CNR – Page 61 – Paddy Duffy Collection

Ní Thıg Leat Éıre A Chloígh

2012-01-152026-08-28Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Ní thıg leat Éıre a chloígh, ní thıg leat fonn saoırse mhuıntır na hÉıreann a mhúc[h]adh.” [“You cannot subdue Ireland; you cannot extinguish the desire for the freedom of the Irish people.”]

The mural presents images of Ballymurphy including the mural of McCrudden-O’Rawe–Jordan and memorial garden on Divismore Way (left) and Springhill (right), under the title “Ballymurphy unbowed, unbroken”.

The male figures in the foreground are unnamed but the four in jackets are presumably Stone, McWilliams, McCracken, and Dougal after their mural in Springhill Drive was blanked; the female activists on the left of Sheppard’s Cú Chulaınn are Mary Austin, Kathleen Clarke, Annie McWilliams. “This mural was unveiled by Gerry Adams MP 2nd May 2010” but Adams’s name has been scratched out from the (painted) low wall.

Glenalina Road, Ballymurphy, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2012 Paddy Duffy
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Talk Of Us As Though We Were Beside You

2012-01-142026-08-01Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Grieve not nor speak of us with tears but laugh and talk of us as though we were beside you”. Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann, Belfast brigade, 2nd battalion, B company volunteers Kevin Delaney, Patrick Campbell, Michael Clarke, Anne Parker, and Michael Sloan are shown on patrol in Ballymurphy Parade, the street just to the left of this mural. Campbell was 16 when killed by friendly fire; the oldest at time of death was Delaney, at 26.

Also named on the plaque are “republican activists” Esther Valelly, Theresa Campbell, and Maggie Campbell.

Glenalina Road, Ballymurphy, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2012 Paddy Duffy
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Imagine

2012-01-132026-08-01Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Here is a gallery of new murals on the International Wall in Divis Street and Northumberland Street – compare to 2010. The ‘Imagine’ piece is between the security gates.

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Copyright © 2012 Paddy Duffy
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Fáılte Go Dtí West Belfast

2012-01-122026-08-01Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Welcome to west Belfast”. West Belfast is portrayed as a place of music, sport, and dancing, whose landmark buildings and streets are under the watchful eye (and sword) of the goddess Érıu.

The image of the little boy with the “I [heart] Belfast” stickers and a bag of sweets, standing in the waste ground of Divis flats, is a photograph from the early days of Féıle An Phobaıl/West Belfast Festival.

On the Divis Street side, characters in the style of cartoonist Cormac (see e.g. Notes) are “Promoting west Belfast tourism” for “Fáılte Feırste Thıar”, “www.visitwestbelfast.com“. The attractions touted are: “Bop at the August “fleadh”. “Craıc agus ceol” (for Robert Ballagh’s dove coming out of the concrete block, see Féile An Phobail 2008), “The only thing you have here is “choice”. Tar ısteach agus (lıg do scíth)”. “Baın sult as. Tá mé ag éısteacht le Raıdıó Fáilte 107.1 FM”, “For more ideas on things to do, visit Oıfıg Fáılte at An Chultúrlann. There’s really nice food there too! at Caıfe Feırste”, “If it’s history you want go on a cemetery tour “City or Milltown””, “Enjoy a walk on ‘Slıabh Dubh’ (The black … … mountain)”, “Make sure you visit the “Irish republican history museum” at Conway Mill” (with ‘Long Kesh University Of Freedom’ sweater; “Sinn Féin touts” is not a sweater but graffiti.)

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Copyright © 2012 Paddy Duffy
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The Mass Graves Of Ireland

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In 1997, the office of then-Prime Minister Tony Blair issued a statement acknowledging that the administration of the time of the Hunger failed to intervene (Guardian | Independent).

