Belfast west – Page 54 – Paddy Duffy Collection

Llibertat – Saoırse

1997-08-012026-10-28Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This is a mural of international solidarity between Catalonia (llibertat), Ireland (saoırse), the Basque country, Palestine, and Mexico, whose flags can be seen along the bottom. The skulls hanging on the left are labelled as coming from Kenya, India, Ireland, and Cambodia. The people featured are Steve Biko, Che, Máıre Drumm, Maıréad Farrell, Miram Daly (whose son Donal worked on the mural), Nelson Mandela, Leila Khaled, and Leonard Peltier. The aboriginal flag is on the chimney breast and the pots are painted in the four colours of man.

The mural was painted by Féıle Artists (including Danny D, Marty Lyons, Mo Chara Kelly, and Donal Daly) along with Victor Ochoa (WP).

Falls Road/Fallswater Street, west Belfast

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Copyright © 1997 Paddy Duffy
T00301

Stop At Nothing

1997-07-012025-10-22Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“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

1997-07-012025-10-20Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

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

No Plastic Bullets

1997-07-012025-10-20Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This image of an RUC officer aiming a plastic-bullet gun is the central panel of a mural at the top of Springhill Avenue that would otherwise go unfinished.

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Copyright © 1997 Paddy Duffy
T00296

Ireland’s Soldiers Of Freedom

1997-07-012025-10-20Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

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

1997-04-012025-10-19Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

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

1997-04-012025-10-19Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

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.

New Life

1997-04-012025-10-20Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

There is no text to accompany these images of sun/moon, day/night, and religious-icon-style figures in the branches and trunk of the central tree, but this is probably a mural from New Life church (web), between the security gates on Northumberland Street, west Belfast. The church is associated with Elim Pentecostal (web) and was founded in 1993 (old site).

A New Opportunity For Peace

1997-04-012025-10-17Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This high wall is in front of the Sınn Féın offices (Connolly House) on the Andersonstown Road, west Belfast. Along the top is a list of concerns being pressed in the on-going peace process: “Roısín McAliskey, preconditions, Drumcree 95-96-?, Dunloy, Ormeau Rd, Garvaghy, Loyalists no ceasefire, Lee Clegg, RUC – no change. A new opportunity for peace – Bóthar Bhaıle Andarsan for all inclusive talks.”

Gerry Adams stood for Sınn Féın in Belfast West in the 1997 UK general election, regaining the seat from the SDLP’s Joe Hendron with 56% of the poll (WP). He is wearing a green ribbon, emblem of the campaign to release republican POWs.