Bobby Sands

Remember The Hunger Strikers

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“Remember the hunger strikers, 25th anniversary.” Michael Gaughan and Frank Stagg, who died on hunger strikes in 1974 and 1976 and included in a line of portraits alongside nine of the deceased 1981 hunger strikers; Bobby Sands is shown in the large mural on the right hand side, next to blanket men Hugh Rooney and Freddie Toal.

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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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My Brother Is Not A Criminal

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The brothers in question are Raymond and Brian McCreesh, from Camlough, Co Armagh. Raymond is third in the list of the ten deceased 1981 hunger strikers. “In memory of the volunteers who died on hunger strike in H-Blocks 1981.” “H-Block is rock that the British monster shall perish upon for we in H-Block stand upon the unconquerable rock of the Irish socialist republic – Bobby Sands”.

The lower stone reads “These men made the supreme sacrifice for their country by dying on hunger strike from 1917 to 1976: 1917 Thomas Ashe; 1920 Michael Fitzgerald, Joseph Murphy, Terence McSwiney; 1923 Joseph Whitty, Denis Barry, Andy Sullivan; 1940 Tony Darcy Sean McNeela; 1946 Sean McCaughey; 1974 Michael Gaughan; 1976 Frank Stagg. “It is not those who can inflict the most but those that can suffer the most who will conquer” – Terence McSwiney.”

New Road, Silverbridge

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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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Our Revenge Will Be The Laughter Of Our Children

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These three images are from the grassy areas at the junctions of Dublin Road and Tullyree Road in Kilcoo, Co Down. There is a large memorial stone from the South Down Republican Graves Association “in loving memory of those who died on hungerstrike in the H Blocks of Long Kesh” along with Sands’s quote, ten crosses in the shape of an “H”, and “IRA” letters nailed to the electricity pole. “Fuaır sıad bas [bás] ag [ar] son saoırse hEıreann [na hÉıreann] .”

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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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Cumann Na Fuıseoıge

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Established in 2004, Cumann Na Fuıseoıge (The Lark) is “ag soláthar spórt Ghaelaıgh don phobal sa cheantar Coılın” [providing Gaelic games to the people in the Colin area]. The club is named after the image of the lark (and barbed wire) used by Bobby Sands in his 1979 article The Lark And The Freedom Fighter. The choice of emblem proved controversial – Slugger.

Previously: a fundraiser for the club.

Jasmine Corner, Belfast/Dunmurry

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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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100 Years Of Revolution

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A Sınn Féın centenary (1905-2005) mural is added to the Éıre Nua Flute Band board (seen in 2004). Above them is a Sınn Féın board with Mao’s statement that “If there is to be a revolution, there must be a revolutionary party.” Both the flute band and Sınn Féın have internet addresses.

Whiterock Road, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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My Hope Lies In The Ultimate Victory Of My People

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“I have hope, indeed. All must have hope and never lose heart. My hope lies in the ultimate victory of my people [for my poor people] – Bobby Sands, March 5th, 1981.” Robert Ballagh was commissioned by Sınn Féın to produce a piece for the 20th anniversary of the 1981 hunger strike and came up with the ten doves escaping an H Block (see the Visual History of “Hawks” & Doves).

Mountpottinger Road, Short Strand, east Belfast

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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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Comhıonannas Don Ghaeılge

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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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Take A Tour In A Taxi

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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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Cláraıgh Le Sınn Féın

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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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