assault rifle

Recognition, Appreciation, Remembrance

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This pair of murals was launched in September last year (2014).

On the left A. E. Housman’s 1919 poem “Here dead we lie” is featured, together with the poppies that grew on the Western Front in WWI, in a UVF commemorative mural. The 36th (Ulster) Division is not mentioned specifically. “Here dead we lie, because we did not choose,/to live and shame the land, from which we sprung.//Life, to be sure, is nothing much to lose,/but young men think it is, and we were young.”

The plaque on the right-hand side (which pre-dates the murals) lists the names of five UVF members killed in the 70s who are depicted in the second mural.

They are (l-r) Thomas Chapman, James McGregor, Robert McIntyre, William Hannah, and Robert Wadsworth, who were killed between 1973 and 1978. The mural is unusual in that it shows bare-faced full figures; loyalist murals sometimes include head-shots (at the top of the mural, in the apex of a gable wall) but only masked men appear as full figures. There is a similarity in composition and style (and perhaps even palette) to existing Republican murals such as this one of five B. Coy IRA volunteers in Ballymurphy.

Carnan (or “C. Coy”) Street, west Belfast.

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Copyright © 2015 Peter Moloney
[M11729a] M11730 [M11731] [M11732] [M11733] [M11734]
M11735 [M11736] [M11737] [M11738] [M11739] [M11740] [M11741]
M11729

Cumann Na mBan Centenary

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“Cumann Na mBan” in Irish is “the women’s organization/council/society” in English. The organization in question is the republican paramilitary group which was founded on April 2, 1914 and celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2014.

The mural is at the bottom of Teach Na bhFıann/Fianna House (formerly Dill House) in the New Lodge. 

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Copyright © 2015 Peter Moloney
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Vol. Kieran Doherty TD

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Kieran Doherty died on August 2nd, 1981, after 73 days on hunger-strike. The (repainted – compare to 2001 | 2004 | 2011) mural in his memory depicts scenes from his funeral on 1981-08-04.

The photograph on which the central panel is based is by Derek Spiers; see also this set at hungerstrikes.org. The volley took place outside the Doherty family home in nearby Commedagh Drive (Belfast Media).

The portrait of Doherty in the top left replaces a similar one in the same location; the plaque at the portrait’s top-right corner remains from before. The angled panel shows Doherty’s parents, Alfie and Margaret.

The (actual) memorial stone, which is here reproduced on the perpendicuar joining wall, was also seen in 2007.

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Copyright © 2014/2015 Peter Moloney
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[M11488] [M11487] M12358 [M12360]

Oppression Breeds Resistance

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“Oppression breeds resistance”, in the form of Leila Khaled and an IRA gunman, and a clenched fist in the colours of the Palestinian flag. This is a new pro-Gaza mural in the middle Falls with Irish “Tıocfaıdh ár lá” [our day will come] and Arabic “يومنا قادم” [our day is coming] (and in the shields “Saoırse” and “حرية”[freedom]).

The artist is DD Walker (“Rebel Rebel”), who painted the Blood Of An Irish Rebel Che Guevara mural last (2013) October which this replaces.

McQuillan Street, Falls Road, Belfast.

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Copyright © 2014 Peter Moloney
M11378 [M11379] M11380 [M11381] [M11382] [M11383] [M11384] [M11385]
2015: [M11754] [M11755] [M11756]

Donegall Pass YCV

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“To the memory of Gareth Keys – Mural artist of original artwork Walnut Street, Donegall Pass.” This is a printed version of the YCV mural that was on the side of the Ivy bar in Donegall Pass. The bar closed in 2010 and sat vacant until it was demolished in 2014. The new print has been added below the roll of honour on the side of the Lookout on the next street over (Pine St).

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Copyright © 2014 Peter Moloney
M11322 [M11323] [M11324] M11325 [M11326] [M11327] [M11328]

Welcome To Derry

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“Welcome to Creggan – watch your back on the way out” and “Welcome to the Bogside – RUC beware”. The (anti-Agreement/perhaps “New”) IRA volunteers are shown wearing balaclavas and holding an RPG and an assault rifle.

Eastway and Westland Street, Derry

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Copyright © 2014 Peter Moloney
M11280 M11316 [M12529]