Fianna

We Want The Freedom Of Our Country

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

repainted knot-work on the right in front, form July 8th, 2016:

detail shots, from August 9th, 2025, December 15th, 2025, and March 26th, 2016:

December 15th, 2025, portraits on small boards being added to either side of the (temporarily removed) proclamation:

July 31st, 2025:

July 14th, 2025:

May 5th, 2025:

Arrayed against the forces of the British Army (which are shown laying siege to the Dublin GPO during the Easter Rising in armoured cars and in sniping positions in the foreground of the mural, along the whole length of the wall) are various symbols of Irish nationalism: 

Oliver Sheppard‘s 1911 statue of Cú Chulaınn dying (see the Visual History page);
the pikemen of the 1798 Rebellion;
the four provinces of Ireland;
Érıu the mythological queen of Ireland/Éıre as designed by Richard J King/Rísteard Ó Cíonga;
Easter lilies;
the emblems of Na Fıanna Éıreann and Cumann Na mBan on either side of a quote from (The Mainspring) Seán Mac Dıarmada, “We bleed that the nation may live; I die that the nation may live. Damn your concessions, England: we want our country”; 
a phoenix rising from the flames of the burning Dublin GPO (inspired by Norman Teeling’s 1998 painting The GPO Burns In Dublin);
the GPO flying an ‘Irish Republic’ flag;
portraits of signatories and other rebels — (left) Padraig H. Pearse, Thomas J Clarke, Eamonn Ceannt, Thomas MacDonagh, (right) Countess Markievicz, James Connolly, Sean MacDiarmada, Thomas Plunkett; 
the declaration of independence, placed over the advertising box of AA Accountants – see the in-progress shot below.

At the very bottom is a quote from the mother of painted Gerard ‘Mo Chara’ Kelly, Harriet Kelly: “We want the freedom of our country and your soldiers out.”

McQuillan Street, west Belfast

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2015/2016 Peter Moloney
M13006
details
Sig M13842
Cú M12906 [M12627] [M12587]
1798 M12907 [M12707]
Ireland M12709 [M12628]
Érıu M12708 [M12586]
Fianna M12905 [M12706]
Phoenix M12908 [M12705] [M12704] [M12703] [M12589] [M12588]
Proclamation M13007
Dec 15th: Portraits M12904 [M12702] [M12701] wide M12903
July 31th: M12629 M12626
July 14th: M12580 [M12581] [M12582] [M12583] M12584 [M12585]
May 5th: M12551

Robert Allsopp

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Fıann [sic] Robert Allsopp lived at this address. Died on active service March 3rd 1975. Fuaır sé bás ar son na hÉıreann. 1959-1975” Allsopp died at the family home (on the New Lodge Road) from the accidental discharge of a gun. The O’Neill-Allsopp flute band is named in his honour (and in honour of Jim O’Neill) and the band has a mural in Donore Court.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2015 Peter Moloney
M12557

Ardoyne’s Fallen Fıanna

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Purity in our hearts, strength in our arms, truth in our lips.” Here are images from the launch of the new Fıanna tarp at the top of Berwick Road (Paráıd An Ardghleanna) on Easter Saturday (April 19th). The tarp is an RNU tribute to four teenaged members of Na Fıanna Éıreann who died in 1972: Davy McAuley, Josh Campbell, Josie McComiskey and Bernard Fox – all four from Ardoyne/Ard Eoın. McAuley died of a gunshot wound, perhaps at a Louth training camp (Nelson McCausland). Campbell was shot in Eksdale Street in a gun battle with the British Army; McComiskey was shot in Flax Street in a gun battle with the British Army; Fox was shot by the British Army in Brompton Street. (Close-up of the plaque.)

The tricoloured gal gréıne is in the far-left bottom corner – see the wide shot in the Seosamh Mac Coille collection.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2014 Peter Moloney
M10906 M10905 M10904 M10903 [M10907] [M10908] [M10909] [M10910] [M10911] [M10912] [M10913]

Na Fıanna Ard Eoın

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Strength in our hearts, strength of our limbs, consistency of our tongues.” “Na Fıanna Ard Eoın 1909-2009 – one hundred years of resistance. In proud memory Fıan Davy McAuley … Josh Campbell … Josie McComiskey … Bernard Fox. ‘You may kill the revolutionary, but never the revolution.’ Dedicated by the Republican Network for Unity.” The four deceased are portrayed on four small boards, along with standing figures of Fianna from both centuries.

The plaque (alone) was seen in 2011.

Berwick Road, Belfast

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
M09401 M09402 [M09403] [M09404] [M09405] [M09406] [M09407] [M09408] [M09409]

Fıan John Dempsey

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“I ndıl chuımhne Fıan John Dempsey killed in action 8th July 1981. Unveiled by his family 5th May 2003. Proudly remembered by his comrades and friends from Turf Lodge. Mol na nóıge [mol an óige] agus tıocfaıdh sí.” The sixteen-year-old Dempsey was shot by a British Army sniper during an attack on the Falls bus depot. Gerry Adams wrote a memorial in An Phoblacht.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2012 Peter Moloney
M08906

Out Of The Ashes Of 1969

Extramural Activity3 Comments

The scroll reads “Out of the ashes of 1969” arose the Provisional IRA, but the lineage is a long one and all but one of the organisations, events, and arms depicted here precede 1969: Cumann Na mBan, Na Fıanna Éıreann, Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann, a Celtic shield and sword, a pike (from the 1798 Rebellion), a Thompson gun, the Tricolour; only the assault rifle is modern and perhaps also is meant to indicate the Provisionals, Belfast Brigade. “Fuaır sıad bás as son saoırse na hÉıreann.” 

The 21 portraits are of Paddy McManus, Seamus McCusker, Colm Mulgrew (SF), Francis Liggett, Brian Fox, John Kelly, Tony Campbell, Robert Allsopp, Louis Scullion, Billy Reid, Danny O’Hagan, Michael Kane, Sean McIllvenna [sic], Jim O’Neill, Rosemary Blakely [sic], Martin McDonagh, Michael P Neill, Gerard Crossan, James McCann, James Sloan, Dan McCann.

At the time of the launch (2012-03) the portraits were not in place – see X00857. Replaces Laochra Na nGael.

For a PUL use of the phrase, see Out Of The Ashes.

New Lodge Road, Belfast

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2012 Peter Moloney
M08552 [M08553] [M08554] [M08555] [M08556] [M08557] [M08558] [M08559] [M08560] [M08561] [M08562] [M08563] [M08564] [M08565] [M08566] [M08567] [M08568] [M08569] [M08570] [M08571] [M08572] [M08573] [M08574] [M08575] [M08576] [M08577] [M08578] [M08579] [M08580]

Gerald McAuley

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“In memory of Fıan Gerald McAuley (aged 15) killed while defending the people of Clonard on the 15th August 1969. Erected by the Greater Clonard Ex-Prisoners Association.” McAuley was killed during the riots in August 1969 that mark the start of “the Troubles” (An Phoblacht). The plaque is near the spot where he was killed. His portrait was above the No Decommision mural and then in the Never Again mural in Bombay Street.

Waterville Street, Belfast

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2011 Peter Moloney
M07288

Na Fıanna Ard Eoın

Extramural Activity1 Comment

Commemorating “one hundred years of resistance” (1909-2009) in Berwick Road, Ardoyne: a plaque to Fıanna Davy McAuley, Josh Campbell, Josie McComiskey, and Bernard Fox, all of whom died in 1972. “You may kill the revolutionary, but never the revolution.” “Dedicated by the Republican Network For Unity.”

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2011 Peter Moloney
M06728