This mural calling for British troops to leave uses the same slogan as in other murals — “Slán abhaıle” — but different imagery, of soldiers boarding the Belfast-Heysham (Lancashire, England) ferry.
This is possibly a cover of An Phoblacht but no source has yet come to light. The image below appeared in the edition of August 11th.
At the front of Rossnareen, Shaw’s Road, west Belfast
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Copyright © 1994 Paddy Duffy (undated image)
T00111
“Equality, freedom, fraternity – peace, unity, saoırse, freedom, equality, justice for all, meas, courage, respect, amnesty for political prisoners, cearta Gael, truth, dialogue, trust, democracy – the foundation stones for lasting peace.”
Amnesty for political prisoners and Irish-language rights are the concrete goals among many vague concepts being sought in the peace process – represented by the dove carrying a tricoloured ribbon on the chimney. Fág Ár Sraıdeanna adds collusion, RUC disbandment, and ending the Unionist veto.
Falls Road at the top of Fallswater Street.
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Copyright © 1994 Paddy Duffy (undated image)
T00110
“Falls/Clonard 25 years of resistance”. The mural combines an image of British troops deployed to Belfast in 1969 (similar to this Stan Meagher photo) with Stephen Bradley’s photo of women banging bin-lids on the ground to alert the community to the presence of soldiers, against a background of burnt-out buildings (reminiscent of Bombay Street).
The writing on the lower wall – “25 years – time for peace, time to go. Demilitarise now!” – was produced by a stencil – see the Peter Moloney Collection for in-progress images.
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Copyright © 1994 Paddy Duffy (undated image)
T00201 [T00163]
British soldiers trooping back towards London, being painted on the back of Free Derry Corner, on Lecky Road, Derry. The piece is by Robert Ballagh, taking a famous photograph of British forces in the Falklands marching (“yomping”) towards Port Stanley and placing it in a circle (to suggest a closing eye, perhaps) below tricoloured party balloons.
The image was also produced as a mural in the Short Strand (east Belfast) and on a board above the Sınn Féın offices/Sıopa Na hEalaíne in west Belfast and as a mural on Free Derry Corner and on a board in Shantallow, Derry and on a board in Letterkenny.
Ardoyne Avenue, north Belfast
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Copyright © 1994 Paddy Duffy (undated image)
T00107 [T00205]
“The Irish holocaust, 1845, 1,397,740 deaths”. A family of four sits with their meagre possessions, perhaps having been evicted from their home or waiting to board a ship to America. The source of the (hyper-precise) number of deaths is unknown; deaths are roughly put at a million and emigrants at two million for the period from 1845 to 1852. The period is commonly known as “the famine” but the term is rejected by many, given the continued production and exportation of other foodstuffs, contrary to the policy enacted for the famine of 1782-1783 (History Ireland | Great Hunger Museum | NJ Schools’ Commission pdf). Hence the use of “holocaust”
This is the earliest mural depicting the Great Hunger; in 1995, for the 150th anniversary, at least nine pieces were painted on the topic in Belfast – see the Visual History page. Many of those pieces reproduced drawings from the Illustrated London News; the source of this image is unknown.
Malcolmson Street/Springfield Road, west Belfast
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Copyright © 1993 Paddy Duffy
T00170
Pride Of Windsor was formed from members of the Donegall Road Protestant Boys (Belfast Forum). It’s not clear how long the band lasted after being formed in 1989 and this mural in 1990. The mural features Carrickfergus castle between St Andrew’s Saltire and Union Flag. “Audaces fortuna juvat” [fortune favours the bold] is the motto of Linfield FC.
Lisburn Road, south Belfast
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Copyright © 1990 Paddy Duffy
T00129
The Rockland Street or Village King Billy was repainted many times over its long life-span, including this 1990 refresh.
For other versions, see the mural’s Visual History page.
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Copyright © 1990 Paddy Duffy
T00124
The Young Conquerors flute band (Fb) and the South Belfast UVF celebrate the 300th anniversary of the battle of the Boyne, with a new mural in Pine Street, Donegall Pass, south Belfast. The emblems of the RIR and 36th Division are in the bottom corners, and the flag on the left is a regimental flag of the Ulster Volunteers.
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Copyright © 1990 Paddy Duffy
T00123
South Belfast MP Robert Bradford was assassinated by the Provisional IRA in Finaghy at a meeting with constituents; the caretaker of the community centre, Ken Campbell, was also killed by the fleeing attackers. In late 1981, with the hunger strikes having ended only a month before, the killing was noted around the world and raised fears of broad civil unrest (BBC | NYTimes).
“Vita, veritas, Victoria” [life, truth, victory] is the motto of Londonderry. Here we have “vita, veritas, victa” [life, truth, conquered; perhaps the intended meaning was “conquering” rather than the passive]. The crest is also not quite the crest of the Apprentice Boys, with a ship in the bottom right rather than a skeleton. Get in touch if you can resolve either discrepancy.
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Copyright © 1990 Paddy Duffy
T00122
King Billy, in red, white, and blue, crossing the Boyne and trampling on a Jacobite soldier in green, white, and orange. This mural was painted in 1989 by a “H. Gibson” (according to the 2015 repainting). The original version of this mural was on the other side of the Pass, at the junction of Apsley Street and Howard Street South, next to a mural of the Lindsay Street arch dedicated to Robert Bradford. (See Cemented With Love for both of these.) 1989 was the 25th anniversary of the erection of the arch in nearby Lindsay Street, but the arch was not painted into this mural until 2002.
Oak Street, Donegall Pass, south Belfast
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Copyright © 1990 Paddy Duffy
T00130
Paddy Duffy Collection 