The mural above asserts that government’s inaction was not merely a matter of negligence but of will: “With over 1,500,000 deaths “sorry” is not enough. It is time the British government and its war machine to leave Ireland and her people in peace. During the genocide of 1845 to 1852 the British government seized from Ireland’s producers tens of millions of head of livestock, tens of millions of tons of flour, grain, meat, poultry and dairy products, enough food to sustain 18 million people. 200,000 British troops (100,000 at any given time) and 12,000 RIC removed Ireland’s food at gun point. This mural is dedicated to the men, women and children who died of starvation during the Great Hunger. To call this period in Irish history a famine dishonors the pain and untold suffering our ancestors endured. British warships took the food of our land for profit while our people starved. It was genocide. With this truth told may they rest in peace.”

“A Róısín, na bíodh brón ort, fár [fé’r] éırıgh duıt.” Each white cross on the map represents a mass grave. The map is originally from irishholocaust.org.

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Copyright © 2012 Paddy Duffy
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Cumann Spóırt An Phobaıl

2012-01-102026-08-01Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This mural (partly on boards, partly on the wall) celebrates 125 years of the GAA, particularly local teams Cumman [sic] Spóırt An Phobaıl, Cardinal O’Donnell’s, Gort Na Móna, and Cumann Naomh Eoın.

Whiterock Road, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2012 Paddy Duffy
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Political Hostage

2012-01-092026-08-01Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This painted board in support of Marian Price (WP) was launched on May 13, 2012. Charges against Price were reinstated on September 5th (Slugger). Owen Paterson (with one “t”) was replaced in mid September (2012) as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland after five months in office.

Whiterock Road, west Belfast

Our Demands Most Moderate Are

2012-01-082026-08-01Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The sixteen-year old Sınn Féın Trade Union Dept mural has been replaced (though the plaque remains in the top right-hand corner) with another mural featuring James Connolly but with a new quote, from his 1907 poem: “Our demands most moderate are/We only want the earth.” The Irish Worker headline reads “Belfast ITGWU organiser Connolly gets 905 votes municipal elections” referring to the municipal elections of 1913 – Connolly stood in the Dock Ward (SIPTU). At Connolly’s right hand are books by James Fintan Lalor (Clearing ~~The~~ Decks), William Thompson (Labour [Labor] Rewarded) and Karl Marx.

Above the mural is a painted board celebrating “women in struggle – generations shall remember them and call them blessed.” With images of female activists including Máıre Drumm, Maıréad Farrell, and Countess Markievicz.

No Right In Ireland

2012-01-072026-08-28Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“The British government has no right in Ireland, never had any right in Ireland, and never can have any right in Ireland.” (Last Statement, 1916)

“James Connolly 1868-1916 James Connolly was born in June 5th 1868. In 1810 he became organiser for the Irish Transport And General Workers Union in Belfast. In 1913 he co-founded the Irish Citizen Army. He was one of the signatories of the 1916 Proclamation and commanded HQ in the GPO during the 1916 Rising. He was executed by the British on May 12th 1916.”

“Nora Connolly O’Brien 1893-1981 Nora Connolly was the 2nd daughter of James Connolly. Nora was a member of Cumann Na mBan and the Gaelic League in Belfast. She played an organisational role in the ICA in the run up to the 1916 Rising. She was a trade unionist and remained so throughout her life.”

The mural was launched on May 3rd, 2012.

For the gallery above the mural, see On The Brink Of Sectarian Disaster.

Clondara St, west Belfast

For close-ups of the upper banners and boards, see the Peter Moloney Collection.

County Antrim Memorial

2012-01-062026-08-01Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Honour Ireland’s dead – wear an Easter lily.” This Beechmount Avenue/Ascaıll Ard Na bhFeá mural is a memorial to republicans from County Antrim from 1798 to 1966 – when the ‘County Antrim Memorial’ was raised in Milltown on the 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising – and beyond; it is pictured in the lower right, a large cross-shaped monument. Tom Williams (WP), an IRA volunteer who was executed during the Northern Campaign (during the second world war) and is buried in the plot, is mentioned specifically on the headstone in the lower left.

Next to the Fıanna centenary mural.