Belfast

Peace With Justice

Extramural Activity1 Comment

The ten deceased 1981 hunger strikers were preceded in the 1970s by two prisoners who died in English prisons: Michael Gaughan (d. 1974 WP) and Frank Stagg (1976 WP). Posters depicting these two, along with the Proclamation and the Tricolour, lie on the grass. The larger of the two quotations here is from Stagg: I want my memorial to be peace with justice.

The protesters on the left date back to a 1981 poster which was used on the very first mural – for both, see I’ll Wear No Convict’s Uniform.

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Copyright © 2011 Peter Moloney
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Maghaberry Concentration Camp

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“End forced strip searches, end internment [at] Maghaberry concentration camp”. Republican prisoners are held in the Roe House at Maghaberry. Several republican prisoners (as many as five) are conducting a “dirty protest” in response to conditions and treatment, including integration with loyalist prisoners (Irish Echo | BBC). The green ribbon as an emblem goes back to the campaign after the ceasefire to release POWs – here is a mural from 1995.

Divis Street, on the “International” wall.

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Copyright © 2011 Peter Moloney
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St James’s Support The Hunger Strikers

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This is a late-life shot of the mural at the corner of Hugo Street. There are now two windows in the mural, graffiti has been blacked out across the lower third, and the mural on the side wall (to the left of image) has gone completely.

You can track its history to this point by comparing this image with those from 2006 | 2002 | 2001.

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Copyright © 2011 Peter Moloney
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I’m Not A Criminal

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“Vol. Kieran Nugent – the first blanketman. ‘I’m not a criminal – the Brits will have to nail prison clothes to my back.'”

This mural was originally launched in February surrounded by a selection of posters from the era (see The First Blanketman and for close-ups see the post at Extramural). These have all now been stripped away and the red background (which was present for the previous mural – see Ciarán Nugent) has been repainted.

Rockville Street, Belfast

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Copyright © 2011 Peter Moloney
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Uachtarán Na nDaoıne

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Sınn Féın hoardings in Andersonstown, first at the former Andersonstown RUC barracks supporting Martin McGuinness as Sınn Féın candidate for “The people’s president” and then two at Connolly House, again supporting McGuinness and announcing the (now passed) Sınn Féın Ard Fheıs: ı dtreo poblacht nua – towards a new republic.

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Copyright © 2011 Peter Moloney
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Kieran Doherty TD

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“Vol. Kieran Doherty, Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann, age 25, commenced his hunger strike on May 22 and tragically died on Sunday afternoon 2nd Aug 1981. Kieran was elected TD by the people of Cavan and Monaghan in their support of the prisoners’ campaign for political status.” “It is not those who inflict the most but those who endure the most who shall conquer in the end – this [paraphrase of 1920 hunger-striker Terence MacSwiney] was one of the last messages sent out of the H-Blocks by Vol Kieran Doherty TD.”

The mural on the stairs has been removed – compare with 2004, which also has close-ups.

This portrait and plaque to Doherty are at the bottom of Slemish Way at the junction with the Andersonstown Road; there is a memorial stone at the top of Slemish Way on Commedagh Drive.

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Copyright © 2011 Peter Moloney
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