London-/Derry

No Consent, No Parade

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Parading This mural demands that Orange Order marches have the consent of local residents in Derry, Garvaghy [Portadown], and lower Ormeau [south Belfast].

Parading was the central on-the-ground issue of the post-Agreement years (BBC). Resistance to Orange Order parades marching through CNR areas was led by local groups: in Derry, by the Bogside Residents’ Group, in Portadown, by the Garvaghy Road Residents’ Coalition, and in lower Ormeau by Lower Ormeau Residents Action Group. In each case, residents were appealing directly to the local lodges and to the police. (The Parades Commission would be established in 1998.)

In 1995, there was a three-day stand-off on the Gavraghy Road that resulted in a silent march without bands (CAIN). The police initially re-routed the 1996 march but reversed the decision at the last minute, citing the threat of loyalist violence, and forced residents off the street in order to accommodate the parade.

Rossville Street, Bogside, Derry

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Copyright © 1996 Paddy Duffy
T00190

Coffin Ship

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A million, and perhaps as many as 2 million – one in four Irish people – left Ireland between 1845 and 1855, many sailing on so-called “coffin ships” which had mortality rates of 30%. Another million died in the Great Hunger itself (Visual History), in most cases the proximate causes were fever and dysentery (WP | Irish Central).

Crocus Street, west Belfast. Perhaps by the same hand(s) that painted the Gorta Mór mural in Rossnareen.

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Copyright © 1996 Paddy Duffy
T00113

Battle Of The Bogside

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A fist in flames to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the battle of the Bogside, and the beginning of the Troubles, 1969 – 1994. The Battle began on August 12th, 1969, with the declaration of “Free Derry” and exclusion of police. The British Army was deployed on the 14th.

For more information, see the documentaries Battle Of The Bogside and No Go on youtube, and the WP page.

Painted by Arlene Wege in Lecky Road, Bogside, Derry

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Copyright © 1995 Paddy Duffy
T00103

The Petrol Bomber

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The Petrol Bomber was the first mural painted by the Bogside Artists – Kevin Hasson, Tom Kelly, and William Kelly – as part of what would become The People’s Gallery (Visual History).

It shows 13 year-old Paddy Coyle (Derry Journal) with a Molotov cocktail and wearing a gas mask (used to protect rioters against CS gas). The original did not have the green ribbon on the boy’s badge – it is a symbol of the movement to have POWs released as part of any peace agreement.

The Rossville flats are in the background of the mural (though not of Clive Limpkin’s original photo, included below from this gallery of Limpkin’s images of Derry 1969-1972).

Lecky Road, Bogside, Derry

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Copyright © 1995 Paddy Duffy
T00200
Copyright © 1996 Paddy Duffy
[T00102] [T00191]