phoenix – Page 3 – Paddy Duffy Collection

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.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 1990 Paddy Duffy
T00097 T00098

A Nation Once Again

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

A phoenix rises from a pair of disembodied hands tearing apart an “H” made of brick, illustrating the lines (out of view to the right) “… and then I prayed I yet might see/our fetters rent in twain/and Ireland long a province be/a nation once again”. Also on the right are the names of six hunger strikers: Bobby Sands MP, Francis Hughes, Ray McCreesh, Patsy O’Hara, Joe McDonnell, Martin Hurson. On the left are the lark in barbed wire, and the shields of the four provinces.

A complete view is available in the Peter Moloney Collection.

Falls Road in Andersonstown, west Belfast

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 1982 Paddy Duffy
T00058 [T00011]

The Final Salute

1981-10-012025-07-19Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The first names of the ten deceased 1981 hunger-strikers — Bobby, Francis, Patsy, Raymond, Joe, Martin, Kiersn, Tom, Micky, Kevin — appear on a ribbon held by a tricoloured phoenix against a sunburst, flanked by Starry Plough and Tricolour and volunteers firing a final salute.

The ribbon was initially shorter, with the names of the first six to die – see the Peter Moloney Collection.

Painted by Con in Rockdale Street, west Belfast.

Maggie Thatcher Think Again

1981-07-012025-07-17Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“The people arose in ’69, they will do it again at any time”, “Maggie Thatcher think again, don’t let our brave men die in vain.” “Done by Beechmount youth against H Block & Armagh.”

The two tones of black suggest that the mural was painted using household paints contributed by local residents.

The Clowney Street phoenix is the oldest continually-existing mural in Belfast. This photo of it is from July, 1981, at the height of the (1981) hunger strike.