Free The Innocent

The (colour) RNU phoenix and the Craigavon 2 “Free The Innocent” tarp have been joined by a Cogús fist grasping a strand of barbed wire – Cogús (Fb) is (was?) the prisoners’ welfare arm of the RNU.

Northumberland Street, west Belfast

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T01455

Remembering The Hunger Strikers

The six weeks from July 8th to August 20th 1981 saw the death of six hunger strikers – McDonnell, Hurson, Lynch, Doherty, McElwee, and Devine – adding to the four who began in March and died in May. All ten, along with Michael Gaughan and Frank Stagg from 1974 and 1976, are remembered in this recent board in Rockmore Road.

To the left is a 1916 centenary board “Ag fíorú na poblachta”/“Realising the republic” – also seen in South Link and in Rockmount Street.

On the far left is a board from Republican Network For Unity (RNU)’s Cogús committee in support of “Attempted criminalisation of republican prisoners is alive and well”, “Republican prisoner welfare and support”: “End controlled movement, forced strip searches. now.”

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T01340 [T01338] [T01339]

Free The Craigavon 2

The “Craigavon 2” are Brendan McConville and John-Paul Wootton; they were convicted of the 2009 murder of PSNI constable Stephen Carroll. The “set up by MI5” and/or “appeals sabotaged” on the RNU board shown above is a reference to the claim that MI5 agent Dennis McFadden had infiltrated the campaign for justice for Brendan McConville (Irish News).

Springfield Road, west Belfast

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T01330

Don’t Play England’s Game

“No extradition! Don’t play England’s game” – after years of legal wrangling, Liam Campbell was extradited to Lithuania on charges of procuring weapons for the Real IRA (BBC | Saoradh). See previously: Silence Is Complicity. Cıarán Maguire was handed over to the PSNI by Gardaí in April 2021 (Donegal Daily).

Havana Way, Ardoyne, and Springfield Park, Springfield

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T01311 [T01312] T01329

Unbowed, Unbroken

This is a mural by Damian Walker in the New Lodge, in support of republican prisoners in Maghaberry, showing a single shirtless prisoner with a flower or dripping blood (?) surrounded by three baton-wielding officers. Sponsored the 32-County Sovereignty Movement (web).

Replaces: Damn Your Concessions, England

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T01036 [T01037]

Her Old Tradition Of Nationhood

“Saoradh salute the men and women of violence,” namely the signatories to the 1916 Proclamation, the women of the 1970s IRA, and modern “dissidents” with home-made weapons.

The plaque on the left is to the IRA’s Pearse Jordan, next to the centenary celebration of the Proclamation, Ag Fíorú Na Poblachta. The board was been moved to this Falls Road location from Ardoyne; it replaces an anti-RUC/PSNI mural.

Hugo Street, west Belfast

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T01003

Hill Or High Water

The Community Rescue Service (web | Fb | tw) respond to calls about missing persons on both land and water. They were involved in the search for Noah Donohoe and in distributing PPE during the pandemic.

The mural was painted by Mickey Doherty and reproduces a Philip Magowan photograph and a photo of founder Sean McCarry (Belfast Live) from the CRS web site. It is sponsored by Cab Tours Belfast (web). It was launched on November 27th, 2021. It replaced the Fidel Castro memorial mural.

On the right: The Irish Republican Prisoners Committee (IRPC) is currently without any web or social-media presence. As with all post-Agreement boards for republican prisoners, it uses only barbed wire and not the lark. For Liam Campbell, see Don’t Hand Him Over.

Northumberland Street, west Belfast

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T00872

Don’t Hand Him Over

“Don’t hand him over. Don’t play England’s game. Stop the extradition of Liam Campbell now.” Liam Campbell is wanted, for a second time, in Lithuania on charges of running guns to the Real IRA in 2006-2007. He was arrested in Dundalk in December 2016 and appealed his extradition in January 2021 (Irish Times).

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T00870

Join The IRNC

Irish Republican National Congress (Fb | web) board in Northumberland Street. This one features assault rifles and some nasty barbed wire; the one in Beechmount featured a Maid Of Erin harp.

With a small “Support the Palestinians” tarp below.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T00884