painted wall

Place Of Pride

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An owner, with Ireland’s Saturday Night (which ceased publication in 2008) tucked in his coat pocket, shows off his greyhound.

The words of the poem read,

“In the east of the city, isolated alone, is a dear little place we like to call home.

Old strengthened by new, the homes and the streets, looking out for each other, a broad smile when they meet

The once terraced streets, some narrow, some wide, behind so many faces a story there lies

In the east of the city by the Lagan’s fair side, looking back at its history our hearts fill with pride.”

Edgar Street, Short Strand, east Belfast

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Copyright © 2010 Paddy Duffy
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Éırí Amach Na Casca

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The Éırí Amach Na Cásca 1916 [Easter Rising 1916] mural is repainted (by DD and Seany McVeigh) due to the new doorway. Compare to the previous version. (See also the IRA plaque.)

Beechmount Avenue/Ascaıll Ard Na bhFeá/RPG Avenue, Beechmount, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2010 Paddy Duffy
T00525

Building An Ireland Of Equals

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The aspect of Cave Hill commonly known as Napoleon’s Nose is shown sheltering the people of Newington, surrounded by heroes and emblems of the past – Bobby Sands, Wolfe Tone, and in the centre, Winifred Carney. This republican mural is both internally directed (at Newington and the New Lodge) and externally, being on the main Antrim Road (Oceanic avenue, on the side of the Sinn Féin office) which is a main artery between the city and points north.

“Ag aontú Caıtlıceach, Protastúnach agus Easaontóırí.” – “Uniting Catholic, Protestant, and Dissenter.” In An Argument On Behalf Of The Catholics Of Ireland (1791), Wolfe Tone of the United Irishmen wrote, “To subvert the tyranny of our execrable government, to break the connection with England, the never-failing source of all our political evils, and to assert the independence of my country, these were my objects. To unite the whole people of Ireland, to abolish the memory of past dissensions, and to substitute the common name of Irishman, in place of the denominations of Protestant, Catholic and Dissenter, these were my means.”

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Copyright © 2010 Paddy Duffy
T00523 [T00526]

Not Spain, Not France

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“1650-2009: 350 years of occupation, 350 years of resistance. Catalan language has been spoken since VIII century. Nowadays, after 350 years of occupation and prohibition, there are 9 million Catalan speakers. The spirit of revolt against the Spanish kingdom and French state is still alive. The struggle of the Catalan people continues against the existing discriminations. Not Spain, not France.” “Saoırse na hÉıreann, Llibertat Països Catalans.”

Clowney Street, Beechmount, west Belfast 

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Copyright © 2010 Paddy Duffy
T00520

Venceremos

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Here is a gallery of panels from the International Wall in Divis Street and Northumberland Street, updating the entry from 2008.

Northumberland Street:

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Copyright © 2010 Paddy Duffy
T00510 T00511 T00516 T00509 T00508 T00506 T00505 T00503 [T00504] T00507
T00512 T00515 T00518 [T00519] T00513 T00514

Springhill-Westrock Massacre

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This is a mural by Mo Chara Kelly (with DD Walker, Michael Kelly, and Ta Heath) commemorating the deaths of five people shot by British Army snipers in 1972: Paddy Butler (39), David McCafferty (15), Margaret Gargan (13), John Dougal (16), Fr Noel Fitzpatrick (40). The snipers fired from JP Corry’s timber yard (shown on the right) and at the time the Westrock bungalows were still standing (shown lower left).

“Belfast’s Bloody Sunday. On the 9th July 1972 the British Army murdered 5 Irish citizens and severely wounded 2 others. It’s time for the truth.”

Springfield Road, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2010 Paddy Duffy
T00495

We Demand The Truth

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“Ballymurphy Massacre – August 1971 – We demand the truth” with portraits of the 11 dead – Quinn, Mullan, Connolly, Teggart, Philips, Murphy, McCarthy, Doherty, Laverty, Corr, McKerr.

The painting (by Rıstead Ó Murchú) on the board shows the killing (from the direction of Springmartin) of Father Hugh Mullan in waste ground near Springfield Park. It was previously on the Whiterock Road but has now been moved onto the Springfield Road to join the murals on the low wall calling for justice. Two of the panels are also included. More can be seen in in Peter Moloney’s collection.

Springfield Road, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2010 Paddy Duffy
T00496 T00493 T00494

The Blind Piper

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If you’re willing to pay the piper, he will perhaps summon a taxi that will take you and yours out of town. This is the centre segment of a large board adorning the front of the West Belfast Taxi Terminal (next to Castle Court), copying The Limerick Piper by John Patrick Haverty (1794-1854) and this Ardoyne mural, which placed the piper under Cave Hill. In this version, the attending girl is smiling. In all three versions, the piper has no visible means of support. On each side are Jim-Fitzpatrick-style Celtic heroes – Nuada on the left (though perhaps meant to be Fıonn Mac Cumhaıll and the salmon of knowledge) and Sadb on the right, though a fawn blocks the view of her shorter-than-short skirt.

King Street/Francis Street, Belfast

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Copyright © 2010 Paddy Duffy
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