What Fire Does Not Destroy It Hardens

The memorial tarps to Ian Ogle at the entrance to Cluan Place were photographed on October 5th and appeared – unmolested – in For His Family. On about the 18th of November they were subject to an arson attack. Belfast Live has reaction from the family.

The final image is of a tarp within Cluan Place, which was (perhaps) originally at the entrance.

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Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
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Free The Innocent

The (colour) RNU phoenix and the Craigavon 2 “Free The Innocent” tarp have been joined by a Cogús fist grasping a strand of barbed wire – Cogús (Fb) is (was?) the prisoners’ welfare arm of the RNU.

Northumberland Street, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
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No Justice

Here is a gallery of images from the Falls Road/Glen Road junction (site of the old Andersonstown RUC barracks). The images top to bottom follow the wall from right (Glen Road) to left (Falls Road).

Above: a call for the release of Basque prisoners.

Below: Mervyn and Rosaleen McDonald were Catholics living in the mixed Longlands area of Newtownabbey when they were visited by “UFF loyalist assassins” and shot dead in front of their two young children. The killings are described in most detail in Jack Holland’s Too Long A Sacrifice, which contains an interview with the gunman and the claim that the unit had access to RUC files (p. 94).

Seamus Costello fought for the IRA during the Border Campaign and was interned in the Curragh for two years. He stayed with the Officials during the split, but was driven out in 1974 and formed the Irish Republican Socialist Party (IRSP) and the INLA. He was shot in 1977. (WP)

A large Fıanna banner.

Metalwork commemorating the deceased 1981 hunger strikers.

A Sınn Féın electoral banner.

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Staff Captain Joe McCann

Joe McCann was IRA/OIRA OC in the Markets area of Belfast. He was famously photographed among burning buildings in Inglis’s bakery, during protests against the introduction on internment, crouched beneath a Starry Plough and holding an M1. (For more, see Battle Of The Markets, which features the same photograph.) For McCann’s death the following year (on April 15th, 1972) see Joe McCann.

This new board replaces a tarp in the same location: see On The Brink Of Sectarian Disaster.

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Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
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If You Want Peace, Prepare For War

The Castlereagh (4th battalion) UDA memorial garden behind the Bunch Of Grapes has changed over the years from painted murals (M | X) to spray-painted boards (We Forget Them Not) and now again to tarps, some within red frames.

As far as content is concerned, the UFF, LPA (“We forget them not – past and present”) and UYM (“They shall not grow old etc”) remain but Tim Collins – a product of re-imaging – is out (see On That Journey). The side wall of the pub has also been employed for the first time, with more hooded gunmen (see the final image, below). Two small plaques have been added to the outsides of the memorial wall.

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Blues Brothers

Linfield FC are Irish Cup champions after a 2-1 victory over Larne last Friday (May 21st) (Belfast Live). They are also, as of Tuesday, premier league champions for the 55th time, matching Glasgow Rangers in Scotland for the most league championships in the world. (See previously: We Are The People | Respect Heritage Culture | Welcome To The Ulster Rangers | F*ck Your Ten In A Row | Terminus Rangers | 55)

For the “Finucane Family” tarp (on the wall since 2019), see Steeped In Blood. For the lower tarp, see Choose One Or The Other!

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Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
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Join The IRNC

Irish Republican National Congress (Fb | web) board in Northumberland Street. This one features assault rifles and some nasty barbed wire; the one in Beechmount featured a Maid Of Erin harp.

With a small “Support the Palestinians” tarp below.

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No Right In Ireland

“The British government has no right in Ireland, never had any right in Ireland, and never can have any right in Ireland.” (Last Statement, 1916)

“James Connolly 1868-1916 James Connolly was born in June 5th 1868. In 1810 he became organiser for the Irish Transport And General Workers Union in Belfast. In 1913 he co-founded the Irish Citizen Army. He was one of the signatories of the 1916 Proclamation and commanded HQ in the GPO during the 1916 Rising. He was executed by the British on May 12th 1916.”

“Nora Connolly O’Brien 1893-1981 Nora Connolly was the 2nd daughter of James Connolly. Nora was a member of Cumann Na mBan and the Gaelic League in Belfast. She played an organisational role in the ICA in the run up to the 1916 Rising. She was a trade unionist and remained so throughout her life.”

The mural was launched on May 3rd, 2012.

For the gallery above the mural, see On The Brink Of Sectarian Disaster.

Clondara St, west Belfast

For close-ups of the upper banners and boards, see the Peter Moloney Collection.

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Copyright © 2012 Paddy Duffy
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Tiger’s Bay First Flute

Tiger’s Bay First Flute, “Est 1983”. The emblem is in the style of the UDA emblem, and UDA members are listed on the side wall. For two of those listed, see Bacon and Baird. T[ommy] English was killed by the UVF in 2000.

Hogarth Street, Tiger’s Bay, north Belfast

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Copyright © 2008 Paddy Duffy
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