Cuchulainn, defender of Northern Ireland: “Here we stand, here we remain: we simply want to take our God-ordained place as indigenous Ulster people, understanding and living out our identity without shame, retaliation, or indignation against those who have caused harm to our past and tried to castrate our culture, our identity and our place on this island.”
Shankill Parade, Belfast
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Copyright © 2010 Peter Moloney
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A Derry Brigade IRA board is put next to the 25th anniversary mural of the second hunger strike in Westland Street, Derry. It is the same as the one in the Brandywell.
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Copyright © 2010 Peter Moloney
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Óglaıgh na hÉıreann volunteers from the 1st battalion Derry brigade: (l-r) John McDaid, Brian Coyle, Eddie McSheffrey, Patsy Duffy, Jimmy Carr, Gerry Donaghey, Eugine [sic] McGillen [McGillan], Charles English, Jim Movine, Richard Quigley, Barney McFadden, Dennis Heaney, Colm Keenan, Pat Harkin, John Starrs, Eamon[n] Lafferty.
Lecky Road, Brandywell, Derry
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Copyright © 2010 Peter Moloney
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A seven-year old Setanta become Cú Chulaınn (Culann’s Hound) after killing the beast by driving a slıotar (the ball used in hurling) down its throat. “Mol na nóıge agus tıocfaıdh sí” [as written: praise the young [people] and it [sic] will flourish; usually the phrase is “Mol an óıge …” “praise youth …”]
Roumania Rise, Divis, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2010 Peter Moloney
M05731
The theme “Remember the fallen from war” is illustrated by a bombed-out Ballymacarret library on Templemore Avenue and St. Patrick’s church, which is just across the street from the mural, both of which were hit during the blitz in 1942, a police land rover perhaps indicates the dead during the Troubles, while Cuchulainn stands for the IRA (and/or for the UDA?). The word “peace” appears next to an image of Stormont (bottom right) painted in white rather than grey.
We are supposed to remember the dead because (perhaps) their deaths were unnecessary and misguided as means to peace, at least according to the saying along the bottom (sometimes attributed to Einstein): “Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding” – understanding of the Nazis during the blitz, it seems, and of loyalists during the Troubles. If you have a better interpretation, please (please!) leave a comment.
The mural was imitated on the hoarding around the Cultúrlann on the Falls Road during its renovation, though this version does not mention the blitz and seems to be lamenting the CNR dead and calling for understanding of the CNR community (sc. by Britain and the Orange state) – see X01279.
Lendrick Street, east Belfast
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Copyright © 2010 Peter Moloney
M05643
Images from the grounds of The Roddys club, Glen Road, Belfast, with memorials to McCorley (“In memory of Rody McCorley who was hanged here for his part in the rising of 1798 ‘The dead who died for Ireland, let not their memory die””), the deceased 1981 hunger strikers, the earlier 20th century hunger strikers (Thomas Ashe, Michael Fitzgerald, Terence MacSwiney, Joseph Murphy, Joseph Whitty, Denis Bary, Andrew Sullivan, Tony D’Arcy, Jack McNeela, Sean McCaughey, Michael Gaughan, Frank Stagg), Lenadoon deaths (Tony Henderson, Tony Jordan, John Finucane, Laura Crawford, Brendan O’Callaghan, Joe McDonnell, Mairead Farrell, Bridie Quinn, Patricia Black), Billy ‘Red’ Higgins founder member/president of the club, IRA volunteers from Lenadoon, “to the Irish men and Irish women who gave their lives in the rebellion of 1798”. Roddy McCorley, a Protestant member of the United Irishmen, is best known by the song written about his hanging at the bridge of Toome in 1800. (Here’s a version by Tommy Makem.)
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Copyright © 2010 Peter Moloney
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Kevin Lynch captained the Derry Under-16 hurling team to an All-Ireland trophy (see X02866). The hurling half of the local Dungiven CLG was renamed in his honour after the INLA volunteer died after 71 days on hunger strike in 1981. “Mısneach ‘s dılseach” [Courageous and loyal]. Lynch is shown here in a setting of ancient Ireland, reminiscent of Setanta/Cú Chulaınn.
Main Street, Dungiven
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Copyright © 2009 Peter Moloney
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Cú Chulaınn stands dying, an inspiration to republicans fighting against the British (rather than Queen Medb), including those Lenadoon locals whose portraits adorn the apex: Tony Henderson, John Finucane, Tony Jordan, Brendan O’Callaghan, Joe McDonnell, Laura Crawford, Maıréad Farrell, Patricia Black, Bridie Quinn (Bridie O’Neill in the previous version of this mural).
Repainted, with a plaque on the right that reads, “This mural, dedicated to the patriot dead of Lenadoon, was unveiled by Gerard O’Neill, Easter 2009.”
See also the Cú Chulaınn Visual History page.
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Copyright © 2009 Peter Moloney
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Updated version of the monument to West Tyrone Command (seen in 2005) – perhaps with new fencing. A modern volunteer stands on the left, Cú Chulaınn on the right. “In proud memory of Vol. Charles Breslin age 20, Vol. Michael Devine age 22, Vol. David Devine age 16. West Tyrone command, Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann. Killed by crown forces near this spot 23 Feb. 1985.” The three were killed in an alleged shoot-to-kill incident. Obituaries in An Phoblacht.
Fountain Street, Strabane
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Copyright © 2008 Peter Moloney
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The red Stevie McKeag mural (X00068 | M02479) is replaced by an (almost complete) image of Cuchulainn (Cú Chulaınn) under the shield of Northern Ireland.
Painted by Blaze FX. For the completed mural, see X00273.
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Copyright © 2007 Peter Moloney
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Peter Moloney Collection 