The Mass Rock

This mural commemorates the repression of Catholicism and use of mass rocks as secret locations in the days of the penal laws, c. 1650-1800 under and after Cromwell.

“Is í an charraıg seo ıonad adhartha ar náıthreacha, áıt ar cothaıodh an creıdeamh do na glúnta a bhí le teacht.” [“This rock is our ancestors’ place of worship, where religion was preserved for the generations that were to come.”]

Ardoyne Avenue, north Belfast. This image would also be reproduced in Andersonstown.

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Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
M01802

By Any Means Necessary

“We declare our right on this Earth to be a human being, to be respected as a human being, to be given the rights of a human being, in this society, on this Earth, in this day, which we intend to bring into existence by any means necessary.” The quote comes from Malcolm X’s speech at the founding of the Organization For Afro-American Unity, in which the phrase “by any means necessary” is used repeatedly. “Malcolm X: Inter-national. By Mike Alewitz/Labor Art & Mural project, USA. Special thanks to: Sean Colligan, Bill R, Mickey Doc, Danny Devenny & Radical Artists, Ardoyne Fleadh Comm.”

Ardoyne Avenue, north Belfast

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Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
M01800 M01801

Serving The Community Through Transport

“This mural honours black taxi drivers who were murdered in this conflict”, including the eight named in the ‘roll of honour’ on the right: Michael Duggan, Jim Green, Harry Muldoon, Paddy McAllister, Caoımmhın [sic] McBradaıgh (killed at Milltown), Thomas Hughes, Hugh Magee, Padraıg Ó Cleırigh. “In memory of all taxi drivers, public and private, who were murdered by loyalist/British crown forces  during the conflict serving their community through transport.”

Ardoyne Avenue, north Belfast. For a similar mural on the Falls, see Serving The Community.

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Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
M01796 M01797 M01798 [M04304] M01799

Comms

Two of the three comms (“communications”, messages by H-Block prisoners on tobacco paper or toilet paper and smuggled from wing to wing or to the outside) reproduced in this mural describe the decision to undertake the hunger strike (written by Bobby Sands) and the reaction to his death (from Ardoyne man Bik McFarlane to “Brownie” – Gerry Adams). The three describes a beating received by Ardoyne resident and blanket man Brendan McClenaghan.

Ardoyne Avenue, north Belfast

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Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
M01794 M01795

Stephen Lawrence – Robert Hamill

Londoner Stephen Lawrence was murdered by stabbing in 1993 and, although arrests were made, no charges were brought. A 1998 public inquiry found that the Metropolitan Police Service was “institutionally racist”. In 2012, two of the original suspects were found guilty of the murder (WP). Catholic Robert Hamill was beaten to death by loyalists in Portadown in 1997 while police in an RUC land-rover looked on (WP).

The same board (in slightly different colours) appeared in Artana Street, south Belfast.

Brompton Park, Ardoyne, north Belfast

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Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
M01792

Part Of Our Heritage

“Gaelic games – part of our heritage.” Athletes play hurling, football, and camogie and the local GAA club Ardoyne Kickhams (Fb) is celebrated. “Is treıse dúchas ná oılıuınt” means “heritage is stronger than upbringing”. “Fáılte go dtí Ard Eoın” (“Welcome to Ardoyne”)

Havana Way, Ardoyne, north Belfast

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Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
M01793

Érıu

“Ardoyne Fleadh Cheoıl – meon an phobaıl a thógáıl tríd an chultúr” = “building community spirit through culture”.

“Eıre [Éire] (Éıru [Érıu]), a queen of the Tuatha Dé Danann, slain at the battle of Taıltean [Taılteann] (Telltown [Teltown], Co. Meath) 698 BC.” She is placed in a neolithic setting and is releasing a dove which flies off in a trail of stars.

Signed in the bottom right corner by “Ardoyne Focus Group”.

This is a repaint of the first Érıu mural; here is the previous Ard Eoın Fleadh Cheoıl mural in this location.

Brompton Park, Ardoyne, north Belfast

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Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
M01791

Freedom Hath Arisen

“It is not those who can inflict the most but those who can endure the most shall win [who will conquer].” (Terence MacSwiney). Those “from the Ardoyne, Bone, and Ligoniel who died because of Ireland’s troubles” are commemorated on the Celtic cross (which dates back to 1976). The plaque (dating at least to 1993) reads “Oft from prison bars, oft from battle flashes/Oft from heroes’ lip, oftenest from their ashes.” and includes names of deceased IRA and Sınn Féın members killed up to 1972, and civilian locals.

Berwick Avenue, north Belfast

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Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
M01787 M01788 M01786

GPO Dublin 1916

Walter Paget’s Birth Of The Irish Republic is painted as a mural: James Connolly lies injured on a stretcher, being tended to by Elizabeth O’Farrell (? WP), while Pearse, Clarke, and Plunkett (and Ceannt?) stand by.

For Paget’s original, see the Visual History page.

Berwick Avenue/Paráıd An Ardghleanna, Ardoyne/Ard Eoın, north Belfast

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Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
M01785 [M08260]