Madden’s Bar in Berry Street (Belfast city centre) has a traditional music session up to three nights a week. The fiddler is Art Lundy – the original photograph is by Frankie Quinn (web).
“The people’s taxis”, meaning the people of nationalist west Belfast, as is clear from the imagery surrounding the WBTA terminal entrance: Fionn eating the salmon of knowledge (while standing on the Giant’s Causeway), The Limerick Piper (transposed to Belfast’s Cave Hill) by John Patrick Haverty (1794-1854) (also reproduced in this Ardoyne mural), and a copy of Jim Fitzpatrick’s Sadb.
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 …”]
“Fáılte Go Dtí Ard Eoın. Ardoyne – a confident, colourful, creative community, and the people who made it so” particularly the local schools, whose insignia are shown on the left: “Thnx 2 all r teachers past and present.” The previous mural in this spot (M01783) is invoked by the banner across the top: “Everyone has the right to live free from sectarian harassment” and the inclusion of Holy Cross Girls among the schools
Whitney Houston and Bobby Sands are invoked on the right “We believe the children are the future – value the laughter of our children“.
“Belfast’s Irish language radio station”, “Guth nua Gaeılge”, “An Irish voice for all”, “Glór Beo Bríomhar” [An active, vigorous, voice]. Raıdıó Fáılte (Welcome Radio) broadcasts at 107.1 FM and raıdıofaılte.com.
International Wall (Visual History), Divis Street, Belfast
“Ag fıorú [sic] na ceathrún gaeltachta”/”Delivering on the Gaeltacht quarter”. Laochra Loch Lao [Belfast Lough Warriors] is a Gaelic-games club operating through Irish. The club’s emblem is the blackbird, from the ninth-century poem: “Int én bec/ro léıc feıt/do rınn guıp/glanbuıdı:/fo-ceırd faíd/ós Loch Laíg,/lon do chraíb/charnbuıdı.” “The little bird/that whistled shrill/from the nib of/its yellow bill/a note let go/o’er Belfast Lough/a blackbird from/a yellow whin” (Ciaran Carson’s translation). With support from Forbaırt Feırste.
“This monument was erected by the republican people of greater Ballymurphy in proud and loving memory of all those volunteers from the area who gave their lives in the fight for Irish freedom.” Volunteers McParland, Kane, Maguire, Meehan, Sloan, McCormick, Campbell, Magee, Dougal, McCrudden, Clarke, Parker, Quigleey, Mulholland, O’Rawe, McGartland, Mulvenna, Pettigrew, Bryson, Teer, Stone, McGrillen, Tolan, McWilliams, Delaney, O’Neill, Jordan, Doyle, McCracken, McGeown. “Unveiled by Gerry Adams 12th May 1985. I ndıl cuımhne [chuımhne] i gcónaí ag na poblachtánaıgh ón cheantar Barr Cluanaí. Also in memory of the civilians who died at the hands of the British Army, RUC, UDR, and loyalist extremists.” The launch date of 1985 refers to the plaque’s former location in Glenalina Road (seen in 2001 and 2002).
Na Fıanna Éıreann are the youth wing of the IRA. After Sınn Féın split into Republican and Provisional elements (in 1986), the Fıanna disassociated themselves from the Provisionals. Ógra Shınn Féın was founded in 1997 as the youth wing of Sınn Féın. This board is perhaps meant to reclaim the name and history of the Fıanna for Sınn Féın. Please comment or get in touch if you can explain further.