For the 30th anniversary of the 1981 hunger strike, the mosaics of the Troubles-era hunger strikers were mounted around the blanket-men board and above the Phoenix in Clowney Street; for a few years they were previously at the Falls-Beechmount corner.
Clowney Street, Beechmount, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2012 Paddy Duffy
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For the 40th anniversary, a painted shopfront and plaques to the victims of the McGurk’s Bar Bombing were added last December (2011) to the Celtic Cross and plaque already at the site.
The rectangular plaque at the corner reads, “To the memory of fifteen innocent civilians murdered by a pro-British loyalist gang in a no warning bomb attack on McGurk’s bar, Dec. 4th 1971. Philomena McGurk, Marie McGurk, James Cromie, John Colton, Thomas McLaughlin, David Milligan, James Smyth, Francis Bradley, Thomas Kane, Kathleen Irvine, Philip Garry, Edward Kane, Edward Keenan, Sarah, Keenan, Robert Spotswood.”
The text on the info board to the right is ad follows: “At 8.47 pm on Saturday 4th December 1971, a no-warning bomb, planted by British terrorists, exploded on the doorstep of family-run McGurk’s Bar. Fifteen innocent men, women and children perished. Those who were not crushed or slowly asphyxiated by masonry where [sic] horrifically burned to death when shattered gas mains burst into flames beneath the rubble. Nearly the same again were dragged from the debris alive. In the aftermath of the atrocity, the British and Unionist Governments, RUC police force and British military disseminated disinformation that the bomb was in-transit and that the innocent civilians were guilty by association, if not complicit in this act of terrorism. This is despite a mountain of forensic evidence and a witness who saw the bomb being planted and lit before watching the British terrorists escape into the night. From the moment the bomb exploded, and for 40 years since, the families and friends of those murdered have campaigned constitutionally and with great dignity to clear the names of their loved ones. It is a Campaign for Truth that continues to this day. Join us at www.themcgurksbar.com.”
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Copyright © 2012 Paddy Duffy
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These are new boards on Beechmount Avenue, alongside the many portraits of victims.
McGurk’s Bar: “At 8:47 pm on Saturday 4th December 1971, a no-warning bomb, planted by British terrorists, exploded on the doorstep of family-run McGurk’s Bar. Fifteen innocent men, women and children perished. Those who were not crushed or slowly asphyxiated by masonry where horrifically burned to death when shattered gas mains burst into flames beneath the rubble. Nearly the same again were dragged from the debris alive. In the aftermath of the atrocity, the British and Unionist Governments, RUC police force and British military disseminated disinformation that the bomb was in-transit and that the civilians guilty by association, if not complicit in this act of terrorism. This is despite a mountain of forensic evidence including a witness statement that saw the bomb being planted and lit before the British terrorists escaped into the night. From the moment the bomb exploded and for 40 years since, the families and friends of those murdered have campaigned constitutionally and with great dignity to clear the names of their lived ones. It is a Campaign for Truth that continues to this day. Join us at themcgurksbarmassacre.com” “
Springhill–Westrock Massacre: “Belfast’s Bloody Sunday. Time for truth! On the 9th July 1972 a team of British Army snipers took up firing positions in Corry’s timber yard overlooking the nationalist Springhill/Westrock estates. Within less than an hour five civilians lay dead and two critically wounded. Among the dead were three teenagers, a father of six and a priest on his way to administer the last rites to the dead and injured. There has never been a proper police investigation, and not one solider has spent a single day in prison in connection with their deaths. The families deserve, and demand the comprehensive facts be told by the British establishment. The truth costs nothing.”
Collusion: “Crime is crime is crime” said UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher in a 1981 news conference in Saudi Arabia. Her words are used against her and the UK government and armed forces: “We want you to tell us the truth [about collusion]”.
WBTA: Black taxis were first brought from England to Belfast in 1970 by locals who wanted to provide an alternative, and locally-based, transport system to augment the Citybuses which were sometimes cancelled and sometimes burned out. “West Belfast Taxi Association. Providing Belfast with a public transport system for over 40 years.”
The board commemorates eight drivers who were killed during the troubles: “Dedicated to the memory of Michael Duggan 12/11/75, Jim Green 5/5/77, Harry Muldoon 31/10/84, Paddy McAllister 26/8/86, Caoımhín Mac Brádaıgh 16/3/88, Thomas Hughes 19/7/91, Hugh Magee 10/10/91, Paddy Clarke 2/2/92. Murdered in the service of their community. A Dhıa deán trocaıre ar a nanamacha.” French documentary about black taxi drivers.
