Bobby Sands

“Our laughter will be the joy of our victory + [the] joy of the people; our revenge will be the liberation of all.” This is perhaps the only appearance of this quote from Bobby Sands’s hunger strike diary, from Thursday March 12th. In the background are the towers of Long Kesh; in the foreground is Sands’s funeral procession (RTÉ | youtube).

Jasmine Corner, Twinbrook, Dunmurry

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Copyright © 2000 Paddy Duffy
T00364 [T00352]

The Orange Reality

On the left, the Belfast/Good Friday Agreement establishes “The right to freedom from sectarian harassment” but, on the right, the Orange Reality involves “10 Catholics murdered as a result of Drumcree, 150 Catholic homes petrol bombed, 1350 Catholic families forced out, many dozens or pipe bombs, attacks on Catholic homes”. The left-hand panel shows the cover of the Agreement booklet that was sent to every household ahead of the vote, showing a family of four silhouetted against a sunset; the right-hand panel shows the same family, but the source of light is now burning houses.

Replaces Let’s Make It Work.

Dromara St, south Belfast

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Copyright © 2000 Paddy Duffy (no date given)
T00344

Lenadoon Republican Women

“Leanna An Dúın – Beıdh sıad ın ár gcuımhne choíche.” Local female IRA volunteers Laura Crawford, Patricia Black, Bridie Quinn, Maıréad Farrell and a generic female volunteer with assault rifle on manoeuvres in an Irish landscape strewn with standing stones.

Signed by “Lenadoon Youth 2000”. Glenveagh Drive, Lenadoon, Belfast

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Copyright © 2000 Paddy Duffy (no date given)
T00337 [T00379]

Carol Ann Kelly

12-year-old Carol Ann Kelly was shot by the British Army on May 22nd, 1981, and died three days later. Eight other children are remembered in this mural: Tobias Molloy, Frances Rowntree, Seamus Duffy, Paul Whitters, Stephen McConomy, Brian Stewart, Stephan Geddis, and Julie Livingstone. Molloy and Rowntree were killed by rubber bullets, the rest by plastic bullets. 

The mural, by Andrea Redmond, is in Twinbrook Road, Dunmurry, near where Kelly was shot.

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Copyright © 2000 Paddy Duffy
T00326 [T00343] [T00361]

Mıse Éıre

The dying Cú Chulaınn and the Blessed Virgin Mary make an odd pairing in this Ligoniel memorial garden to locals who died during the Troubles. Cú Chulaınn is typically used to memorialise paramilitary volunteers (see the Visual History page) but the plaque does not mention volunteers and the statuary suggests prayer rather than a final salute as a fitting form of remembrance.

The plaque in the centre, which was previously at the crux of a Celtic Cross mural, reads “I ndıl chuımhne [in fond memory]. This plaque is dedicated to the memory of all those from Ligoniel who lost their lives as a result of the conflict in our country. A Mhuıre banríon na nGael guıgh orthu [Mary, queen of the Gael, pray for them]”

The other mural in the yard is a greatly re-designed presentation of Éıre, taking up the whole wall, and replacing the Maid Of Erin harp with Érıu, the mythological queen of Ireland/Éıre, as designed by (or at least, in the style of) Richard J King/Rísteard Ó Cíonga. (Also seen in the Short Strand.)

Millview Court, Ligoniel, north Belfast

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Copyright © 2000 Paddy Duffy
T00329rc T00787

South Belfast UDA

“South Belfast UFF commander Joe Bratty, murdered by the enemies, 31st July ’94.” Bratty was killed along with Raymond Elder by the Provisional IRA (WP). The pair were also remembered in a Lemberg Street mural in 2001, and later in the Sandy Row memorial garden.

The red fist in the larger mural famously has five fingers and two thumbs.

Roosevelt Street, south Belfast

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Copyright © 1999 Paddy Duffy
T01197 T00268

Remember Them Who Gave Their All

“It is not for glory or riches that we fight but for our people” (based on the Declaration Of Arbroath) is familiar in loyalist murals – see e.g. For Freedom Alone) but “As poppy petals gently fall/Remember them who gave their all” here makes a very infrequent appearance. It comes from The UDR Soldier, by John Potter. The mural thus links together the UDR (1970-1992) and D Company of the North Down Red Hand Commando.

Owenroe Drive, Kilcooley, Bangor

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Copyright © 1999 Paddy Duffy (no date given)
T01181

Bangor Young Newton

Young Newton is the Newtownards Road division of the Ulster Young Militants (UYM) and formerly a Tartan Gang. This mural, however, is in Kilcooley estate, Bangor, indicating the close connection between the UDA in the estate and in east Belfast.

The wall to the right reads “Freedom Corner II” – again a connection to east Belfast and the series of walls called “Ulster’s Freedom Corner“. See J0475 for a wider image.

Drumhirk Drive, Kilcooley, Bangor 

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Copyright © 1999 Paddy Duffy (no date given)
T01180