“Damn your concessions England, we want our country.” Board to Seán Mac Dıarmada in Ardoyne, detailing his exploits leading up to and including the 1916 uprising and his earlier connection with the local area. “Seán lived at 106 Butler Street, Ardoyne in 1906-08.”
“In Memory of the Belfast men who fought against fascism with the international brigade, Spanish civil war 1936 – 1939.” The colours of the international brigade (red, yellow and purple – here a lighter violet colour) serve as a background.
The board shows Belfast socialists walking at Bodenstown, 1934 as part of the annual Wolfe Tone commemoration, held each year in June. Tone, an Anglican and the founder of the United Irishmen, is buried in the Bodenstown graveyard. Sources report, however, that there was an attempt to exclude these marchers, from “Shankill Rd Belfast Branch”, from part of the 1934 commemoration. The reasons given vary: they were carrying a non-standard banner, they had communist leanings, and, they were Protestants. (See Paddy Byrne | WP – though a different banner is mentioned | WP – see “legacy” section | WP – see fn. 1).
The plaque to the right reads: “In memory of all those who fought in Spain against Fascism 1936-1939. This mural was erected by Teach na Fáilte Republican Ex-Prisoners Support Group and Belfast City Council. It was unveiled on April 20th, 2013. Signed “[Fra] Maher 2013”. Northumberland St.
“Rot in hell T[h]atcher scum” and “Rot in hell Maggie Thatcher”. Margaret Thatcher, former UK Prime Minister, died on April 8th. These pieces of graffiti are in west and north Belfast; for Derry, see Thatcher’s Dead.
Beechmount Avenue; McQuillan Street; Leeson Street; N Queen Street.
The Clowney Street phoenix, originally painted in 1981, is repainted – for a history, see The Oldest Murals.
Above, the board at the centre of the mosaics has changed, from an image of blanketmen to a montage of photographs “commemorating the courage and sacrifice of the hunger strikers”.
In addition to the seven signatories of the Proclamation of an Irish Republic, nine other leaders of the Easter Rising were executed in the wake of the rebellion. The portraits of all 16 are part of this new mural (on boards) of Walter Paget’s painting The Birth Of The Irish Republic. (For Paget’s painting, see the painting’s Visual History page.) In order of appearance, the 16 (with links to their WP pages) are …
Margaret Thatcher, former UK Prime Minister, died on April 8th. The paste-up on Free Derry Corner – “Let’s bury greed with her” – gives the impression that her primary legacy was neo-liberalism but the more visceral reactions – “Burn in hell” and “Your death made my day” – are inspired by her stance towards the hunger strikers in 1980 and ’81.
Here is a collection of small boards from anti-Agreement republicans (probably Éırígí web) in Derrybeg and central Newry. “Stop strip searching of republican prisoners”, “RUC-PSNI Different name, same aim”, “Release Martin Corey now!”, “Free Marian Price”, “End Israeli terror in Palestine”, “End internment 1871-2013”.
Camlough Road, Carnagat Road, Second Avenue, Patrick Street
“Tógtha ar an 90ú comóradh de luíochán na hÁırse Éıgıptıgh/Erected on the 90th anniversary of the Epytian Arch Ambush. I gcuımhne [ar] Óglaıgh/In memory of Óglaıgh William Canning, John Francis O’Hare, Peter Shields, Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann. A maríodh iad, agus ıad sa tóır ar Phoblacht na hÉıreann, ag Forsaí Choróın na Breataıne/Who were killed by the British Crown Forces in the pursuit of an Irish Republic. “The republic stands for truth and honour. For that is the noblest in our race. By truth and honour, principle and sacrifice alone will Ireland be free.” – Liam Mellows.”
The ambush was on the night of December 12/13th, 1920; Canning died at that time, Shields on the 25th, and O’Hare the following July. Here is an account from Republican News; testimony can be found in the Military Archives.
“Strength in our hearts, strength of our limbs, consistency of our tongues.” “Na Fıanna Ard Eoın 1909-2009 – one hundred years of resistance. In proud memory Fıan Davy McAuley … Josh Campbell … Josie McComiskey … Bernard Fox. ‘You may kill the revolutionary, but never the revolution.’ Dedicated by the Republican Network for Unity.” The four deceased are portrayed on four small boards, along with standing figures of Fianna from both centuries.