four provinces – Paddy Duffy Collection

Continuity, Not Compromise

2025-11-142025-11-28Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The CIRA (Continuity IRA) is the military wing of Republican Sınn Féın (RSF web), which split from Provisional Sınn Féın in 1986, though the military campaign did not begin until the Provisional IRA ceasefire in 1994. Like all of the various IRAs, the CIRA claims to be continuing the fight for (all-island) Irish freedom begun with the 1916 Easter Rising – the board (above) commemorates the centenary of the Rising.

To the left is a slightly newer RSF board: “Stop the extradition of Liam Campbell now – don’t hand him over, don’t play England’s game”. Campbell was extradited from the Republic to Lithuania in 2022 (BBC) but was returned to Ireland later the same year when a court ruled the statute of limitations has expired (RN).

The CIRA’s armed campaign is represented by the hooded gunman in the ‘warning sign’ below.

Also included (last below) is a small IRSP (web) stencil.

The pieces are in the adjacent Meadowbrook and Drumbeg areas of Lurgan.

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The Martyrs Will Haunt Us Forever

2025-10-052025-11-29Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“We must take no steps backward, our steps must [or: will] be onward, for if we don’t, the [ghosts of the] martyrs that died for you, for me, for this country will haunt us forever [or: for eternity].” The words of Máıre Drumm (from an anti-internment rally in Dunville Park on 10th August, 1975 – RN p. 4) appear below a roll of honour for the IRA’s South Armagh Brigade. The list of volunteers is included below; in 1976 Drumm herself was shot dead in her bed by the RHC in the Mater hospital where she was a patient (WP) – she was Vice President of Sınn Féın at the time.

Michael McVerry, Sean Boyle, Francis Jordan, Gerry McKiernan, James Lochrie, Sean Campbell, Peter Cleary, Seamus Harvey, Liam Farrelly, Peadar McElvanna, Kevin Caherty, Raymond McCrees, Brendan Moley, Brendan Burns, Fergal Caraher, Packie Duffy, Eugene Martin, Tim Daly, Malachy Watters, Gary Toner, Keith Rogers, Francie Caraher, Gerald Fearon, Pat Lynch

Twelve more of the martyrs – the Troubles-era hunger-strikes – are on the stone across the street (for a close-up, see the Peter Moloney Collection).

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At The Graveside Of Cú Chulaınn We’ll Kneel Around And Pray

2025-10-012025-10-17Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Oliver Sheppard’s statue of Cú Chulaınn dying – see the Cú Chulaınn Visual History page – memorialises nine IRA volunteers from the Lenadoon area, whose names are listed on the scrolls to each side and whose portraits appear in the apex: Tony Henderson, John Finucane, Brendan O’Callaghan, Joe McDonnell, Laura Crawford, Maıréad Farrell, Patricia Black, Bridie Quinn. Below the statue are the shields of the four provinces and the words “Léana An Dúın – unbowed, unbroken” and “saoırse” [freedom].

The mural dates back to 1996 (see T00160) and was repainted in 2009 (see M05134) and c. 2014 (see M11028, which includes a close-up of the plaque added in 2009.) In this version, nothing has changed in the composition of the mural and the photographic portraits and the Easter Rising centenary board have been retained.

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Derrybeg Volunteers

2025-09-052025-09-30Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

On the left of this Newry memorial is a list of the “1916 Easter Rising Leaders executed by the British government: Thomas Clarke, Padraig Pearse, Thomas Mac Donagh, Joseph Plunkett, Willie Pearse, Ned Daly, Michael O’Hanrahan John Mac Bride, Eamonn Ceannt, Sean Heuston, Con Colbert, Michael Mallin, Thomas Kent, Sean Mac Diarmada, James Connolly, Roger Casement.”

On the right are five members of the local Óglaıgh na hÉıreann: Patrick Hughes, Edward Grant, Michael Hughes, Brendan Watters, Colum Marks.” Michael Hughes/Mıcheál Ó hAodha is commemorated at the western entrance to the estate and the plaque also mentions the death of his father, Patsy, and the death by premature explosion of his friend Eddie Grant in 1973. Brendan Watters likewise died by premature explosion (UPI). There is a memorial stone in Downpatrick at the spot where Colum Marks was killed.