Beechmount Avenue/Ascaıll Ard Na bhFeá, west Belfast
[Ballymurphy Massacre board, seen in 2010]
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Copyright © 2012 Paddy Duffy
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Here are three republican boards, framed: on the left, “Belfast Brigade ONH”; above right, “Until all are free we are all imprisoned – support all republican POWs – RNU (Fb)/Cogús (Fb); below right, the deceased 1981 hunger strikers.
The lettering on the left reads “Join the Republican Network For Unity”, and below everything there is a Bobby Sands quote: “We all know the reason that we are being tortured – because we are political dissidents, POWs, and we won’t bend the knee or conform” (from Thoughts From The Shadows).
Duncairn Parade, New Lodge, north Belfast
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Copyright © 2012 Paddy Duffy
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The Provisional IRA arose “Out of the ashes of 1969”, but the lineage is a long one and all but one of the organisations, events, and arms depicted here precede 1969: Cumann Na mBan, Na Fıanna Éıreann, Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann, a Celtic shield and sword, a pike (from the 1798 Rebellion), a Thompson gun, the Tricolour; only the assault rifle is modern and perhaps also is meant to indicate the “Belfast Brigade” Provisionals. “Fuaır sıad bás as son saoırse na hÉıreann.” Portraits of 21 locals appear along the roof-line.
For a PUL use of the phrase, see Out Of The Ashes.
New Lodge Road, north Belfast, replacing Laochra Na nGael
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Copyright © 2012 Paddy Duffy
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RNU mural using the “H” for H-Blocks, along with the barbed wire symbol for POWs, to protest contemporary treatment of republican prisoners in Maghaberry.
Northumberland Street, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2011 Paddy Duffy
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“It is not those who can inflict the most but those who can endure the most who will conquer.” 1981 hunger-striker Francis Hughes is flanked by blanketmen Hugh Rooney and Freddie Toal and surrounded by a host of other republican faces in this 2011 mural commemorating the 30th anniversary of the strikes. Painted by Seany McVeigh.
Top 1. Wolfe Tone 2. Mairead Farrell 3. Thomas Ashe 4. Kevin Lynch 5. Michael Gaughan 6. Padraig Pearse, [FH] 7. Thomas McElwee 8. Constance Markievicz 9. Joe McDonnell 10. Terence MacSwiney 11. Frank Stagg 12. fuiseog
Middle 1. Hugh Rooney, 2. Kevin Barry 3. Patsy O’Hara 4. Máire Drumm 5. James Connolly, [FH] 6. Denis Barry 7. James O’Donovan Rossa 8. Bobby Sands 9. Mickey Devine 10. ? 11. Freddie Toal
Bottom 1. Roger Casement 2. Kieran Doherty 3. Michael Fitzgerald 4. Seán McNeela 5. Tony D’Arcy 6. Ray McCreesh, [FH] 7. Joseph Murphy 8. Andrew Sullivan 9. Seán McCaughey 10. Martin Hurson 11. Anne Devlin
Northumberland Street, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2011 Paddy Duffy
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“Is Gaeıl sınne” [we are Irish-speakers]. Pobal promotes abhcóıdeachy/advocacy, cearta/rights, forbaırt phobaıl/community development, straıtéıs/strategy, taıghde/research, faıreachán/monitoring, ealaíon/arts, carried out in Teach Uí Chorráın in Ionad an Dá Spuaic [Twin Spires], and the “Tá” campaign for “acht na Gaeılge” an Irish-language act.
Northumberland Street, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2011 Paddy Duffy
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Tommy Sands records under his own name, as “the Sands Family” (with his siblings | web | Fb) and, as shown here, “with Moya & Fionán” (his children). This Northumberland Street mural was up towards the security gates just below Sean Garland.
Northumberland Street, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2011 Paddy Duffy
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“Understand the past – and build a better future le chéıle Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter.” “The past” in this case is the Battle Of St Matthew’s (“Chath Naomh Máıtıú”), one of the formative events of the Provisional IRA (“Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann”) (WP).
The “better future” is symbolised by the dove and the absence of a weapon in the arms of the central figures – compare to this Derry mural from 1985. The mural was unveiled as part of the commemorative events to mark the 40th anniversary of the Battle.
Mountpottinger Road, Short Strand, east Belfast
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Copyright © 2011 Paddy Duffy
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Paddy Duffy Collection 