A Fighter For Our Freedom

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“Sergeant John Kernohan. Service No. 7011935. The youngest of a family of ten, John enlisted with the Royal Ulster Rifles in 1932, then transferring to the Royal Inniskillen Fusiliers in 1942 serving King, Queen and Country for 22 years. The record of his service exhibits great variety, both in regimental affiliation and in location with a service record which was exemplary. John saw service in Hong Kong, Palestine, France, Belgium, India[,] Austria and Malaya, where with the R.A.S.C. for distinguished service was mentioned in dispatches, his name appe[a]ring in the London Gazette of May 1950 [May 19th, 1950, page 2489, “in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Malaya during the period 1st July 1949 to 31st December 1949″; Royal Army Service Corps, Corporal Kerohan].”

The medals from left to right are: General Service – Palestine ribbon, 1939-1945 Star, War Medal, Burma Star, Defence Medal

Drumahoe Gardens, Millbrook, Larne

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An Astounding Achievement

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There’s a new King Charles III board in Boyne Square, Larne, of a similar sort to those we have seen in various other areas and using the same “lounging” image of Charles as in east Belfast, Carrickfergus, and the Caw (Londonderry) – though the quote is different: “My mother never ceased to pray for the best times for Northern Ireland and its people” (source unknown). The celebration of the 1914 gun-running that was on the wall previously (see Amazing Night In Larne) has been moved to the side wall, replacing King Billy.

“Operation Lion – a fascinating snapshot of an historical moment. The Larne gun-running was a major operation organised in Ireland by Major Frederick Crawford and Captain Wilfred [sic] Spender for the Ulster Unionist Council to equip the Ulster Volunteer Force. The operation involved the shipment of almost 25,000 rifles and between three and five million rounds of ammunition, with shipments landing in Larne, Donaghadee and Bangor in the early hours between Friday 24th and Saturday 25th April 1914.”

“Taking its name from the S.S. Clyde Valley that landed at Larne Harbour on 24th April 1914, Clyde Valley Defenders Flute Band were formed in 1995, with several of our founding members still marching with the band today. Following several years on the raod, the band were then renamed Clyde Valley Volunteers, before later being constituted as Clyde Valley Cultural & Musical Society (Clyde Valley Flute Band). The formation of Clyde Valley was much more than that of establishing a flute band. The band’s aim is to promote the Protestant culture through the teaching of music and history, whilst proudly remembering the sacrifices made by our forefathers. The Officers and Members of CLyde Valley Flute Band dedicate this mural to the role of the men and women in the Larne Gun-Running on 24th April 1914. They were Gunrunners.”

For the plaque and the Central Antrim Regiment see Central Antrim Regiment.

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Ballymena And Larne Railway

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“This mosaic depicts the history of the narrow gauge railway from Larne harbour to Ballymena which ran through this site.” The railway from Larne to Ballymena operated from 1878 to 1933 (WP). In Ireland, the narrow gauge railway was 3ft in width (compared with the modern standard of 5′ 3″).

Narrow Gauge Road, Larne.

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Spread The Love

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“100% less hate”, says street artist FGB (ig), ruthlessly taking over a site of Hallion’s Covid-era graffiti (see Inspiring Belfast | Between The Lines | It Hasn’t Gone Away You Know). Will an east-Belfast turf-war result? Or will both parties just move to the Vault’s new digs down-town (and in the Shankill)?

The mural’s design was previously a paste-up and a sticker (seen in a 2019 post) and a print (ig).

Newtownards Road at the old Westbourne Street. 

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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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Tríocha Blıaın Ag Fás

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What is now Coláıste Feırste began life as Meánscoıl Feırste in 1991, teaching a group of nine students a curriculum inspired by Patrick Pearse (discussed previously in An Tusa An Chéad Laoch Eıle?) and based in Cultúrlann MacAdam-Ó Fıaıch (Cultúrlann). It moved to Beechmount in 1998 and in 2018 expanded into new buildings that were meant to accommodate 600 pupils (Doherty Architects), which it has now exceeded (BBC) as it enters its thirty-third year in existence.

The theme of preserving and promoting the Irish language occurs in several places in the mural: next to Pearse we see his saying, “Máırtín Ó Chadháın ” [a land without a language [is] a land without a soul], in the classroom scene we have “Labhaır í agus maırfıdh sí” [speak it and it will endure], and finally we see the Dream Dearg protesting for an Irish-Language Act (see previously #AchtAnoıs).

The in-progress images included below among completed detailed shots date from May 6th and 20th.

Giant’s Foot/Beechview Park. Replaces the short-lived mural of Olympians, seen in Sporting Giants.

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They Hungered For Justice And Freedom

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Long-time Palestinian activist and former spokesperson for Islamic Jihad Khader Adnan died on May 2nd, at the age of 45, after 87 days on hunger strike in Ramla prison, in central Israel (Al Jazeera).

This was Adnan’s fifth time on hunger strike. In 2017, he spent 58 days on hunger strike and in 2015, 56 days. The strike in 2011-2012 lasted 66 days, during which time a mural was painted just to left of the mural shown here, featuring Adnan and Hanna Shalabi; they, along with many other prisoners, were on hunger strike to protest the “administrative detention” (imprisonment without trial) of more than 300 Palestinians – see Administrative Detention. Earlier, shorter, strikes took place in 2002 and in 2000, when he was imprisoned by the Palestinian National Authority for directing a protest against Lionel Jospin, then French Prime Minister (Gulf News).

According to Amnesty International, there are currently more than 1,000 Palestinians being held on ‘administrative detention’ (Amnesty).

As can be seen from the in-progress shots below, Rısteard Ó Murchú painted Latuff’s cartoon, with Latuff looking on.

Cartoons by Latuff himself, in Belfast: Pacifying The Six Counties and in Derry: Killing With Impunity.
Latuff-based murals: The Butcher’s Apron | Do Not Disturb | Hand Across The Yard. Poster: End Impunity

This mural takes the place of the No To PII mural on the “International Wall”, Divis Street – see the Visual History page for the wall.

Also included is a “March for Palestine – 75 Years Of Nakba” poster on the Saber Al-Ashkar mural.

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Neither King Nor Nato

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“Est 1913 Irish Citizen Army / Irish National Liberation Army Est. 1974”. The Irish Citizen Army was founded in Dublin in 1913 to protect striking workers from police violence. After taking part in the Easter Rising of 1916, however, the ICA did not participate in the War Of Independence and the Civil War. In 1974, some founding members considered reviving the “ICA” name to reflect the organisation’s “allegiance to the working class” while Costello (pictured on the right) suggested “National Liberation Army”, which was then amended to include “Irish” (History Ireland | WP | WP). MNI includes an “ICA-INLA” Starry Plough on the stairs into the New Lodge from 1989 (C00105).

The banner raised over the Liberty Hall headquarters of the ICA read “We serve neither king nor kaiser but Ireland” – the famous photograph is included in the post of the same name – but this has been updated. The Belfast version of the board, on Northumberland Street (above) and outside Costello House on the Falls Road (below), reads “nor Nato”.

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