Included last below is a Saoradh (web) board: “End British political policing”.

Second Avenue, Derrybeg, Newry, next to the new commemoration of the Burning Of Long Kesh.

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An Attitude Of Rebellion

2025-02-212025-04-05Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“”As long as Ireland is unfree the only honourable attitude for Irish men and women is an attitude of rebellion” – Pádraıg Pearse”. Pearse wrote the lines in July 1913, in an essay for Irish Freedom (Cartlann), though with “revolt” rather than “rebellion”.

They appear here on an RNU gravestone in Milltown. The quote was also used in a 1980s mural in Ardoyne and on a 2018 plaque to Tommy Roberts in Derry.

The stone features the phoenix and the lily, and the crests of the four provinces of Ireland. It was unveiled in 2023 and an image of it was used in an RNU board on the Falls Road.

Among the volunteers listed are the four Ardoyne Fıanna who died in 1972 (commemorated in Ardoyne) and Michael McKevitt, founder and (alleged) chief of staff of the RIRA/Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann (WP) who died in 2021.

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Remember The Hunger Strikers

2025-02-092025-03-15Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

In a classic image from the period, a blanketman/hunger striker looks down over the towers of Long Kesh. The image has appeared in a number of murals, going back at least to the mid-1980s in Ardoyne (Belfast); see also New Lodge (Belfast) in 1993 | Letterkenny in 1996 | Derry in 1998 | Springfield (Belfast) in 2004 | Divis St (Belfast) in 2006 | a portable board in Bellaghy in 2010 | this same spot in 2012.

Melvin Road, Strabane, close to the giant Proclamation.

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My Brother Is Not A Criminal

2024-08-132024-09-08Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

IRA volunteer Raymond McCreesh, originally from Camlough, died on May 21st, 1981, after 61 days on hunger strike. “In proud and loving memory of ten brave Irish soldiers who died on hunger strike in 1981 for their five just demands. I gcuımhne ar ıobaırt [íobaırt] cróga na staılceoırí ocraıs 1981 ní dheánfar [dhéanfar] dearmad orthu.”

This is a new version of a long-standing board to McCreesh in Taghnevan Drive, Lurgan. For the previous (painted) version (from 2009) see M05408.

The INLA

2024-08-042024-12-06Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Commemorations of the INLA’s fiftieth anniversary have so far been limited to graffiti – see Saoırse Go Deo in Derry and Let The Fight Go On in Belfast – but here we have two deliberately painted panels in the Bogside (specifically Meenan Square) (one replacing The Way We Were).

The “Men’s Mental Health” addition to the Mandela-Sands mural is also from the IRSP (Xitter)

After We Are Gone

2024-08-032024-11-07Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Patsy O’Hara was born in 1957 Bishop Street, Derry, and joined Na Fıanna in 1970 and the local Sınn Féın cumann in 1971 and, in August was shot in the leg by British soldiers. In 1972 he joined the Republican Clubs and in 1975 the IRSP. He was imprisoned multiple times, the final time being in January 1979 for possession of a hand grenade (Bobby Sands Trust). He went on hunger strike 41 years ago tomorrow (March 22nd) and was the first of the three INLA hunger strikers to die in 1981. The long-standing mural in Bishop Street was repainted for the 40th anniversary of his death. (For the previous version, see Let The Fight Go On.)

“Óglach Patsy O’Hara, INLA Derry Brigade, Irish hunger striker, who died after 61 days on 21st May 1981, age 23. Last words ‘Let the fight go on’.”

“After we are gone, what will you say you were doing? Will you say you were with us in our struggle or where you conforming to very system that drove us to our deaths?” – these words also appeared in the 2013 mural to O’Hara on Shaws Road, west Belfast.

Bishop Street, Derry

Keep On Marching

2024-06-212024-11-10Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Beıdh bua agaınn go fóıll” [victory will be ours yet] – Keep on marching, don’t give up – Raymond McCreesh 1957-81, age 24. Died after 61 days hunger-strike, H-Block Long Kesh 1981.” The phrase was spoken at the end of a visit with Jim Gibney.

Outside Raymond McCreesh House – his birthplace – at Maryville, Camlough.