Gaeilge

Leana An Dúın Unbowed Unbroken

Extramural Activity1 Comment

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.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
M01934

Hedge Row School

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Leabhaır an teanga Ghaeılge lıom” [“Speak Irish with me”]. Catholic (and Presbyterian) education was prohibited by the penal laws (WP) and particularly the Education Act of 1695 (WP) – this is probably what’s on the notice on the left-hand tree. Schooling by Catholics (in Irish) nonetheless took place, in covert houses and outhouses, as well as in fields and hedge-rows. The Act was repealed in 1782, provided the teacher took an oath of allegiance to the Crown.

Ardoyne Avenue, north Belfast

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
M01805

M04305+.JPG

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2008 Peter Moloney
M04305

An Gorta Mór

Extramural Activity1 Comment

An Gorta Mór is the Great Famine, or the Great Hunger among those who point out that there was plenty of food in Ireland in the late 1840s, just not made available to peasants. Of a population around eight million, a million people died and a million more emigrated. “They buried us without shroud or coffin” is a line from an unrelated Seamus Heaney poem Requiem For The Croppies.

The mural comprises three images from Illustrated London News: The Ejectment, The Day After The Ejectment | The Embarkation, Waterloo Docks Liverpool.

“Ardoyne Art & Environment Project”. In 2004, “Emigration” was incorrectly spelled with two “M”s – see the post at Extramural Activity.

Ardoyne Avenue, north Belfast

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
M01804 M01803

The Mass Rock

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This mural commemorates the repression of Catholicism and use of mass rocks as secret locations in the days of the penal laws, c. 1650-1800 under and after Cromwell.

“Is í an charraıg seo ıonad adhartha ar náıthreacha, áıt ar cothaıodh an creıdeamh do na glúnta a bhí le teacht.” [“This rock is our ancestors’ place of worship, where religion was preserved for the generations that were to come.”]

Ardoyne Avenue, north Belfast. This image would also be reproduced in Andersonstown.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
M01802

Part Of Our Heritage

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Gaelic games – part of our heritage.” Athletes play hurling, football, and camogie and the local GAA club Ardoyne Kickhams (Fb) is celebrated. “Is treıse dúchas ná oılıuınt” means “heritage is stronger than upbringing”. “Fáılte go dtí Ard Eoın” (“Welcome to Ardoyne”)

Havana Way, Ardoyne, north Belfast

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
M01793

Érıu

Extramural Activity1 Comment

“Ardoyne Fleadh Cheoıl – meon an phobaıl a thógáıl tríd an chultúr” = “building community spirit through culture”.

“Eıre [Éire] (Éıru [Érıu]), a queen of the Tuatha Dé Danann, slain at the battle of Taıltean [Taılteann] (Telltown [Teltown], Co. Meath) 698 BC.” She is placed in a neolithic setting and is releasing a dove which flies off in a trail of stars.

Signed in the bottom right corner by “Ardoyne Focus Group”.

This is a repaint of the first Érıu mural; here is the previous Ard Eoın Fleadh Cheoıl mural in this location.

Brompton Park, Ardoyne, north Belfast

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
M01791