This is and old (2009) repaint of the mural in the Markets to IRA volunteers: They are: Tony Nolan, Joseph Downey, Frank Fitzsimons, Joey Surgenor, Paul Marlowe, Jim Templeton, and Brendan Davison.
See previously 2002 and the paint-bombed 2006.
The photograph on which this mural is based can be found in this entry on a 1981 Rosnareen mural.
Friendly Street, Belfast
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Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
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One of the first casualties of the Easter Rising, on the evening of Good Friday, was Belfast-born Charles Monahan (Charlie Monahan, Cathal Ó Monacháın/Ó Muıneacháın), who died along with Con Keating and Daniel Sheehan in a motor accident in Kerry, when their car – which only had one headlamp – was driven off a pier. His body was not found until October 30th. The driver, Tommy McInerney – shown here studying a map – survived. This mural is in the Markets; Monahan is also claimed by east Belfast and a 2006 mural to him was painted on Mountpottinger Road (Visual History).
“Born in Riley[‘s] Place in the Market area of Belfast, Charles was one of many people who left Belfast to take part in the events leading up to the Easter Rising. Charles[‘s] role was to meet up with 3 other vols and help guide Roger Casement (top left) land a ship full of weapons. On the 21st April, 1916, the driver took the wrong road and drove off the pier into the Laune at Ballykissane. Charles, 37, drowned along with two of his comrades.”
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Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
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“Saint Malachy’s G.A.C. is more than a club. It’s our club. To participate is to represent your community and an expression of your cultural identity.”
This is the 2021 repaint of the mural celebrating Gaelic games in the parish of St. Malachy/Naomh Maolmhaodhóg, in the Markets area of Belfast. The parish church – featured in the top centre – has a celebrated fan-vaulted ceiling (WP). This mural, on the other hand, features a bay window.
A plaque to “Gerard “Jock” Davison” has been added in the top right corner.
“Conaíonn [Cónaíonn] muid ı scath dá chéıle” is a straightforward rendering of the epigrammatic “Ar scáth a cheıle a mhaıreann na daoıne”, which was included in the previous version – see Cultural Identity.
Welsh Street, Markets, south Belfast
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Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T01267
“This site housed the former Mid Donegall Road Bonfire for over two decades, until the expansion and development of the surrounding area including the City Hospital meant that it was no longer viable for a bonfire to remain on this site. Greater Village Regeneration Trust, through its work with The Health Trust, who own the site, and the local community, including the local bonfire builders wanted to have something on the site that could benefit the whole community and agreement was given for it to be transformed into the garden that is here today. Local Artist Johnny [sic] McKerr worked alongside Greater Village Regeneration Trust and the local community and this artwork was designed to depict and celebrate the heritage, history and culture which the people of this area are extremely proud of.”
The info board includes a photograph of the bonfire spilling out towards the car-park for the City. The other image is a photograph from the Peter Moloney Collection, used without permission, and photoshopped to add “DRL” – Donegall Road Loyalists.
According to Eddie Kelly of the GVRT, Carrickfergus castle is included because “This is where King William landed, and the annual bonfire is a symbol of a beacon lit across the coast to guide him” (Belfast Live).
Painted by JMK/Jonny McKerr (tw) at Coolfin St on Donegall Rd.
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Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T01108
Here are three shots of the new Blaze Fx (web | Fb) “Belfast Giants” mural in east Belfast’s Lord Street. The Giants have been Belfast’s ice-hockey team for the last fifteen years, beginning in 2000. The detail above shows mascot Finn MacCool and the image of the full mural, below, includes the team motto, the (a)politically-motivated “In the land of the giants, everyone is equal.” The mural takes the place of a UDA mural (see, Feriens Tego) and is one of three large murals and various small murals to be replaced or painted out. (This News Letter article puts the total at nine.)
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Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
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Hugh Smyth OBE was born in the Woodvale area and represented the upper Shankill as an Independent Unionist and then a Progressive Unionist in Belfast City Council for forty-one years, until the year before his death in May 2014, including a term as Lord mayor in 1994-1995 – he is pictured in the main image in his mayoral robes.
The portrait on the right was taken by Bobbie Hanvey and is kept in a Boston College archive.
As the quote indicates, his politics were orientated towards the working class: “Historically, Unionist politicians fed their electorate the myth that they were first class citizens… and without question people believed them. Historically, Republican/Nationalist politicians fed their electorate the myth that they were second class citizens… and without question the people believed them. In reality, the truth of the matter was that we all, Protestant and Catholic, were third class citizen, and none of us realised it!”
The board was officially launched on June 19th, 2014.
Replaces 90 Years Of Resistance in Canmore Street, Shankill, west Belfast.
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Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
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A dead WWI soldier in the scorched Belgian countryside is comforted by an ethereal figure who will convey him to heaven: A soldier standing at heaven’s gate/To St. Peter he did tell/I’m here to enter heaven now/I’ve served my time in hell – a variation on James Donahue’s WWII Soldier’s Poem (WP). The poem was previously used of Republicans in a 1981 mural in Derry (see I Refuse To Change/M00151).
The Larches, Carrickfergus
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Copyright © 2012 Paddy Duffy
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The photograph of a stretchered soldier giving a ‘thumbs up’ (shown below) was set up and photographed by Captain Ed Hodges of the King’s Royal Hussars in Basra, Iraq, in 2007 (Daily Mail). In silhouette (as shown here) it has become the icon of the Help For Heroes charity raising money for British forces.
Moltke Street, Village, south Belfast
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Copyright © 2011/2012 Paddy Duffy
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“Honour Ireland’s dead – wear an Easter lily.” This Beechmount Avenue/Ascaıll Ard Na bhFeá mural is a memorial to republicans from County Antrim from 1798 to 1966 – when the ‘County Antrim Memorial’ was raised in Milltown on the 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising – and beyond; it is pictured in the lower right, a large cross-shaped monument. Tom Williams (WP), an IRA volunteer who was executed during the Northern Campaign (during the second world war) and is buried in the plot, is mentioned specifically on the headstone in the lower left.
Next to the Fıanna centenary mural.
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Copyright © 2012 Paddy Duffy
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