“In loving memory of all the innocent people and volunteers in the greater Newington area who have lost their lives in the ongoing struggle for Irish freedom. Rest in peace our dear family, friends & comrades. ‘From death springs life and from graves of great patriots springs a great nation’ – Padraıg Pearse” (from the oration at the funeral of Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa, 1915).
“End internment – Free Marian Price”. August 2012 and Marian Price has been moved from Maghaberry to Hydebank (in February – BBC) and the charges against her for her part in the 2011 Easter Rising commemoration in Derry have been dropped (in May – BBC).
On the flats and in Queen’s Parade, New Lodge, north Belfast.
“Níl aon rud acu ına n-armlann ımpırıul [ımpırıúıl] a bhrısfidh meon an Éıreannaigh [Éıreannach] nar mhaın [mhıan] leıs a bheıth brıste – They have nothing in their whole imperial arsenal that can break the spirit of an Irishman who does want to be broken”
“Damn your concessions, England – it’s our freedom we want.” [– Seán Mac Dıarmada]
“Maghaberry concentration camp – End forced strip searches – End controlled movement.”
Here are three republican boards, framed: on the left, “Belfast Brigade ONH”; above right, “Until all are free we are all imprisoned – support all republican POWs – RNU (Fb)/Cogús (Fb); below right, the deceased 1981 hunger strikers. The lettering on the left reads “Join the Republican Network For Unity”, and below everything there is a Bobby Sands quote: “We all know the reason that we are being tortured – because we are political dissidents, POWs, and we won’t bend the knee or conform” (from Thoughts From The Shadows).
The scroll reads “Out of the ashes of 1969” arose the Provisional IRA, but the lineage is a long one and all but one of the organisations, events, and arms depicted here precede 1969: Cumann Na mBan, Na Fıanna Éıreann, Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann, a Celtic shield and sword, a pike (from the 1798 Rebellion), a Thompson gun, the Tricolour; only the assault rifle is modern and perhaps also is meant to indicate the Provisionals, Belfast Brigade. “Fuaır sıad bás as son saoırse na hÉıreann.”
“Community Inquiry Report: There was a clear breach of Article 2 of the European Convention On Human Rights, the right to life. The jury was deeply moved by the integrity and honesty of the evidence they heard. We have been deeply shocked by the state’s total failure to investigate killings and woundings. The evidence is unequivocal regarding the innocence of the deceased and wounded. There is no evidence whatsoever that they were armed or acted in a manner that could be perceived as a threat to the security services.”
Two of the New Lodge Six (James Sloan, James McCann) were killed by the UDA outside a bar and four (Tony ‘TC’ Campbell, Ambrose Hardy, Brendan Maguire, John Loughran) were among the crowd that gathered, killed by British Army snipers from their positions on top of the flats, using night-vision sights, February 3rd-4th, 1973. Sınn Féın politician Gerry Kelly spoke at the launch (image in the Seosamh Mac Coılle collection).
Jim O’Neill was killed in February 1976 during an IRA arson attack on a furniture warehouse on the Antrim Road near the New Lodge – Gerry Fitt’s house next door might have been the ultimate target (Belfast Child); Robert Allsopp appears to have accidentally shot himself in March 1975 (Irish Peace Process). Both were members of Na Fıanna. The flute band (Fb) is named in their memory.
Below the portraits of Jim O’Neill and Robert Allsopp is written “Glaıne ınár cgroí, neart ınár ngéaga, beart de reír [réır] ar [ár] mbrıathar.” [Purity in our hearts, strength in our limbs, action consistent with our words]
Above: “In proud and loving memory of the brave volunteers of Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann who unselfishly gave their lives for the cause of Irish freedom! Thug sıad gach rud, ní dhéanfar dearmad orthu go deo. [They gave everything; they will never be forgotten]” Billy Carson, Brian Smyth, Stevie Scullion, Sean Bateson, Nan Saunders, James Saunders, Denis Brown, Jim Mulvenna, Jackie Mailey, Seamus Cassidy Patrick Markey.
Below: “Dedicated to all the people from the Bone, Ballybone and Greater Cliftonville area who lost their lives to the armed forces of Britain and loyalism. They tried but failed to break their spirits and deny them their rights as equals. Ar dheıs Dé go raıbh a n-anam.” Cornelius Neeson, Brian Canavan, Michael Adamson, James Brown, Joseph Lynch, James Howell, Edward Brady, Liam Conway, John Maguire, Francis Burns, Sean Rafferty, Daniel Mackin, John Patch, Billy Smyth, Joseph Morrissey, Rosaleen Gavin, Seamus Duffy, Pauline Doherty, David McClenaghan, Ann-Marie Magee, Stephen Murphy, Leo McGuigan, Michael Scott, Sean Campbell, John Lovett, Thomas Madden, Thomas McLaughlin, Mary Smyth, Tony Molloy, Dermot McGuinness, Sadie McComb, Theresa Murray, Sean Madden, Charles Watson, Peter Orderly, Trevor Close, Thomas Burns, Martin Duffy
Staır na Gaeılge in Ard Eoın ‘s Machaıre Bhotháın. [The history of Irish in Ardoyne and Marrowbone]
The three figures at the top are from left to right – Seán Mac Dıarmada (who was from Leitrim but was a boarder for a time in Butler Street), Pól De Léıgh, Seán McCaughey; the mini-bus driver is Brendan Bradley. The green-and-yellow uniforms are from Coláıste Feırste. Signed “M Doc 2011” (Michael Dochartaıgh).
A tarp is added to the Ardoyne memorial garden putting the 12 deceased hunger strikers from the modern Troubles alongside those who were executed for their part in the Easter Rising. “The ideals behind the Proclamation, the Easter Rising and the hunger strikes are the ideals which drive Sınn Féın today, social equality, economic and political freedom and the believe [sic] that all the people of the island should benefit from the labour of the island. It is for this reason that this signatories, the hunger strikers and the thousands of others gave their lives.”