CNR

I’ll Wear No Convicts Uniform

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M00184+

M00185+

Republican prisoners, one with a raised fist: “I’ll wear no convicts uniform, nor meekly serve my time, that Britain might make Ireland’s fight 800 years of crime.” It appears from the fist in the top of the gable that a larger version was initially attempted but then scaled back. The figures are based on a 1981 poster urging the restoration of political status for republican prisoners.

According to Bill Rolston, this is the first mural painted in Belfast, in the spring of 1981. For a history of (republican) proto-murals and murals, see Visual History 02.

Whiterock Road, west Belfast

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Copyright © 1981 LC
M00184 M00185

Resistance

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M00164+

M00162 Rossville St 1981+

More panels from Rossville Street, Derry, this time showing volunteers firing over a phoenix, a lark in barbed wire, a volunteer kneeling by a fire and a tricolour on a flagpole, and an Armalite rifle with the words “A weapon of the provisionals”.

For the rest of this wall (out of shot on the right), see Murdered By Paratroopers and Éıre Nua.

Rossville Street, Derry

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Copyright © 1981 Peter Moloney
M00164 M00162

In Honour

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M00158+

M00160+

M00159+

In the first two of these three images from (somewhere on) the Andersonstown Road, nine hunger-strikers are named — Bobby Sands M.P., Joe McDonnell, Francis Hughes, Kevin Lynch, Kieran Doherty T.D., Ray McCreesh, Martin Hurson, Patsy O’Hara, and Tom McElwee — while in the third, Michael Devine’s name has been added and the bottom of the wall painted black. “Smash H-Block” is on the right; “Victory to the prisoners” is on the building on the other side of the road.

Andersonstown, west Belfast

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Copyright © 1981 LC
M00158 M00160 M00159

Sasanach Amach

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M00156+

“English Out”: Britain in the form of a riot policeman batoning a bloodied Ireland was (and remains) the symbol of the Troops Out Movement, an British pro-(Irish-)Nationalist organisation founded in 1973. The image of Britain in riot gear beating Ireland with a truncheon first appeared in the Irish Citizen newspaper and was designed by Jack Clafferty (Red Mole).

“Sasanach” is one English person, whereas the sentiment is presumably that they [Sasanaigh] should all leave. But that doesn’t rhyme so well.

Andersonstown Road (where exactly?), Belfast

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Copyright © 1981 LC
M00156 [M00157]
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A Political Prisoner Of War

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M00152 Carrody Rd 1981

Parts of a 1979 Bobby Sands An Phoblacht/Republican News article — The Lark And The Freedom Fighter — are featured in a 1981 mural in Gobnascale, Derry. “I refuse to change to suit the people who oppress, torture and imprison me, and who wish to dehumanize me. I have the spirit of freedom that cannot be quenched by even the most horrendous treatment. Of course I can be murdered, but while I remain alive, I remain what I am, a political prisoner of war.” B. Sands. MP. POW. OC.

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Copyright © 1981 Peter Moloney
M00152

The Last Post

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M00149+

A bugler plays The Last Post over a grave of hunger-strikers from the early part of the 20th century: Thomas Ashe May 25, 1917; Michael Fitzgerald October 17, 1920; Joseph Murphy October 25, 1920; Terence M[a]cSwiney October 25, 1920; Joseph Whittey [Whitty, Witty] September 9 [or 2nd], 1923; Denis Barry November 20, 1922 [1923]. Not included is Andrew Sullivan, who died two days after Barry. Dan Downey died in June 1923 having earlier been on hunger strike.

Beechmount Drive, Belfast

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Copyright © 1981 LC
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