IRA

March, 1988

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March 2013 is the 25th anniversary of the Michael Stone’s attack on mourners attending the burials of the Gibraltar 3 in Milltown cemetery. Stone killed three people. The mural (in-progress images) combines images of mourners taking shelter from Stone’s attack with the civil war memorial in Ballyseedy, Co. Kerry (WP) which was famously connected to the Gibraltar 3 in a mural prepared for the return of the coffins to Belfast – see A Legitimate Right To Take Up Arms. (Here is a copy of Tragedies In Kerry.) The Gibraltar 3 are portrayed on the left; Stone’s victims are on the right. In the top right is an IRA volunteer who had been shot two days earlier, on the night that the coffins of the Gibraltar 3 arrived in Belfast.

1988 puts us firmly in the era of video, and so you can see footage on youtube relating to each of these events. In chronological order:

Death On The Rock, a famous Thames Television production about the SAS killings of IRA members Maıréad Farrell, Danny McCann and Seán Savage on March 6th in Gibraltar.

Michael Stone’s attack on mourners at their funerals in Milltown cemetery, March 16th, which killed Thomas McErlean, John Murray, and IRA member Caoımhín Mac Brádaıgh (Kevin Brady).

The funeral of IRA member Kevin McCracken on March 17th (he had been killed on March 14th) at which British Army corporals Wood and Howes were killed.

For the small Marian Price piece to the left, see Another Victim Of British Injustice. These pieces together replace the Relatives Action Committee mural, later with Marian Price poster. 

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The Generations Shall Remember Them

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For the fortieth anniversary of their deaths (during 1972), five young volunteers from the lower Falls are remembered: Daniel McAreavey, Joseph McKinney, Jimmy Quigley, John Donaghy, Patrick Maguire (real name Patrick Pendleton). Maguire, McKinney and Donaghy died together in an explosion (Oct 10); Quigley (Sept 29) and McAreavey (Oct 6) were shot. For further details of the how these five met their deaths, see among others Lost Lives by McKittrick et al. (Archive.org | Amazon UK | US). Biographies of the five begin at 7m46s in this history of D Company.

Quigley holds a copy of James Connolly’s 1910 pamphlet Labour in Irish History.

Video of the parade and unveiling on Sunday (Oct 7th, 2012) on youtube. The in-progress shot is from October 3rd, 2012.

“‘They shall be spoken of among their people and the generations shall remember them and call them blessed’ – P H Pearse”, from ‘The Mother‘.

Divis Street, Belfast

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RIP Dolours Price

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Dolours Price died on January 23rd, in Malahide, apparently from an overdose or adverse mixture of medications. Price had served seven years of a twenty-year sentence for the 1973 car bombing of the Old Bailey in London, during which she went on hunger strike and was force fed (WP). She was the sister of Marian Price; both were IRA volunteers. See previously (from 1974): Bring Home The Winchester 8.

Nailor’s Row, Derry

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A Democratic Secular Socialist Republic

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“The Workers Party National Commemoration Committee. Erected in memory of all those comrades who dedicated their lives for establishment of a democratic, secular, socialist, republic. ‘I have given whatever I had to give for the party, for the people of Ireland, and for a better world, but others have given more, much more. Comrades have given their lives.’ – Tomás Mac Gıolla TD. For the unity of Protestant, Catholic and Dissenter.”

Servia Street, west Belfast

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McDonnell Street

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On adjacent gables in McDonnell Street (strictly, Osman Street), Belfast, plaques to Kieran Nugent and Maıréad Farrell and to Joe McDonnell.

“Kieran Nugent 1857-2001, Maıréad Farrell 1957-1988. In memory of two heroic Republicans from the Falls area who defied Britain’s criminalisation policy in the H Blocks and Armagh Jail, ‘I’ll wear no convicts uniform nor meekly serve my time.'”

“Dedicated to the memory of Vol. Joe McDonnell born here in Slate Street 14th September 1950 and who died after 61 days on Hunger Strike in the H Blocks of Long Kesh 8th July 1981. ‘A mother kneels in silent prayer, a flower clasped to her breast, she lays it on the lonely grave, where her fallen son now rests. No tears blur her deep blue eyes, they shine with loving pride, she knows he fought for freedom, for liberty he died.’ Go ndéanfaıdh Dia trócaıre ar a anam.”

“McDonnell Street” is the original name of the street and presumably not connected to Joe McDonnell or his predecessors; Slate Street is now Osman Street.

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The Road To Freedom Is Paved With Suffering

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“I ndıl chuımhne: fuaır sıad bás ag troıd ar son saoırse agus muıntır na hÉıreann. In proud memory of the volunteers of Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann and dedicated friends of the republican movement from the greater Turf Lodge area who died fighting for the establishment of a socialist republic. … Go ndéanfar cuımhne orthú go deo. ‘Carry on. No matter what odds are against you, no matter what the enemy call you, no matter what torments are inflicted on you, the road to freedom is paved with suffering, hardships and torture, carry on, my gallant comrades, until that certain day’ – Tom Williams. We also remember the civilians who were murdered by British crown forces, loyalist extremists, and enemies of Ireland.”

The main panel, memorial plaque to Willie Rossini of Glasgow, and the dedication plaque – by Lily Fitzsimons, a local activist (dating back to the Relatives Action Committees) and SF councillor, were seen previously in 1999. The other three plaques are new. (“Neamhfholaıgh” seems to be a conjunction of translations of the English words “un” and “cover”; the Irish for the verb “to bare” (or as here,”unveil”) is “nocht”.)

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Frankie Ryan & Patricia Black

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“In memory of Vol. Frankie Ryan, Vol. Patricia Black, Óglaigh Na hÉireann, both killed in action (Eng) 15th Nov. 1991.” The pair were killed by a premature bomb explosion St Albans in Hertfordshire, England. Their target was the British Army military band, which was scheduled to play in the town centre (QURC).

The pair are also remembered by a large boulder at the top of Bell Steele Road.

Woodside, Belfast

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Bear In Mind These Dead

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For the anniversary of his death, a poster of Volunteer Eamonn Lafferty is placed alongside the ogham stone and dolmen to the 1st battalion, Derry Brigade, IRA. Lafferty was killed on August 18th, 1971 – there are both a mural and a headstone to his memory in Kildrum Gardens.

Lecky Road, Derry

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Implement The Aug 2010 Agreement

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“H-Block 1981, Maghaberry 2012”, “End forced strip searches”, “End controlled movement”, “Stop the torture of Irish political prisoners.”

The “August 2010 Agreement” is an agreement reached between prisoners and authorities about treatment in Roe House, an exclusively republican wing in Maghaberry. The tower beyond is the Springfield Rd police station. 

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Jimmy Quigley

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“In proud and loving memory of Vol, Jimmy Quigley, Belfast Brigade, Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann, killed in action 29th September 1972 by Crown forces. Ní dhéanfaıdh muıd dearmad [gur] fuaır sé bás ar son saoırse na hÉıreann.”

Quigley was shot by the British Army on Albert Street; the plaque is outside the family home in Brittons Parade, Belfast. Two profiles by Danny Morrison at Saoırse32.

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