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
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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
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This is a 2008 image of a mural seen previously in 2000.
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Copyright © 2008 Paddy Duffy
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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
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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
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This is a repainted 2004 mural by the Bogside Artists called “Civil Rights – The Beginning”, perhaps meaning the time before Bloody Sunday. See the WP page on the civil rights movement and its extensive page on NICRA, the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association.
Glenfada Park, Derry
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Copyright © 2007 Paddy Duffy
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Since 2004, this size and style of lettering has been used on Free Derry Corner. The wall is sometimes painted in other colours and other designs. For a history, see the Visual History page for the front of the wall; there is also a page for the rear.
In the background, to the right, is The Petrol Bomber.
Lecky Road, Derry
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Copyright © 2007 Paddy Duffy
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“Years from now they will ask you where you were when your comrades were dying on hungerstrike. Shall you say you were with us or shall you say that you were conforming to the very system that drove us to our deaths[?]” INLA (sign the light-pole as well as the flags and red star in the mural) volunteer Patsy O’Hara, from Derry, joined the hunger strike on the same day as Raymond McCreesh (March 22nd) and died, 61 days later, later in the same day (May 21st, 11:29 p.m.) as him (2:11 a.m.).
Lecky Rd, Derry
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Copyright © 2007 Paddy Duffy
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A lark (rather than a dove) bursts through the ceiling of a H-Block cell lined with the names of the ten deceased 1981 hunger strikers. “This mural is dedicated to all those who tragically died on the streets of Derry during the hunger strike era. Suımhneas Dé dá nanamacha. 3rd October 2006.”
Westland St, Derry
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Copyright © 2007 Paddy Duffy
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Kieran Doherty was elected TD (Teachta Dála) for Cavan-Monaghan three weeks into his 1981 hunger strike. He held the position for two months, until he died on August 2nd. The portraits, plaques, and mural of marchers are in his home area of Andersonstown. The words “It is not those who inflict the most, but those that can endure who shall conquer in the end” is an echo of Terence MacSwiney, whose hunger strike in 1920 lasted 74 days, one more than Doherty’s.
The chimney retains the “150” from the previous mural about the Great Hunger.
Painted by Lucas Quigley in Slemish Way, Andersonstown, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2001 Paddy Duffy
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