The Gibraltar Three are IRA volunteers Maıréad Farrell, Seán Savage, and Dan McCann, who were executed by British crown forces in Gibraltar on March 6th, 1988.
Along the top is written a variation on the second half of Terence MacSwiney’s famous phrase: “[It is not those who can inflict the most but] “Those that endure the most will conquer in the end”
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Copyright © 1998 Paddy Duffy
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Jim Fitzpatrick’s Che (Visual History) is the linchpin of this mural in Shiels Street, Beechmount, expressing solidarity between Irish republicanism and the Cuban revolutionaries. Fidel Castro appears on the right (and in the poster on the left), and Bobby Sands is seen on the right reading a collection of Che’s speeches and writings published in English in 1969 as Venceremos! (pdf).
Shiels Street, Beechmount, west Belfast
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Copyright © 1998 Paddy Duffy
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The Ulster Democratic Party (UDP) was the political wing of the UDA, and supported a policy of an independent Northern Ireland (as described in the policy document ‘Common Sense‘). It won a few council seats in the late 1980s and early 1990s (and dissolved in 2001) (BBC-NI).
The top-right panel is similar to this Victor Patterson photograph of the farmers’ protest at Stormont during the Ulster Workers’ Council strike that brought down the Sunningdale Agreement in 1974.
Bellevue Street, west Belfast
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Copyright © 1998 Paddy Duffy
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“Red Hand Commando A Company Shankill”. The plaque unfortunately cannot be read.
There was previously a board above the flag-pole holder, showing the same emblem but with “Scottish Brigade” instead of “Red Hand Commando”, against a St Andrew’s Saltire (D00029).
Glenwood Street, west Belfast
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Copyright © 1998 Paddy Duffy
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“Springfield residents say … No bigots on our road! 27 June re-route sectarian marches.” The lambeg drummer is from the “Kill All Taigs LVF flute band”. The march went ahead, with a large RUC presence and a silent protest from locals (RN | Jarman).
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Copyright © 1998 Paddy Duffy
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Paddy Duffy Collection 