by Irish artists, not only work destined for gallery walls but having been fortunate to be included on one of local guide Dee Morgan’s tours he developed a love for and focus on our world-recognised mural art tradition.
“Then last year on another trip here I was able to introduce Darius to my life-long friends and probably the most prolific contributors to our local landscape.
“From a casual meeting alongside Marty and Micky at work repainting the Vol. Kieran Doherty mural in Andersonstown came an inspired suggestion that we accept a challenge from him to tell our story graphically on a canvas rather than the usual brick wall, not just on canvas to hang on a wall in his gallery in L.A. but a canvas to cover the entire wall 20ft x 7ft!
“Excited by our positive response Darius wondered could we invite some loyalist artist/activist to contribute a similar large canvas celebrating the history of the British, Unionist, Loyalist community here.
“That was last July. This exhibition is a result of that meeting but also a chance for the public to remind themselves of our often colourful and unfortunately violent past. – Danny D, Muralist/Activist”
“History is like a rearview mirror! You must always check back but you must keep focused on the road ahead, otherwise you are going to crash!” (Similar wording was used in a piece – Painting From The Same Palette – painted by Danny D and Mark Ervine in 2008.)
The exhibition was launched on August 1st and also included four display boards featuring murals by Danny D (CNR) and Dee Craig (PUL) (Fb).
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The RNU mural supporting Palestine has been cleaned up to remove graffiti calling Sınn Féın “traitors and touts” (RNU Belfast Fb).
Pantridge Road, replacing the boards seen in Conscience.
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“Defend the right to protest”, specifically to protest the treatment of Palestinians in Gazan.
The UK government introduced legislation in 2023 to prevent and tackle protests that might cause “more than minor disruption” to the community (Reuters), in contravention, according to Amnesty International, of Article 11 of the Human Rights Act. The High Court ruled against the government in 2024 and its appeal was rejected by the Appeals Court in May, 2025 (Reuters). The latest (late July 2025) Crime And Policing policy paper can be found at gov.uk.
Specifically related to protests about Gaza, in June the group Palestine Action was declared a terrorist organisation by UK government, because of the group’s “criminal damage in support of a cause” – specifically, its attacks on the facilities of the RAF and various weapons’ manufacturers; the group’s initial appeal was heard in the High Court last week (BBC) and the judge yesterday (July 30th) ruled that the group could challenge the designation (Independent).
Shown above is a hand-painted cloth sign on the railings of the Waterworks in north Belfast.
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“Óglach Kevin Hannaway, Irish Republican Army, hooded man. Unbowed & unbroken. Ar dheıs Dé go raıbh a anam.”
Kevin Hannaway died in January (2025), aged 77. In 1971 he was interned (Belfast Media) and subjected, along with thirteen others, to the “five techniques” – deprivation of food/drink and of sleep, subjection to noise, prolonged stress positions, and hooding (WP) – as well as being beaten and dropped out of a helicopter (Irish Times). The ‘five techniques’ were found to constitute torture in 2021 (RTÉ) and the PSNI apologised to the victims in 2023 (BBC | Irish Legal News).
Hannaway remained a republican throughout his life and was anti-Agreement in recent years (BBC). The board in Hannaway’s honour was launched on Sunday July 13th (Fb video). The panels of the board were siezed by the PSNI during a drug raid on a home in St James’s on the 11th but returned the next day (BelTel).
“IRPWA [web]. Republican prisoners still exist! Unfinished revolution. Unbowed, unbroken.”
Hugo Street, west Belfast. For a close-up of the Pearse Jordan plaque on the left, see the Peter Moloney Collection.
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“On the 9th of July 1972, during the IRA ceasefire, local families began moving into their new homes in Lenadoon but were obstructed by British Occupation Forces who opened fire with rubber bullets and, using a “Sixer” Saracen Armoured Personnel Carrier, rammed a McQuillan’s Quarry lorry carrying furniture and belongings as rioting took place across the district. Seamus Twomey, then the IRA Belfast Brigade OC, ended the ceasefire, ordering local IRA units to engage British Forces. Raging gun battles overwhelmed the British for several days, as the IRA liberated most of Lenadoon.”
The captions to the photographs along the top read (l-r): “British Forces fire projectiles at families moving into their new homes”, “A “Sixer” rams a McQuillan lorry, forcing it off the road”, “Seamus Twomey, IRA Belfast Brigade OC, ordered local units to engage the British”, “An IRA Volunteer takes up position in a nearby street”, “An armed IRA volunteer in Lenadoon in the 1970s, Carrigart flats”, “Local families evacuate Lenadoon as thousands march to Casement Park”, “Local homes bare [bear] the scars of war”.
For background, see this 24 minute Thames TV report (on youtube) about the dispute over houses in Lenadoon; RTÉ also has footage (one | two) of the evacuation.
“In proud & loving memory of all those who contributed to the struggle for Irish freedom – Léana An Dúın – Beıdh sıad ınár gcuımhne choíche”
Lenadoon Avenue, west Belfast, replacing the 1995 Gorta Mór mural. Launched Sunday July 12th.
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“We stand with Kneecap” – Kneecap yesterday announced a ten-date November tour of Scotland, Wales, and England, adding on to a jam-packed schedule of upcoming gigs that includes a string of European festivals and a tour of the United States. (The trio’s full schedule can be found at their web-site.) In between the France and Belgium dates, on August 20th, Lıam Óg Ó hAnnaıdh will make a different kind of appearance, in court, to face terrorism charges stemming from his display of a Hezbollah flag at a gig.
This tarp is on the Felons’ Club/Cumann Na Méırleach Poblachtach Éıreannach, replacing Seas Leıs An Phalaıstín. See also Seas Le Kneecap on the Falls Road.
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“Bullets do not only travel distance, but also through time.” Five people – Jack Duffin, Willie McManus, Christy Doherty, Peter Magee, and James Kennedy – were shot dead by the UDA in Graham’s betting parlour in February 1992. Their portraits, along with portraits of five others who are “injured, now deceased” – Vincent Armstrong, Jimmy Doran, Mark Hazard, Joe McNally, and Jim McManus – have been (permanently) added to the memorial in Hatfield Street.
The plaque on the far left is to Charles Joseph McGrillen, shot by the UDA/UFF in 1988 at his work in Dunne’s on the Annadale embankment (Sutton). (For a close-up, see the Seosamh Mac Coılle collection.)
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“The Shamrock supports Kneecap”. Kneecap member Mo Chara (Lıam Óg Ó hAnnaıdh) appeared in court (in London) last week to face charges of displaying a flag of a proscribed organisation (Hezbollah). He was released on bail and will return on August 20th. (BBC | AP) In the meantime, the group appeared in front of 10,000 fans on the West Holts stage at Glastonbury on Saturday (June 28th) despite criticism from UK prime minister Keir Starmer (BBC).
For the band’s other woes, see Seas Le Kneecap.
The Shamrock Sport & Social Club (Fb) in Ardoyne is running a promotion by which people who post their selfies in front of the new mural in support of Kneecap on social media can claim a bottle of Le Grá lager (web).
The fist is familiar from the pro-Palestine mural in Beechmount and the burning PSNI land-rover is familiar from the first (of three) Kneecap murals in Hawthorn Street – see Incendiary Device.
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Paddy Duffy Collection 