Belfast west

The Gibraltar Three

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The plaque to the left reads “I ndıl chuımhne – In proud and loving memory of Volunteers Dan McCann, Maıréad Farrell, Sean Savage, Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann who were executed by British Crown forces in Gibraltar 6th March, 1988.” (For a close-up of the plaque, see M04470.) The trio are shown here floating over the rock of Gibraltar, while being honoured by a gunman giving a “final salute” and an ancient Celtic warrior who stand among a circle of standing stones.

Hawthorn Street, west Belfast

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Copyright © 1998 Paddy Duffy
T00309

An Gorta Mór

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“Britain’s genocide by starvation”, “Ireland’s holocaust 1845-1849”, “Over 1,500,000 deaths”. The great hunger is depicted using images from Illustrated London Newses of the time (see the Visual History page on an gorta mór).

The mural was begun in 1995 and was still in development in 1997. Whiterock Road, west Belfast

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Copyright © 1998 Paddy Duffy
T00290

Not Spain, Not France

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“Not Spain, not France. Free Catalonia. Since 1714 the Catalan nation is military [sic] occupied for the Spanish and French states. Catalonia has their own culture, language, and history. Our country have [sic] more than 1000 years of history as a nation. The Catalan flag is the first European flag. Our fight flag is the “Estelada”. The white star means the freedom, and the blue triangle stands for the sky of humanity. Free Catalonia! United Ireland! El nostre dia arribarà! Tıócfaıdh [sic] ár lá. 11/8/97″

Beechmount Avenue, west Belfast

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Copyright © 1998 Paddy Duffy
T00285

The Ultimate Sacrifice

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“This plaque is dedicated to the memory of Lt. Col. Trevor King, died 9th July 1994, Major Wm. (Frenchie) Marchant, died 28th April 1987, Davy Hamilton, Died 17th June 1994. These brave men died near this spot [the corner of Spier’s Place and Shankill Road, Belfast] by the enemies of Ulster. No sacrifice is too great for one’s country. They paid the ultimate sacrifice. ‘They shall grow not old/as we that are left grow old/Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn/At the going down of the sun and in the morning/We will remember them.’”

King and Hamilton (along with Colin Craig, an RUC informer and not included on the plaque) were shot by the INLA and died of their wounds three weeks and one day later. Frenchie Marchant was shot by the IRA outside The Eagle chip shop. The plaque is surrounded by a garland of three nation’s flowers: shamrock, rose, and thistle.

Spier’s Place, west Belfast. This is a new, larger, plaque, compared to previously.

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Copyright © 1998 Paddy Duffy
T00258 [T00257]

Stop At Nothing

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“Our rulers will stop at nothing to attain their ends. They will continue to rule and rob until confronted by men who will stop at nothing to overthrow them.” The quote is from James Connolly on Conscription. Local volunteer Joe McDonnell is portrayed between the names of the ten deceased 1981 hunger strikers. 

Lenadoon Avenue, west Belfast

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Copyright © 1997 Paddy Duffy
T00303

Draoıchláırseoırí An Chınn Bhaıle

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In Táın Bó Cúaılnge, the “sweet-mouth harpers of Caın Bıle” are also “druids, men of great cunning and great power of augury and magic.” They come to Medb and Aılıll to entertain them, carrying mistletoe by which they sing, but are mistaken as Ulster spies; the harpers turn themselves into deer to escape their pursuers, near the Lıa Mór (Great Stone) (Death Of Lethan). 

The source for the image is unknown.

Springhill Avenue, west Belfast

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Copyright © 1997 Paddy Duffy
T00297

Ireland’s Soldiers Of Freedom

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IRA volunteers are superimposed upon the flags of the four provinces. In the top left (Ulster) and bottom right (Connacht) they are aiming weapons (one with a sniper’s scope), while in the top right (Leinster) they are firing a funeral volley, and in the bottom left (Munster) are reading a statement at a microphone; in the middle are a lark and a Tricolour.

South Link, Andersonstown, west Belfast, replacing the even-more-heavily armed volunteers in Beıdh Ár Lá Lınn.

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Copyright © 1997 Paddy Duffy
T00294

“Dhá Chıne, Aon Choımhlint – Bi Herri, Borroka Bat

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This is a long mural expressing solidarity between Ireland and the Basque Country on the wall of JB Kennedy’s bakery in Beechmount Grove. The bakery would close in 1998 (Belfast Live).

There are various slogans in Basque and in Irish. From top to bottom (left to right):

“Dhá chıne, aon choımhlint – Bi herri, borroka bat. Askatasuna – Saoırse”

“Emakumeen askatasunik gabe, ez daga herri askatasunik – Gan saoırse de mná, níl aon saoırse den tír.”

“[unknown Basque poem/song about overthrowing the capitalists]”

“Hemen euskaraz ez dakienak berak jakingo du zergatik ez dakien. Baina hemen euskaraz ez dakienak ez digu uzten euskaraz egiten. Baina eta hemen euskaraz jakin arren euskaraz mintzatzen ez denak ere ez digu uzten euskaraz egiten”

“Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam”

“Sabotaia, errebeldia, desobeintzia, matxinada”

“Mol an óıge agus tıocfaıdh sí”

“Oure lurra defenda dezagun”

“Ní mhaırfidh an duıne, ach maırfıdh an domhaın má bhe[ı]r an duıne aıre dó”

“Bietan jarrai” – the slogan of ETA

and, out of shot to the right, in English, “No repression”.

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Copyright © 1997 Paddy Duffy
T00277 T00278 T00279 T00280 T00281

Mythological Beechmount

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This is a very long mural on Beechmount Avenue reproducing various pieces from Jim Fitzpatrick’s Book Of Conquests, including the central figure from the cover. The final panel shows Fitzpatrick’s Lough Derravaragh/Children Of Lear.

See the Visual History page on Jim Fitzpatrick.

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Copyright © 1997 Paddy Duffy
T00270 T00271 T00272 T00273 T00274 T00275 T00276