four provinces

Green, White, And Bronze

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Michael Conlan won bronze in boxing at the 2012 Olympics. Boxing is organized on an all-island basis (WP), though at the Olympics boxers can choose to fight for either Ireland or GBNI. At London 2012, Ireland won four medals in boxing. The other winners were Paddy Barnes (bronze), Katie Taylor (gold) and John Joe Nevin (silver).

(P.S. The Nevins are travellers (WP) and Mr and Mrs Nevin could not find an establishment in Mullingar where they could watch the fight – they had to go out of town to a pub where they weren’t known. )

Here’s a picture of the mural in progress. (Replaces the Celtic mural.)

Violet Street, painted by Marty Lyons. Sponsored by the Beehive and McPeakes.

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Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
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Never Again

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15 year-old Fıan Gerald McAuley was the first member of the IRA to die in the Troubles. He was shot in Waterville Street by a loyalist sniper while helping people move from burned-out homes in Bombay Street, along which the “peace” line separating the Falls and Shankill now runs, overlooking the Clonard Memorial Garden, site of the service for the 50th anniversary of McAuley’s death.

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Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
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The Modern Order Of Hibernians

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A Penal law of 1695 forbade the practice of Catholicism and “dissenter” forms of Protestantism –anything other than Anglicism, forcing people and priests to worship in secret. Although the precise date of the founding of the Ancient Order Of Hibernians is shrouded by the existence of various other Catholic fraternal and defensive organisations such as St Patrick’s Fraternal Society and the Ribbonmen – the AOH history page gives 1838 in Pennsylvania – the order traces its roots back to Penal times and in particular to the Defenders in 1784, which arose to protect Catholics from the (Protestant) Peep-O-Day Boys and in defiance of Penal laws forbidding Catholics to bear arms (WP). The Belfast division (58) of the AOH is in Clonard Street.

For Penal laws, see also An Raıbh Tú Ag An gCarraıg? in Glen Bawn | The Mass Rock in Ard Eoın | Penal Days/Laethanta Na Péındlíthe in Andersonstown.

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Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
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Pat ‘Beag’ McGeown

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“Comrade, councillor, cara [friend].” Pat McGeown was a 1981 IRA hunger striker whose family intervened when he lapsed into a coma. After his release in 1985 he also worked for Sınn Féın and was elected to Belfast City Council in 1993. He died in 1996 of a heart attack. He is also remembered by a plaque on the Sınn Féın office on Falls Road.

Ballymurphy Road, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2000 Paddy Duffy
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Leana An Dúın Unbowed Unbroken

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The dying Cú Chulaınn (as portrayed in bronze by Oliver Sheppard, in a statue installed in the GPO in 1935) is used as a symbol for the locals from Lenadoon area of west Belfast who fought for freedom (“saoırse”): Tony Henderson, John Finucane, Brendan O’Callaghan, Joe McDonnell, Laura Crawford, Maıréad Farrell, Patricia Black, Bridie O’Neill (subsequently changed to Bridie Quinn).

There were originally portraits of all nine people in the apex when the mural was launched in 1996, but only three remain.

See also the Cú Chulaınn Visual History page.

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Copyright © 1999 Paddy Duffy (no date given)
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Remember Our Gibraltar Martyrs

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The Gibraltar Three are IRA volunteers Maıréad Farrell, Seán Savage, and Dan McCann, who were executed by British crown forces in Gibraltar on March 6th, 1988.

Along the top is written a variation on the second half of Terence MacSwiney’s famous phrase: “[It is not those who can inflict the most but] “Those that endure the most will conquer in the end”

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Copyright © 1998 Paddy Duffy
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Mıse Éıre

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“Mıse Éıre” [I Am Ireland]. These two murals were both in the courtyard of Millview Court, off Mountainhill Road in Ligoniel and together present the fighting spirit and the loss entailed by the Irish struggle for freedom.

The plaque at the centre of the Celtic Cross reads “I ndıl chuımhne [in fond memory]. This plaque is dedicated to the memory of all those from Ligoniel who lost their lives as a result of the conflict in our country. A Mhuıre banríon na nGael guıgh orthu [Mary, queen of the Gael, pray for them]”

The second shows a Maid Of Erin harp – symbol of the United Irishmen – on top of a Tricolour attached to a pike, and a banner reading “Bás nó bua” [death or victory].

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Copyright © 1998 Paddy Duffy
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Markets Volunteers

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A funeral volley is fired in honour three IRA volunteers, Joseph Downey, Brendan Davison, and Tony Nolan. All three were from the Markets area.

Downey’s death is variously attributed to either side in a gun-battle between the British Army and IRA, but the most detailed account (by PaperTrail) says Downey was shot by a loyalist (UVF) gang on the night of Bloody Friday.

Davison was shot by the UVF at his Friendly Way home in 1988 (RTÉ video).

Nolan was accidentally shot in 1971 when a gun being loaded by a colleague went off (Lost Lives 208).

Friendly Way, Markets, south Belfast

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Copyright © 1998 Paddy Duffy
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Nothing Has Changed!

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“Old Labour 1969 – new Labour 1997 – nothing has changed!” Members of the Orange Order march with a large Union Flag on the backs of the RUC (with an Orange accent on their helmets) who are holding back the protesting local Catholic residents – particularly of the Garvaghy Road in Portadown and the Ormeau Road in Belfast.

The party in power (of the UK government) was the Labour party under Harold Wilson; in the general election of May 1st, 1997, Tony Blair’s Labour party regained power from the Conservatives. The mural hopes to pressure Labour into taking definitive action on the issue of parading – see (e.g.) Approved Parade Route, No Consent, No Parade and Not All Traditions Deserve Respect.

The mural in the distance to the left is the 1994 Fleadh mural.

Ardoyne Avenue/Ascaıll Ard Eoın, north Belfast

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Copyright © 1997 Paddy Duffy
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