“In defence of the nation – 32 County Sovereignty Movement [web] – opposed British political policing”.
32CSM’s statement on political policing can be found at its web-site.
Divis Street, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2015 Peter Moloney
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“Rest easy, big man”, “Justice will be done”.
Tommy Crossan, a former leader of the CIRA, was shot and killed, perhaps by former comrades, on Friday (April 18th, 2014 – Good Friday) (Guardian | BBC).
He was also active in elections in 2001 and in 2004.
Springfield Rd, west Belfast, close to where he was shot
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Copyright © 2015 Peter Moloney
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The QR code in the second image takes one to an interactive walking tour (“Walk Of Truth”) of sites associated with the Ballymurphy Massacre; the walk was launched on August 8th, one of a number of Féile 2015 events (web) which included a photographic exhibition in St Mary’s and the march announced in the first image, from Springfield Park to O’Donnell’s GAA club.
Bombay Street, Northumberland Street
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Copyright © 2015 Peter Moloney
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The People Before Profit Alliance is an all-Ireland political party closely related to the Socialist Workers Party. In the north, candidate Gerry Carroll was elected to Belfast City Council in 2014, representing Black Mountain. Gay rights does not seem to form an explicit part of the platform, but the mural above, featuring a heart with the rainbow colours, appeared on Divis St in time for the Pride parade on August 1st.
See also: Cherish from Sınn Féın.
Divis Street, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2015 Peter Moloney
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Stephen (or Stephan) “Steve” Kaczynski will go before a Turkish court on September 18th on charges of membership of the Marxist-Leninist ‘Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front’ (DHKP-C). (WP) In April, members of the group took over a courtroom and held a state prosecutor hostage; when special forces stormed the building, the hostage and two of his captors died. (Independent) Kaczynski, a freelance journalist from Scotland, is alleged to be instrumental in financing the group. Alternatively, (according to various newspaper reports) he is an undercover agent of the Germans (Daily Sabah) or the British (Brian Haw). He has been on hunger-strike in protest at the conditions in Maltepe #3 since June 25th.
Replaces the announcement of a talk about torture in prisons. For the wider frame, see The Only Secure Community Is An Organised One.
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Copyright © 2015 Peter Moloney
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This new mural pays tribute to two long-time residents of Clonard. On a good day, Noel Fitzpatrick, a cobbler with a little shop on the corner of Odessa and Clonard streets, would take his chair out into the street and play the uıleann pipes. Looking down from above is Alec Reid, the Redemptorist priest who spent 40 years at Clonard monastery and played an important role in the peace process. He died in 2013 at age 82. (WP)
Painted by Marty Lyons & Mickey Doc in Springfield Drive. For the large ‘flower’ mural to the left of this mural (which imitates the stained glass in the cathedral), see C01044.
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Copyright © 2015 Peter Moloney
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“In memory of Topper Thompson, murdered by British death squads, 27th April 1994 aged 25. Deeply missed by never forgotten. Erected by his friends.” Paul Thompson was shot by a UDA gunman through a hole that had been cut in the security fence and about which the RUC had been notified earlier in the day (Relatives For Justice).
This is the second memorial to Thompson in Springfield Park, west Belfast. See the illustrations to chapter seven of Painting My Community for photos of the original memorial and of a march alleging collusion in Thompson’s killing.
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Copyright © 2015 Peter Moloney
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“Join RSF [Republican Sınn Féın] – Éıre Nua”. Éıre Nua was the Provisional Sınn Féın and (after the 1986 split) Republican Sınn Féın (RSF) plan for a federal Ireland, with a semi-independent Ulster parliament (pdf | also a social and economic plan pdf).
Springfield Road, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2015 Peter Moloney
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This is a replacement version of the gallery of “Clonard Martyrs” above the memorial garden, seen previously in 2011. The central phoenix is now in red (rather than green) and the background imagery has been removed but the roll of honour remains the same:
Left: Dan Duffin, Seán McCartney, Tom Williams, Gerard McAuley, Peter Blake, Seamus Simpson, Seán Johnston, Seán Gaynor, Pat Duffin, Gerard Ó Callaghan, Seamus Burns, Danny Ó Neill, Tom McCann.
Right: Gerard Crossan, Seán Ó Riordan, Martin McKenna, Liam Hannaway, Jim McKernan, Dan McCann, “dedicated to the memory of local republican, Billy Davidson”, Tony Lewis, Joe McKenna, Brian Dempsey, Finbarr McKenna, Seán Savage, Prıonsaıs Mac Áırt.
For many of the stones and plaques, see Clonard Martyrs, Who Have Resisted And Still Resist, and Deceased Republican Prisoners.
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Copyright © 2015 Peter Moloney
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“In memory of volunteers Pat and Dan Duffin, murdered by the RIC in their home at 64 Clonard Gardens 23rd April 1921. Erected the by the Greater Clonard Ex-Prisoners Association.”
The IRA shot dead two members of the British Auxiliaries, Ernest Bolan and John Bales, in Donegall Street in Belfast city centre on April 23rd, 1921. Just before midnight, Pat and Dan Duffin were shot to death by men who entered their Clonard home.
Another brother, John, was upstairs and not harmed and when he approached the scene he found not only his dead brothers but the station dog of the Springfield Road RIC barracks (“GB Kenna“, real name Fr John Hassan).
DeValera led the funeral cortège along the Falls. Joe Devlin would include the Duffin murders in a Westminster speech in June, following the killings in a single night of Alexander McBride, Malachy Halfpenny, and William Kerr (Hansard). The RIC in west Belfast under CI Harrison, DI Nixon, and in this case DI Ferris (Aiken et al.), would continue their killings into 1922 – see The RIC Murder Gang.
Clonard Gardens, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2015 Peter Moloney
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Peter Moloney Collection 