Easter Rising 1916 – Page 4 – Paddy Duffy Collection

We Bleed That The Nation May Live

2022-09-132026-08-28Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Arrayed against the forces of the British Army (which are shown in armoured cars and in sniping positions in the foreground of the mural, along the whole length of the wall) are various symbols of Irish nationalism: Oliver Sheppard‘s 1911 statue of Cú Chulaınn dying; the pikemen of the 1798 Rebellion (Éırí Amach 1798); the four provinces of Ireland; Érıu the mythological queen of Ireland/Éıre as designed by Richard J King/Rísteard Ó Cíonga; Easter lilies; the emblems of Na Fıanna Éıreann and Cumann Na mBan on either side of a quote from (The Mainspring) Sean MacDiarmada “We bleed that the nation may live; I die that the nation may live. Damn your concessions, England: we want our country”; a phoenix rising from the flames of the burning Dublin GPO (inspired by Norman Teeling’s 1998 painting The GPO Burns In Dublin); the GPO flying an ‘Irish Republic’ flag; portraits of signatories and other rebels — (left) Padraig H. Pearse, Thomas J Clarke, Eamonn Ceannt, Thomas MacDonagh, (right) Countess Markievicz, James Connolly, Sean MacDiarmada, Thomas Plunkett; the declaration of independence, placed over the advertising box of AA Accountants – see the in-progress shot below. For more work-in-progess images, see Éırí Amach 1798. At the very bottom is a quote from the mother of Gerard ‘Mo Chara’ Kelly, Harriet Kelly: “We want the freedom of our country and your soldiers out.”

McQuillan Street, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
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No Right In Ireland

2012-01-072026-08-28Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“The British government has no right in Ireland, never had any right in Ireland, and never can have any right in Ireland.” (Last Statement, 1916)

“James Connolly 1868-1916 James Connolly was born in June 5th 1868. In 1810 he became organiser for the Irish Transport And General Workers Union in Belfast. In 1913 he co-founded the Irish Citizen Army. He was one of the signatories of the 1916 Proclamation and commanded HQ in the GPO during the 1916 Rising. He was executed by the British on May 12th 1916.”

“Nora Connolly O’Brien 1893-1981 Nora Connolly was the 2nd daughter of James Connolly. Nora was a member of Cumann Na mBan and the Gaelic League in Belfast. She played an organisational role in the ICA in the run up to the 1916 Rising. She was a trade unionist and remained so throughout her life.”

The mural was launched on May 3rd, 2012.

For the gallery above the mural, see On The Brink Of Sectarian Disaster.

Clondara St, west Belfast

For close-ups of the upper banners and boards, see the Peter Moloney Collection.

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Copyright © 2012 Paddy Duffy
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Éırí Amach Na Casca

2010-01-142026-07-28Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The Éırí Amach Na Cásca 1916 [Easter Rising 1916] mural is repainted (by DD and Seany McVeigh) due to the new doorway. Compare to the previous version. (See also the IRA plaque.)

Beechmount Avenue/Ascaıll Ard Na bhFeá/RPG Avenue, Beechmount, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2010 Paddy Duffy
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The Women Of 1916

1996-09-012025-10-01Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Text would later be added along the bottom reading, “This mural is dedicated to the Women of Cumann Na mBan, Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann & Sınn Féın.” Image “from R[uth] Taillon’s book The Women Of 1916.” Taillon is a Canadian who moved to Belfast in 1980 and has been doing work with the women’s movement in the north and on women’s history – see NVTv.

Hawthorn Street, west Belfast. There was also a mural on the low wall to the left – see The Soldiers Of Cumann Na mBan.

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Copyright © 1996 Paddy Duffy
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Free Ireland

1990-07-012025-08-30Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Manacles “Made in Britain” constrain the republican desire for a united Ireland, contrary to the burning GPO and rising phoenix.

“Numerous foreign groups and delegations visited Ballymurphy and west Belfast during the troubles. I remember one meeting I was at in Conway Mill, I picked up a pamphlet with a drawing of a manacled fist. The caption read “Made in the USA.” So I just took the image and changed the slogan to “Made in Britain”.” (Painting My Community/An Pobal A Phéınteáıl – English-language version available for free)

The plaque – which pre-dates this mural – is to local (A Company 2nd Battalion) IRA volunteers Stan Carberry, Frankie Dodds, Paul Fox, Sean Bailey, Paul Marlowe, and Tony Campbell. “Fuaır sıad bás ar son na hÉıreann”, “Ireland unfree will never be at peace”. (See the Peter Moloney Collection.)

Painted by Mo Chara Kelly in Beechmount Avenue/RPG Avenue.

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Copyright © 1990 Paddy Duffy
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Ireland First, Ireland Last, And Ireland Over All

1990-07-012025-08-30Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

A revolutionary soldier raises the Irish Tricolour while trampling on a Union Flag on a broken mast that was perhaps attached to the poorly drawn GPO in the background. The card on which the image is based can be seen below.

On the right hand side are the Easter lily and halberds/pikes and an assault rifle, indicating the historical roots and present-day inheritors of the 1916 revolt.

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Copyright © 1990 Paddy Duffy
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Mé A Rug Cú Chulaınn Cróga

1988-06-012025-08-29Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Words from Padraıg Mac Pıaraıs’s poem Mıse Éıre are included alongside the portraits of the seven signatories to the 1916 Proclamation. It includes the line “Great is my glory, I who bore brave Cú Chulaınn” and Cú Chulaınn is pictured on the right, in the death pose made famous by Oliver Sheppard in a statue installed in the GPO in 1935 – see Cú Chulaınn’s Visual History page.

Mıse Éıre: Sıne mé ná an Chaılleach Bhéarra.
Mór mo ghlóır: Mé a rug Cú Chulaınn cróga.
Mór mo náır: Mo chlann féın a dhíol a máthaır.
[Mór mo phıan: Bıthnaımhde do mo shíorchıapadh.]
[Mór mo bhrón: D’éag an dream ınar chuıreas dóchas.]
Mıse Éıre: Uaıgní mé ná an Chaılleach Bhéarra.

Painted by Mo Chara Kelly in Norglen Gardens, west Belfast

An Phoblacht/Republican News

1982-07-012026-08-28Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“An Phoblacht/Republican News – official organ of the republican movement. Contents include war news, features, IRA statements, prison news from Ireland & England, news from throughout the 32 counties, solidarity news from abroad.”

Workers read the 1982-04-08 edition of the paper, the cover of which is reproduced behind them (and included below): a masked volunteer fires a funeral volley next to the 1916 Proclamation.

The Maid Of Erin harp, with a “cap of liberty” rather than a crown (WP), together the slogan “It is new strung and it shall be heard” is the emblem of the Society of United Irishmen (WP).

“Painted by Beechmount & Iveagh Sınn Féın youth.”

Sevastopol Street, west Belfast

Living Nations

1982-04-012025-07-25Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“‘From the graves of patriot men and women spring … living nations’ – Pádraıg Mac Pıaraıs”. The quote is from Pearse’s oration at the funeral of O’Donovan Rossa on August 1st, 1915 (Wikisource).

The mural is in progress for the 1982 anniversary of the Easter Rising. This image is from “April 1982” which perhaps gives it enough time to be completed by Easter Monday, which fell on the 19th.