This is a late-life shot of the mural at the corner of Hugo Street. There are now two windows in the mural, graffiti has been blacked out across the lower third, and the mural on the side wall (to the left of image) has gone completely.
You can track its history to this point by comparing this image with those from 2006 | 2002 | 2001.
“Vol. Kieran Nugent – the first blanketman. ‘I’m not a criminal – the Brits will have to nail prison clothes to my back.'”
This mural was originally launched in February surrounded by a selection of posters from the era (see The First Blanketman and for close-ups see the post at Extramural). These have all now been stripped away and the red background (which was present for the previous mural – see Ciarán Nugent) has been repainted.
Sınn Féın hoardings in Andersonstown, first at the former Andersonstown RUC barracks supporting Martin McGuinness as Sınn Féın candidate for “The people’s president” and then two at Connolly House, again supporting McGuinness and announcing the (now passed) Sınn Féın Ard Fheıs: ı dtreo poblacht nua – towards a new republic.
Graffiti as a quick replacement on the Éırígí spot on the wall at the former Andersonstown RUC barracks. The green lettering underneath was for the election (see M06719) which was initially covered over with Brendan Lillis posters (X00520).
“Vol. Kieran Doherty, Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann, age 25, commenced his hunger strike on May 22 and tragically died on Sunday afternoon 2nd Aug 1981. Kieran was elected TD by the people of Cavan and Monaghan in their support of the prisoners’ campaign for political status.” “It is not those who inflict the most but those who endure the most who shall conquer in the end – this [paraphrase of 1920 hunger-striker Terence MacSwiney] was one of the last messages sent out of the H-Blocks by Vol Kieran Doherty TD.”
The mural on the stairs has been removed – compare with 2004, which also has close-ups.
This portrait and plaque to Doherty are at the bottom of Slemish Way at the junction with the Andersonstown Road; there is a memorial stone at the top of Slemish Way on Commedagh Drive.
“Joe McCann Staff Capt. [Official] IRA. Murdered by British paratroopers 15th April 1972.” Joe McCann was (Official) IRA OC in the Markets area of south Belfast, where he was shot by paratroopers in 1972. The graven image to the left reproduces a famous photograph which shows McCann, with MI, during the occupation of the Inglis bakery in the Markets on August 9th, 1971 – Internment Day (see RN).