electoral

History Is Written By The Winners

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Queen’s University lecturer in economic history Miriam Daly took over as chairwoman of the IRSP (Irish Republican Socialist Party) after founder Seamus Costello was killed in a feud with the IRA. Daly was shot dead in 1980 by the UDA/UFF in her Andersonstown home in 1980. (Interview with husband Jim Daly.)

An IRSP (web) electoral board joins the Daly tribute, showing 2022 Assembly election (WP) candidate Dan Murphy campaigning on a platform focusing on housing: “Demand better! Housing – Equality – Community. Someone who stands up to landlords in Beechmount (e.g.), fighting for affordable rents, fighting for our community.”

The IRSP first painted on this Oakman Street gable in 1996, with the original Daly mural. (Before that, in 1986, there was an IRA anti-touting message – see M00413). The long-standing and much-graffitied mural, History Is Written By The Winner (painted by son Donal Daly among others) was replaced in 2014 by a Joey Ramone mural for a U2 video competition (Murals Of Innocence). The board shown in today’s images was launched on Sunday 2016-12-04 to a crowd of about 200.

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Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
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A New Opportunity For Peace

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This high wall is in front of the Sınn Féın offices (Connolly House) on the Andersonstown Road, west Belfast. Along the top is a list of concerns being pressed in the on-going peace process: “Roısín McAliskey, preconditions, Drumcree 95-96-?, Dunloy, Ormeau Rd, Garvaghy, Loyalists no ceasefire, Lee Clegg, RUC – no change. A new opportunity for peace – Bóthar Bhaıle Andarsan for all inclusive talks.”

Gerry Adams stood for Sınn Féın in Belfast West in the 1997 UK general election, regaining the seat from the SDLP’s Joe Hendron with 56% of the poll (WP). He is wearing a green ribbon, emblem of the campaign to release republican POWs.

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Copyright © 1997 Paddy Duffy
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For A New Ireland

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Voting for Sınn Féın is seen as the way to address the social issues named on placards carried by protestors – culture, houses, Brits Out, jobs – in order to bring about “a new Ireland”.

Sınn Féın’s electoral strategy emerged from the 1981 hunger strike, during which Bobby Sands was elected as an MP and Paddy Agnew and Kieran Doherty were elected as TDs. In October of that year, Danny Morrison famously asked at the Ard Fheıs, “Will anyone here object if, with a ballot paper in this hand and an Armalite in the other, we take power in Ireland?”

In 1983, Alex Maskey stood for Belfast City Council in a by-election [after the resignation of … whom? – please get in touch] and was successful (WP) – there are a campaign graffito and posters to the right. Shortly afterward, Gerry Adams stood in the Westminster election and was successful (ARK).

Beechmount/RPG Avenue, Beechmount, west Belfast, replacing James Connolly in Let Us Rise and Cormac’s Notes.

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Copyright © 1983 Paddy Duffy
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