cultural – Page 32 – Paddy Duffy Collection

Peace With Justice

1997-07-012025-10-23Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Peace with justice”, “Fáılte go dtí Bóthar Garbh Achaıdh”, “Re-route sectarian marches”.

Three murals were painted by three Belfast artists (DD, Marty Lyons, Mo Chara Kelly) in 1997 in Hurson Park (renamed from Churchill Park), Portadown, along the route of the Orange Order parade to and from Drumcree, in order to support the local residents who were attempting to block the march through the CNR Garvaghy Road.

In 1996, an initial decision to block the parade was overturned at the last minute, and 1,200 Orangemen marched down Garvaghy Road. The 1997 march also went ahead and “sit-down” protesters were physically removed from the road. (Here is 90 minutes of news footage from 1997 (youtube). There are brief clips of the muralists at work, at 20m44s, 28m48s, 35m16s, 37m32s, 43m26s, 53m23s, and 58m44s. The images of protestors being removed begin at 1h02m)

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Copyright © 1997 Paddy Duffy
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Draoıchláırseoırí An Chınn Bhaıle

1997-07-012025-10-20Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

In Táın Bó Cúaılnge, the “sweet-mouth harpers of Caın Bıle” are also “druids, men of great cunning and great power of augury and magic.” They come to Medb and Aılıll to entertain them, carrying mistletoe by which they sing, but are mistaken as Ulster spies; the harpers turn themselves into deer to escape their pursuers, near the Lıa Mór (Great Stone) (Death Of Lethan).

The source for the image is unknown.

Springhill Avenue, west Belfast

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Copyright © 1997 Paddy Duffy
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Mythological Beechmount

1997-04-012025-10-19Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This is a very long mural on Beechmount Avenue reproducing various pieces from Jim Fitzpatrick’s Book Of Conquests, including the central figure from the cover. The final panel shows Fitzpatrick’s Lough Derravaragh/Children Of Lear.

See the Visual History page on Jim Fitzpatrick.

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Copyright © 1997 Paddy Duffy
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Private William McFadzean VC

1997-01-012025-10-23Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

William McFadzean was awarded the VC medal for throwing himself on a fallen box of grenades on the first day of the Battle Of The Somme. The battles listed to either side are: “Ypres, Fricourt, Cambrai, Thiepval, Messines, Beaucourt, Rossieres, Beaumonthamel, Langemarck,” and, “Somme, Albert, Flanders, St Quentin, Bailleul, Grandcourt, Courtrai, Passchendaele, Schwaben Redoubt”.

The gates are decorated with modern assault rifles.

Mount Vernon Park, north Belfast

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Copyright © 1998/1997 Paddy Duffy
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Féıle An Phobaıl

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

Some of the programme from the 1996 festival is available in the ‘Extraordinary Women’ collection at the Linenhall Library. 1996 was also the first year of Féıle FM (“Triple FM”) (The Can).

Painted by Margaret McCann in Hawthorn Street, west Belfast

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Copyright © 1996 Paddy Duffy
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The Battle Of Moy Tura

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

“Nuadha, rí Tuatha Dé Danann, buaıteor chath Magh Tuıreadh Conga, Éıre/King Nuadha of the Tuatha De Dannan, victorious at the battle of Moy Tura [at Cong, the first battle], Ireland.”

“Mo Chara” Kelly’s mural reproduces the cover of Jim Fitzpatrick’s The Book Of Conquests in the middle and adds various other elements (Visual History).

Upper Whiterock Road, west Belfast

The Mass Rock

1996-09-012025-09-30Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Penal days in Ireland” – this mural commemorates the repression of Catholicism and use of mass rocks as secret locations in the days of Cromwellian conquest and the penal laws, c. 1650-1800. The 1652 Act Of Settlement (WP) banished Catholic priests from the island and services had to be held at short notice and in remote locations, with sentries posted to keep watch against soldiers from the New Model Army. Laws against the practice of Catholicism in Ireland were not lifted until the 1782 Roman Catholic Relief Act (PCUG).

Labhaır An Teanga Ghaeılge Lıom

1996-09-012025-09-30Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Catholic (and Presbyterian) education was prohibited by the penal laws (WP) and particularly the Education Act of 1695 (WP) – this is probably what’s on the notice on the left-hand tree. Schooling by Catholics (in Irish) nonetheless took place, in covert houses and outhouses, as well as in fields and hedge-rows. The Act was repealed in 1782, provided the teacher took an oath of allegiance to the Crown.

The Coming Of Lugh

1996-09-012025-09-29Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The main figure is from Jim Fitzpatrick’s The Coming Of Lugh and the two horsemen on the left are from Lugh The Il-Danna.

For more Jim Fitzpatrick drawings reproduced in murals, see the Visual History page.

The mural was perhaps painted for the Ardoyne Fleadh, and perhaps by Sean Doran, who worked on the Blind Piper in 1994 and produced posters for the Fleadh in 1996, 1997, and 1998.

Ardoyne Avenue, north Belfast

Not All Traditions Deserve Respect

1996-08-012025-09-24Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This Falls Road board is a comment on the “traditional routes” taken in Garvaghy (Portadown) and Ormeau (south Belfast) and other small towns (Enniskillen, Dunloy, Castlederg, Ros[s]lea, Keady, and Bellaghy) by the Orange Order – which now pass through CNR areas.

The horse comes from Nuada And Indech At The Second Battle Of Moytura by Jim Fitzpatrick but its rider has been changed from a Celtic warrior to an Orangeman wearing the cloak and hood of the Ku Klux Klan. The landscape is from his The Tuatha Dé Assemble For Battle, with stones turned into skulls. For more on Jim Fitzpatrick’s art in murals, see the Visual History page.