Republican Sınn Féın (web) was created in a split with Sınn Féın in 1986 when it voted to allow elected members to take their seats as TDs in Dáıl Éıreann. This office is on the Falls Road, Belfast.
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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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“Equality for Irish”. At the 2006 Sınn Féın Slógadh, MEP Baırbe De Brún called for an Irish Language Act (Sinn Féin press release). The protesters in the mural carry placards reading “Is Gael mıse – teastaıonn Gaeılge uaım [I am Irish, I need Irish]”, “Naıre oraınn a Chomaırle [Shame on you, [Belfast City] Council]”, “Cearta teanga – cearta daonna [not “daonne”]” – “language rights, human rights”. “We demand respect for our culture.”
The same trio of Pádraıg Mac Pıaraıs, Winifred Carney, and Roıbéard Ó Seachnasaıgh appears in Cláraıgh Le Sınn Féın. Sands’s famous saying (“the laughter of our children …”) is translated into Irish: Is é gáıre ár gcuıd páıstí a bheas mar dhıoltas again.
Shiels Street, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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The Liam MacCarthy cup is awarded each year to the All-Ireland hurling champions. It was commissioned by and is named after London Irish-speaker Liam MacCarthy. He was elected a councillor for Peckham North and chaired the London GAA board, of which Michael Collins and Sam Maguire were also members (WP) – the All-Ireland champion footballers are awarded the Sam Maguire Cup. “Gael, patriot – Ireland’s forgotten son.”
Divis Street, Belfast
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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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For the 25th anniversary of the second hunger strike, a national march and rally is called, going from Dunville Park to Casement Park. The mural shows a blanket man and lark above the watch towers of Long Kesh.
Divis Street, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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“West Belfast Taxi Association – providing a community transport systerm for over 35 years.”
The WBTA spot (2003 | 2005) moves down the International Wall (Visual History) a few spots and now takes the form of a mural featuring the Bobby Sands mural in Sevastopol Street.
Divis Street, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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The Manchester Martyrs – IRB members William Philip Allen, Michael Larkin, and Michael O’Brien – were publicly hanged on November 23rd, 1867, for the killing of a Manchester policeman, Charles Brett. Brett was inside a prison van carrying two IRB leaders when it was set upon by 30 or more people (depicted at the top of the mural). The attendant escort fled, leaving Brett inside; he was killed by a bullet fired into the lock. Five people were convicted, one of whom, O’Meagher Condon, shouted “God save Ireland” during the trial – this was turned into an extremely popular song in memory of the three (Wolfe Tones version). Their graves were discovered in 2003 (Irish Times) and a campaign was waged to repatriate their corpses (Sınn Féın).
Divis Street, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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These two “Join Sınn Féın” boards are above the Sınn Féın office on the Falls Road, Belfast. “Don’t wish for a united Ireland, work for it.”The second, with portraits of Pearse, Carney, and Sands, is an example of the Irish-language rights campaign which becomes a central policy around this time: Is í athgabháıl na Gaeılge athgabháıl na hÉıreann [the repossession of Irish is the repossession of Ireland]. (See previously Cearta Teanga, Cearta Daonna.)
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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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INLA volunteer Kevin Lynch was the seventh of the 1981 hunger strikers to die, on August 1st, after 71 days without food.
Whiterock Road, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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IRA volunteer Pearse Jordan was shot by the RUC on November 25th, 1992, after the stolen car he was driving was rammed off the Falls Road. The European Court ruled that his death was in breach of the European Convention On Human Rights.
Hugo Street, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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“I ndıl chuımhne William Burns, died 3-7-70, Charles O’Neill 3-7-70, Zbigniew Uglik 4-7-70, Patrick Elliman 11-7-70, murdered by the British Army during the Falls Curfew of July 3-5 1970. The curfew was finally broken by the courage and determination of the women of Belfast.”
There is video of the 2005 launch and reenactment of the breaking of the blockade. The plaque for a time moved to the International Wall (see the mural to Máıre Drumm and the ending of the Falls Curfew) before returning to this spot (next to Elaine’s/Falls Rolls – see Ár Tae Will Come).
Falls Road, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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Peter Moloney Collection 