London-/Derry

Stoop Down Low Party

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M00232+

SDLP or Social Democratic and Labour Party. A comment on Slugger O’Toole says, “Stoop Down Low Party was first painted in the Bogside in 1984 by the original Bogside Artist Jim Collins, after the SDLP refused to back a motion by the Irish Independence Party to have the name of Derry reinstated as the proper and official name of the city.”
A WP page on the dispute over the name of the City Council (rather than the name of the city; the name of the airport was also changed, in 1994) gives the following: “At the time of the 1984 name change, members of the majority SDLP group on the city council declared that it was not seeking to change the name of the city as it had no intention of “petitioning an English queen to change the name of our Irish city”. The party preferred to leave the renaming of the city “for another day”. The IIP obtained legal advice that the change of the district’s name also affected the city and no petition was necessary. Unionist councillors protested at the name change by boycotting the council.” Rossville Street, Derry

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Copyright © 1984 Peter Moloney
M00232

R.I.P.

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M00229 Park Ave 1983+

A Latin cross, rather than a Cetlic cross, flies two tricolours in honour of the ten deceased hunger strikers: Bobby Sands “M.P.”, Francis Hughes, Raymond McCreesh, Patsy O’Hara, Joe McDonnell, Martin Hurson, Kevin Lynch, Kieran Doherty “T.D.”, Tom McElwee, and Michael Devine. Park Avenue, Derry

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Copyright © 1983 Peter Moloney
M00229

1916-1982/Break Thatcher’s Back

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M00212+

M00213+

Here is a 1982 image of the Break Thatcher’s Back mural in Rockmore Road, Belfast, showing a blanket man with outstretched arms demanding “status now”, framed by a large “H” and surrounded by barbed wire, Tricolours, and the Starry Plough. In 1981, there was a Sean O’Casey quote on the left, rather than a lily and the year of the Easter Rising — 1916. “Free Belfast” in the top left.

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Copyright © 1982 LC
M00212 M00213

They Demand These Rights

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M00195 Central Dr 1982+

M00196 Central Dr 1982+

The ten hunger strikers and the five demands, on either side of a phoenix with Sunburst and Tricolour:

“Bobby Sands; Francis Hughes; Raymond McCreesh; Patsy O’Hara; Joe McDonnell; Martin Hurson; Kevin Lynch; Kieran Dohery; Thomas McElwee; Michael Devine”

“No prison uniform; no prison work; free associaiton; letters, parcels, visits; full remission: as prisoners of war they demand these rights”

Central Drive, Creggan, Derry

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Copyright © 1982 Peter Moloney
M00195 M00196

Survivor

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M00192 Anne St 1982+

The mural above, painted in 1981, still (2015) exists as is and is thus the oldest original mural in the north. It shows a phoenix rising from the shields of the four provinces and a stand of three flags: Starry Plough, Tricolour, and Sunburst.

Anne Street/Glenanne, Brandywell, Derry

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Copyright © 1982 Peter Moloney
M00192