Táın Bó Cúaılnge

m00898

This is an interesting mural from North Queen Street, if only because of its psychedelic colour-scheme and composite style.

The two bulls (presumably from the Táın though they are not the classic brown and white bulls) provide a centre, on either side of which we find Cú Chulaınn dying (and Tuan the eagle) and a dolmen. The horse on the right is perhaps Galloper. There are four faces superimposed on flying geese. The cranes Samson and Goliath are on the left (which suggests a cross-community sponsorship) and a Pride rainbow is on the right.

The mural can also be seen in the Paddy Duffy Collection. If you have any information about the piece, please get in touch.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 1990 Peter Moloney
M00898

Turf Lodge Cú Chulaınn

m00750

The words of Padraıg Mac Pıaraıs’s poem Mıse Éıre are included alongside the portraits of the seven signatories to the 1916 Proclamation. It includes the line “Great is my glory, I who bore brave Cú Chulaınn” and Cú Chulaınn is pictured on the right, in the death pose made famous by Oliver Sheppard in a statue installed in the GPO in 1935. Painted by Mo Chara.

Mıse Éıre: Sıne mé ná an Chaılleach Bhéarra.
Mór mo ghlóır: Mé a rug Cú Chulaınn cróga.
Mór mo náır: Mo chlann féın a dhíol a máthaır.
[Mór mo phıan: Bıthnaımhde do mo shíorchıapadh.]
[Mór mo bhrón: D’éag an dream ınar chuıreas dóchas.]
Mıse Éıre: Uaıgní mé ná an Chaılleach Bhéarra.

Norglen Gardens, west Belfast. For the completed work, see the Paddy Duffy Collection.

(This image is dated 1989 but is probably from 1988.)

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 1989 Peter Moloney
M00750

Mıse Éıre

M00263+

m02516

M00261+.jpg

A dolmen, standing stones, designs from Newgrange, an illustration from a celtic manuscript, and the warrior Cú Chulaınn (Visual History) surround some lines from Padraig Pearse’s poem Mıse Éıre
“Mıse Éıre, sıne mé na [sic – ná] an ċaılleaċ béara [sic – ḃéara],
Mór mo ġlóıre, mé a rug ċúċulann cróga.
Mór mo náıre, mo ċlann féın do díol [sic – a ḋíol] a máṫaır.
[Mór mo ṗıan, bıthnaıṁde do mo ṡíorchıapaḋ.
Mór mo ḃrón, d’éag an dream ınar ċuıreas dóċas.]
Mıse Éıre, uaıgní mé na [sic – ná] an ċaılleaċ béara [sic – ḃéara].”

Or, in English:
“I am Ireland: I am older than the Hag of Beara.
Great my glory, I who bore brave Cú Chulaınn.
Great my shame, my own children that sold their mother.
[Great my pain, my irreconcilable enemy who harasses me continually.
Great my sorrow, that crowd, in whom I placed my trust, decayed.]
I am Ireland, I am lonelier than the Hag of Beara.”

The wide shots show both Chamberlain Street murals, Mıse Éıre and the Firing Party mural featured previously.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 1985 Peter Moloney
M00263 M02516 M00261

Roll Of Honour

M00174 Rossville St 1982+

Cú Chulaınn, with shield, is strapped upright to a rock in order to fight to the very end, next to a roll of honour of Derry Brigade IRA volunteers.

Rossville Street, Bogside, Derry.

Vol Thomas McCool 1970
Vol Thomas Carlin 1970
Vol Joseph Coyle 1970
Vol Eamonn Lafferty 1971
Vol James O’Hagan 1970
Fıan Gerry Donaghy 1972
Vol Colm Keenan 1972
Vol Eugene McGillan 1972
Vol John Starrs 1972
Vol Seamus Bradley 1972
Vol Michael Quigley 1972
Vol John Brady 1972
Vol James Carr 1972
Vol James McDaid 1972
Vol Joe Walker 1973
Vol Gerard Craig 1973
Vol David Russell 1974
Vol Michael Meenan 1974
Vol John McDaid 1974
Vol Ethel Lynch 1974
Vol Brian Coyle 1976
Vol Denis Heaney 1978
Vol Patrick [Duffy 1978]
Vol George [McBrearty 1981]
Vol Charles [Maguire 1981]

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 1982 Peter Moloney
M00174