“In memory of IRA volunteers Gerard Crossan, Tom McCann, Tony Lewis, John [Sean] Johnston, who died while on active service on the 9th March 1972 at 32 Clonard St. Erected by the Greater Clonard Ex-Prisoners Association.” The four died in a premature explosion (“active service”) presumably at the home of Lewis, who lived in Clonard Street. Crossan and Johnston were 19, McCann and Lewis were 20 (The Troubles 11).
“Free all Basque political prisoners” – a new mural launched during Féıle 2012 in Beechmount Avenue, Belfast.
The symbol on the left represents amnesty for Basque prisoners (BasqueMurals). On the right, next to “Basque Belfast Solidarity Committee” (Fb) is the Basque cross of Lauburu (WP).
Ballymurphy, The Aftermath was first produced for Féile in 2011 and returned for Féile 2012, running for a week in the Conway Mill. The play was written by Brenda Murphy and directed by Pam Brighton (An Phoblacht | Ballymurphy Massacre | BBC).
Here are five pieces of stained glass from Belfast City Hall:
“The Dockers’ Strike Centenary Window 1907” designed by John McLaughlin, featuring Big Jim Larkin above the words “Not as Catholics or Protestants, not as nationalists or unionists, but as Belfast workers standing together.
“The Famine Window” designed by Calderwood Glass, in memory of “those citizens of Belfast who died as a result of Typhus and Cholera in the years 1846, 1847 and 1848.”
A memorial window to British Army soldiers “who have served in the city of Belfast and the province since 1969”, a UDR memorial window, and (in two images) UDR memorial window.
Anti-Agreement republican graffiti and heavily-vandalised board listing the faults of the PSNI. “End British policing in Ireland – intimidation, sectarianism, 28 day detention, corruption, child assaults, evidence tampering. http://www.32csm.info [now 32csm.org]”
Kevin Lynch is shown raising the Under-16 County Derry hurling trophy (photo below). He was arrested in December 1976 and went on the blanket and then the second hunger strike. Lynch died after 71 days on hunger strike – the longest-surviving striker – in Long Kesh/the Maze prison. The H-Block Song (with lyric “I’ll wear no convict’s uniform/nor meekly serve my time/that Britain might brand Ireland’s fight/800 years of crime” was played by a piper at his funeral. (An Phoblacht)
Along the bottom are the emblems of Kevin Lynch Memorial flute band (Fb), Kevin Lynch’s hurling club (“mısneach ‘s dílseacht”), and St Dympna’s football club, Luton (Fb).
The mural is shown on the day of its launch, August 4th, 2012 – the plaque on the left is covered by a small curtain in the first image above but shown in the second.
The street was also named in Lynch’s honor, with a plaque at the other end.
The placard is in Chapel Road – it seems to be the same one as in 2011, but with a frame added.
“Dungiven remembers INLA Vol Kevin Lynch. Help build the socialist republic for which he died.” Lynch died after 71 days on hunger strike in 1981. The IRSP was the political wing of the INLA and continues to operate.
“Jim Stranney, republican and socialist, 1915-1938, fought and died in the Spanish Civil War 1936-1939. ‘You were of the people and for the people your life was laid.’ No pasarán. Erected by Teach Na Fáılte [INLA ex-prisoners] & The Belfast Cultural and Local History Group.” Stranney was killed in an assault on a fascist position near Gandesa on July 30th or 31st, 1938 (Belfast Media | tw). For a brief biography see CarltonBooks.
Above the door of 10 John Street, Belfast, which is perhaps where his parents lived.
Peter Moloney Collection 