Proprietor of the Mill Diner on the Crumlin Road Tommy McAuley was shot by the UVF in 1987 in retaliation for the Enniskillen bombing. His case was examined by the Historical Enquiries Team (HET) who reported (in 2011) that the police did not question suspects identified by witnesses and the family lobbied the ombudsman to reopen the case (U.tv). The flowers and poster are on the front of the closed diner.
“HET” is the “Historical Enquiries Team”, and has been investigating unsolved killings from the Troubles since 2005 (WP). The graffiti in these images from Mount Vernon (Shore Road), are perhaps specifically in connection with the investigation into the UVF unit in the area (BelTel) and the murder of Jim Harbinson (BelTel). “HET go home”.
Here are images from the four panels that comprise the WWI memorial in Mount Vernon, showing men attacking (Thiepval?) wood, the battlefields around Messines, a soldier approaching a church with a spire, and back-to-back memorials to John Condon, the Waterford [city] “boy soldier”, who died aged 14 in a gas attack – “his memory is kept alive as a symbol of the futility of war” – and William McFadzean, who won a VC for throwing himself on a dislodged box of hand grenades.
At this time (2012) the boards on the outside wall had been taken down. They would later be restored – see X06017, which also has the reverse of one the panels.
The mural in the Mount Vernon/Tigers Bay memorial garden remains the same as before (seen previously in 2006) but there is a brick surrounding wall with a plaque on the gatepost to five members – Shaw, Frame, Irvine, Caldwell, Rice, Quail – of the 3rd Belfast Battalion, Ulster Volunteer Force. “We salute also, all volunteers at home and on the mainland who served with dignity and pride.”
Here is a complete set of all 12 murals to the Troubles-era hunger strikers, two each on six of the New Lodge “houses” (tower blocks) from June and July of 2011. Some were shown in this 2002 post.
“Lest we forget – 1912-2012”: “The four panels of the mural represent images from conflict over the past 100 years … the Great War … Luftwaffe raids during the early years of the Second World War … the dark period in our history known as the Troubles … more recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Part of the Arts Council for Northern Ireland’s Re-imaging Communities Programme – thiis project placed artist Jim Russell in the heart of the Sunningdale community to work with local people to create a more welcoming environment for everyone.”
A mural of hands releasing doves is added to the memorial garden in Clós Ard An Lao, in Ardoyne (and a lower plaque is removed). In the middle is a plaque in remembrance of 38 local people (“from the greater Bone, Ballybone, Rosapenna area”) who died during the troubles, on the left, next to the pikemen, is a celtic cross with an Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann roll of honour; on the right is a statue of Jesus with a sacred heart.
In addition to three plaques, a wrought-iron head-piece, multiple flag-pole holders and railings fencing in a small area, this mural in Clós Ard An Lao/Ardilea Close in Ardoyne uses painted discs for each of the twelve hunger strikers (the ten in Long Kesh 1981 and two from the 70s in English prisons, Michael Gaughan and Frank Stagg – the twelve also featured in Derry’s Spirit Of Freedom mural), rather than painting their likenesses directly onto the wall. The two quotes are from Bobby Sands “Let our revenge by the laughter of our children” and Michael Gaughan “Let there be no bitterness on my behalf to achieve a united Ireland”.
The items above the mural are new, compared to 2010. The plaque on the left is to people who died “in defence of the area” and on the right to those who died “of natural causes” who endured discrimination, hardship, suffering, imprisonment.