Paddy Duffy Collection

A Stitch In Time

2025-02-092025-03-15Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

In the 1920s, there were 44 shirt-making factories in Derry employing almost 20% of the city’s population (IAR). (Derry Of The Past has a Fb gallery of historical images of factories.) One of those factories was – and the building still stands – in the Rosemount area, a stone’s throw away from this 2021 artwork by Peaball (web), alongside boards with vintage photographs. Supported by iPrint (ig), Glen Development Initiative (Fb), and CRAFT (Cultural Renewal [and] Arts For Tomorrow).

The Five “R”s

2025-02-092025-03-14Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Spread kindness like butter” with the five “R”s: responsibility, respect, reintegration, relationships, repair. Work by Peaball (web) in a similar vein to FGB’s Spread The Love in east Belfast.

Grafton Street, Derry

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Stop The Slaughter

2025-02-092025-03-08Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Free Gaza” in the Ballycolman estate, Strabane. This piece is not from the current conflict (that started with the Hamas attack in October 2023) but from the 2014 war, in which roughly 2,300 Palestinians and 73 Israelis were killed (WP) – numbers that now seem small in comparison.

In Belfast: Stad An Slad/Stop The Slaughter

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Revolutionaries

2025-02-092025-03-01Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Bobby Sands and Ernesto “Che” Guevara, together in Fountain Street, Strabane. The image of Che is Jim Fitzpatrick’s iconic interpretation of Alberto Korda’s “Guerrillero Heroico” photograph of Che – see the Visual History page on The Influence Of Jim Fitzpatrick.

This mural has been in place since (at least) 2008 – see Bobby & Che in the Peter Moloney Collection.

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Republican Solidarity With Palestine

2025-02-092025-02-25Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Since the October 7th attack by Hamas and the subsequent Israeli invasion of Gaza, the number of Palestinian prisoners held by Israel has gone up from about 5,000 to about 9,000, including about 3,500 prisoners held under what is called “administrative detention” or what would be known here as “internment without trial”. (Figures for the last fifteen years are available at HaMoked and at B’Tselem.) Prisoners recently released from Israeli detention have described the beatings and degrading treatment they received (Amnesty | Reuters | Haaretz).

During the peace process of the mid-1990s, a green ribbon was used as a symbol of republican political prisoners, whose release was one of the major goals in a peace settlement – see this large example from Shantallow, Derry, from 1998. It is still used post-Agreement by physical-force republicans, e.g. End Brit Brutality and Maghaberry Concentration Camp.

The board is on the Meenan Square construction site in the Bogside, Derry. For the INLA board in the background of the wide shot, see Serious Trouble.

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The Spirit Of Freedom

2025-02-082025-03-14Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“The Spirit Of Freedom RFB remember with great pride our late comrade and friend drum sergeant Michael (Micky) Friel on his 20th anniversary. Always remembered and sorely missed by your family and your comrades in the Spirit Of Freedom RFB.” The band does not appear to have an on-line presence but there are references to the band going back to 1997 (An Phoblacht). Friel died in 2004 at age 24 (FindAGrave).

Central Drive, Creggan, Derry

Trump – Hands Off Gaza

2025-02-082025-02-25Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Since taking office, newly-inaugurated US president Donald Trump has proposed buying Greenland, annexing Canada, and taking over the Panama canal.

His latest geo-political raving was made during a visit by Israeli premier Bibi Netanyahu on February 4th, when he suggested that the US occupy Gaza and turn it into the “riviera of the Middle East”(AP); officials including the new Secretary Of State Marco Rubio talked down the “plan”, which involves forcing Egypt and Jordan to take the two million Gazans (AP), but Trump reiterated the threat on February 12th during a visit from Jordan’s King Abdullah (AP).

World leaders – and residents of Derry’s Bogside – have condemned the proposal (AP). The words “am nuts” are written on the paper puppet of Trump; the poster to the right reads “They kill children like me. [with an image of a child] Stop the war. Free Palestine”.

Free Derry Corner has its own Visual History page.

Two Nations, One Struggle

2025-02-082025-03-19Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The “two nations” are Palestine (flag on the left) and Ireland (flag on the right). Between the two is a balaclava’d face, suggesting violent struggle.

Lisfannon Park, Bogside, Derry