“Happy diamond jubilee, 1952-2012. God save the Queen.” Elizabeth is presented in a variety of photographs, from childhood to old age.
North Queen Street, Mountcollyer, north Belfast
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Copyright © 2012 Paddy Duffy
T00694
For the 30th anniversary of the 1981 hunger strike, the mosaics of the Troubles-era hunger strikers were mounted around the blanket-men board and above the Phoenix in Clowney Street; for a few years they were previously at the Falls-Beechmount corner.
Clowney Street, Beechmount, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2012 Paddy Duffy
T00721
“Understand the past – and build a better future le chéıle Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter.” “The past” in this case is the Battle Of St Matthew’s (“Chath Naomh Máıtıú”), one of the formative events of the Provisional IRA (“Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann”) (WP).
The “better future” is symbolised by the dove and the absence of a weapon in the arms of the central figures – compare to this Derry mural from 1985. The mural was unveiled as part of the commemorative events to mark the 40th anniversary of the Battle.
Mountpottinger Road, Short Strand, east Belfast
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Copyright © 2011 Paddy Duffy
T00575
The mural is to Mickey Devine, with a smaller (and much older) plaque to Patsy O’Hara (the plaque was previously information about Devine). Both were INLA volunteers and both died in the 1981 hunger strike, along with Kevin Lynch; Liam McCloskey was taken off the strike by his family after 55 days.
For the Patsy O’Hara plaque, see the Peter Moloney Collection.
Chemical Street, Short Strand, east Belfast
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Copyright © 2011 Paddy Duffy
T00572
“Forced to endure years of brutality, humiliation, degradation and torture, the prisoners embarked on hunger-strike.” The 1980 hunger strike involved Brendan Hughes, Raymond McCartney, Tommy McKearney, Tommy McFeely, Leo Green, Sean McKenna, and John Nixon. On December first, three women in Armagh prison also went on strike (newspaper/posters from left to right): Maıréad Farrell (on the dirty protest in her cell), Maıréad Nugent, Mary Doyle.
The Relatives’ Action Committee was a women-led movement founded in 1976 in Turf Lodge (but with local groups in many places) in order to support the prisoners’ campaign for political status and the Five Demands. For background, see the NVTv documentary on Tar Anall | chapter 5 of Shattering Silence | the documents collected at hungerstrikes.org.
See also the entries The Conveyor Belt | Do You Care?
If you can identify the three speakers (perhaps Geraldine McKee. Rosemary Lawlor, Mary Ferris?), please comment or send an e-mail.
On the right, Farrell reads An Phoblacht/Republican News reporting on the assassination of politician and hunger-strike activist John Turnley by the UDA (WP). The headline on the cover reads “Don’t let Thatcher fill these [coffins]”.
Initially without the quotation along the top. The mural was launched on the anniversary date: October 27th, 2010.
International Wall, Divis Street, Divis, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2011 Paddy Duffy
T00571
IRA prisoner Kieran Nugent is reputed to have said – upon being imprisoned after the removal of Special Category status in 1976 – “I’m not a criminal – the Brits will have to nail prison clothes to my back.”
The mural is a February repainting of Cıarán Nugent and for the launch it was surrounded with posters from the period – for close-ups see the entry in the Seosamh Mac Coılle collection.
Rockville Street, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2011 Paddy Duffy
T00566 [T00567]
This gallery of portraits of the hunger strikers of the Troubles era includes Frank Stagg and Michael Gaughan. This is the third such gallery of portraits – the first is here; the second can be seen in Google StreetView.
Rockmore Street, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2010 Paddy Duffy
T00552
This is a 2008 image of a mural seen previously in 2000.
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Copyright © 2008 Paddy Duffy
T00477
The Ulster Banner – the flag of the Northern Ireland government from 1924 to 1973 – is taken from the arms, shown here. The supporters are a lion – for the Ulster-Scots – and an elk – for the Irish (WP).
Malvern Way, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2008 Paddy Duffy
T00455
St James’s supports the hunger strikes – in Long Kesh and Armagh and (on the right) in Turkey.
Various images and posters from 1980 and 1981 are reproduced. Along the top, we see (l-r) a soldier is confronted at the top of Springhill (image at Irish Times), “Wanted for murder [and torture of Irish prisoners]” (image at MSU), “Mothers hunger”, “Blessed are those who hunger for justice“, “Where there is oppression there is resistance”, Armagh hunger-striker Mary Doyle.
Along the bottom: “Stop strip searches“, “Save our children from plastic death”, “Support the hunger strike demands”, and portraits of 1981 hunger-strikers Bernard Fox and Pat Sheehan, both from the Falls Road.
For Turkish hunger-strikers, see F-Block Martyrs | Zehra Kulaksiz | Support The Turkish Hunger Strikers
Hugo Street, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2008 Paddy Duffy
T00385
Paddy Duffy Collection 