Month: August 2006

Councillor Liam MacCarthy

Extramural Activity1 Comment

The Liam MacCarthy cup is awarded each year to the All-Ireland hurling champions. It was commissioned by and is named after London Irish-speaker Liam MacCarthy. He was elected a councillor for Peckham North and chaired the London GAA board, of which Michael Collins and Sam Maguire were also members (WP) – the All-Ireland champion footballers are awarded the Sam Maguire Cup. “Gael, patriot – Ireland’s forgotten son.”

Divis Street, Belfast

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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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Take A Tour In A Taxi

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“West Belfast Taxi Association – providing a community transport systerm for over 35 years.”

The WBTA spot (2003 | 2005) moves down the International Wall (Visual History) a few spots and now takes the form of a mural featuring the Bobby Sands mural in Sevastopol Street.

Divis Street, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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Manchester Martyrs

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The Manchester Martyrs – IRB members William Philip Allen, Michael Larkin, and Michael O’Brien – were publicly hanged on November 23rd, 1867, for the killing of a Manchester policeman, Charles Brett. Brett was inside a prison van carrying two IRB leaders when it was set upon by 30 or more people (depicted at the top of the mural). The attendant escort fled, leaving Brett inside; he was killed by a bullet fired into the lock. Five people were convicted, one of whom, O’Meagher Condon, shouted “God save Ireland” during the trial – this was turned into an extremely popular song in memory of the three (Wolfe Tones version). Their graves were discovered in 2003 (Irish Times) and a campaign was waged to repatriate their corpses (Sınn Féın).

Divis Street, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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Cláraıgh Le Sınn Féın

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These two “Join Sınn Féın” boards are above the Sınn Féın office on the Falls Road, Belfast. “Don’t wish for a united Ireland, work for it.”The second, with portraits of Pearse, Carney, and Sands, is an example of the Irish-language rights campaign which becomes a central policy around this time: Is í athgabháıl na Gaeılge athgabháıl na hÉıreann [the repossession of Irish is the repossession of Ireland]. (See previously Cearta Teanga, Cearta Daonna.)

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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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Loyalist Eden

Extramural Activity1 Comment

The village of Eden is being absorbed by an expanding Carrickfergus, famous for the castle shown in the UDA board in the first image.  King William’s True Blues flute band (KWTB) amalgamated with the South East Antrim Defenders. Sources are few but it seems that SEA Defenders disbanded in 2007 but was re-established in 2010. (See previously 2004.)

Larne Road, Eden

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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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