Cú Chulainn

The Supreme Sacrifice

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These are close-ups of the IRA memorial in Derry’s City Cemetery (“Erected Easter 1975”, with the roll of honour extended around the base and then onto additional stones, and a plaque added in 1991 on the 75th anniversary of the second hunger strike and seen first in 1994). “Arna tógáıl An Cháısc 1975, ag Brıogáıd Dhoıre, Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann ın ómós agus ı gcuımhne ár gcomrádaıthe a rınne a ardíobaırt go saortar ár dtír dhúchaıs.”

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Copyright © 2007 Peter Moloney
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Ulster’s Defenders

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Ulster’s defenders, past and present, from Cuchulainn “Ancient defender of Ulster from Gael attacks”, via the 1893 UDU and WWI soldiers memorialised in the towers at Messines and Thiepval, to the modern UDA/UFF: “In memory of the officers and volunteers of A. Coy. UDA/UFF West Belfast Brigade who unselfishly dedicated their lives in defence of their country.”

There was also a Cuchulainn mural on Newtownards Rd in 1992 (updated in 2005), as well as ‘past defenders’ in the form of B Specials and UDR (1992 | 2005).

Among the volunteers listed on the stone, 19 year old Alan Simpson was shot in his home in nearby Highfield Drive.

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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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Freedom Corner

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This is a complete set of images of the UDA’s “Freedom Corner” along Newtownards Road, Belfast. The use of Cuchulainn as a loyalist icon (the mural is in its second incarnation – for the first, see Defender Of Ulster From Irish Attacks) rests on the theory that the people of mythical Ulster are different from those in the rest of Ireland and are related to ancient Scots: Dalaradia was “was a kingdom of the Cruthin in the north-east of Ireland and parts of Scotland in the first millennium.” The “Ulster Nation” flag/shield (which also appears in the final image) is a St Patrick’s cross on a blue background with six-pointed star and red hand, the flag of the Ulster (Northern Ireland) independence movement.

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Copyright © 2005 Peter Moloney
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Leana An Dúın Unbowed Unbroken

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The dying Cú Chulaınn (as portrayed in bronze by Oliver Sheppard, in a statue installed in the GPO in 1935) is used as a symbol for the locals from Lenadoon area of west Belfast who fought for freedom (“saoırse”): Tony Henderson, John Finucane, Brendan O’Callaghan, Joe McDonnell, Laura Crawford, Maıréad Farrell, Patricia Black, Bridie O’Neill (subsequently changed to Bridie Quinn).

See also the Cú Chulaınn Visual History page.

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Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
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Ten Hunger Strikers

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The lower part of the long wall in Bishop Street, Derry, in 1988. From left to right: a funeral volley fired over a scroll (blank in the first shot, filled-in in the fifth; Cú Chulaınn dying; portraits of the ten deceased 1981 hunger strikers; Bobby Sands’s “spirit of freedom” quote (shown in the final image) which concludes “I remain what I am – a political prisoner of war”; a celtic cross; “Free All POWs” (similar image to Racecourse Road); and a lark in barbed wire over a Tricolour.

For the inclusion of Cú Chulaınn in this mural, see the Visual History page.

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Copyright © 1998 Peter Moloney
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The Heroes Of 1916

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Cú Chulaınn and an Easter Rising volunteer form “a tribute to the heroes of 1916”: “We … declare the right of the people of Ireland to the ownership of Ireland and to the unfettered control of Irish destinies, to be sovereign and indefeasible.” (From the Proclamation.)

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Copyright © 1995 Peter Moloney
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Nationality

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Wide shot showing the low wall between the two “Ulster’s defenders” murals: “Our message to the Irish is simple: Hands off Ulster; Irish out; The Ulster conflict is about nationality”, and “We will maintain our faith and our nationality” above images of the Bible. Newtownards Road, Belfast.

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Copyright © 1992 Alan Gallery, All rights reserved alan@alangallery.com
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Defender Of Ulster From Irish Attacks

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Cú Chulaınn (Visual History) – the “ancient defender of Ulster from Irish attacks over 2000 years ago” with Ulster banner shield – is made a precursor of the UDA’s East Belfast Brigade – “Ulsters present day defenders”. The volunteer is – unusually – unmasked; it might be Ian Adamson (a civilian, but here given paramilitary gear) the UUP politician and proponent of the hypothesis that north-east Ulster was settled by settlers from Scotland – the Cruthin – who were at war with the Irish Gaels and that the Táın describes part of this conflict, with Cú Chulaınn the hero of Ulster single-handedly holding off the invaders from Connacht (WP).

Newtownards Road, Belfast.

This is the third gable on the so-called “Freedom Corner” (though it is not clear that it bore this name at the time of this image); here is the second gable (which in turn links to the first). A fourth gable was painted in 1993.

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Copyright © 1992 Alan Gallery, All rights reserved alan@alangallery.com
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