“Despite Your Bars We Are Stronger” – mural on the wall of the “Ex-POP” [Ex-Prisoners Outreach Programme] in William Street, Derry. The organisation was founded by John Cassidy and Davy Glennon (TPQ).
The wave of people seeking asylum from political strife in Europe continues.”Fáılte romhaıbh a chaırde” is Irish for “Welcome, friends” while “Qaxootiga soo Dhaweyn” is Somali for “Refugees welcome”. Somalis make up about 9% of the current wave of migrants from Africa and Syrians 33% (Irish Times). 2,000 refugees are to be settled in Northern Ireland (belfastlive). The yellow-on-black outline of parents and daughter running originates in the United States, used on ‘caution’ signs along highways near the US-Mexico border.
The masthead of the 1916 proclamation declaring a “Provisional Government of the Irish Republic” to the “People of Ireland” is faithfully reproduced in this éırígí stencil, along with busts of Padraıg Pearse and Tom Clarke.
John O’Mahony was an Irish-born but American-based republican who founded the Fenian Brotherhood, whose goal was to send arms and financial support to the Irish Republican Brotherhood in Ireland (Brittanica).
His words from the IRB newspaper The Irish People are used in this RNU [“www.republicanunity.org“] board in Derry: “Every individual born on Irish soil constitutes, according to Fenian doctrine, a unit of that nation, without reference to race or religious belief; and as such he is entitled to a heritage on Irish soil, subject to such economic, political and equitable regulations as shall seem fit to the future legislators of liberated Ireland. From this heritage none shall be excluded.”
The date given is 1868, but the paper closed in 1865 when its offices were raided and its executives, including manager O’Donovan Rossa, were arrested.
Rossville St, Bogside, Derry. The simpler board is in Lone Moor Road, in the Brandywell.
“Smash fortress Europe – no one is illegal.” Two-year-old Alan (or Aylan) Kurdi and his brother Galib both died during an attempted crossing from Turkey to the Greek island of Kos. Alan’s body was pulled from the water and placed on the shore, where it was photographed lying face-down. The image stunned and shocked people around the world.
“If any of you put a stumbling block before one of these little ones, who believe in me, it would be better for you if a great millstone were fast[en]ed round your neck and you were drowned in the Depths of the Sea. RIP Aylan”
Free Derry Corner (Visual History) is transformed for Foyle Gay Pride 2015, (August 22nd-30th (programme at issuu)) with paste-ups of four “queer icons”. The four are (l-r) Stormé DeLarverie (WP), Mark Ashton (WP), Sylvia Rivera (WP), and Marsha P Johnson (WP). Ashton grew up in Portadown before moving to London; the other three are from the USA.
Three flyers on Free Derry Corner (Visual History) in the Bogside: “End the brutality in Maghaberry”, “End the brutality of republican prisoners”, and “End forced isolation”.
“Irish Republican Prisoners Welfare Association [web]. No change from H-Block to MagHaberry. Supporting republican POWs.”
The Craigavon Two – John-Paul Wootton and Brendan McConville – were convicted in 2012 of the 2009 murder of PSNI Constable Steven Carroll (BBC) and sentenced to 18- and 25-year minimums, respectively. The case is under review (Guardian) and a campaign for their release – using the hashtag “#JFTC2” – is under way (Fb).