Four IRA volunteers “who gave their lives for Irish freedom”, John Stone, Jim McGrillen, Tommy Tolan, and Michael Kane, eat in the kitchen of a Ballymurphy house, perhaps belonging to one of the “republican activists Kathleen McCullough, Elizabeth McGovern.” The large image of Tolan would later be changed to show him in a brown suit and without the assault rifle – see X05055.
Ballymurphy Crescent, west Belfast.
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Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
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“And all around are monuments that bear a martyr’s name/True patriots who fought and died to kindle freedoms flame/Jimmy Quigley, [Eamonn] McCormick and [Teddy] O’Neill with [Michael] Magee brave/Remember them, they died for us and found a martyr’s grave.” The words of Ray McAreavey’s song are modified to include four Ballymurphy IRA/Fıanna volunteers. With additional portraits of local stalwarts Alice Franklin and Mary Fegan.
Divismore Way, Ballymurphy, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
M01648
Copyright © 2004 Peter Moloney
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” … but not the revolution”. Images of a modern IRA volunteer, hero of the 1916 Rising James Connolly (both painted by Mo Chara), Zapata, and a member of the United Farm Workers (both painted by Rubén Ortiz-Torres from the University of California, San Diego). Also, a phoenix and a Mexican eagle, and the colours of Ireland and Mexico. Dedicated to the San Patricios, an Irish battalion in the Mexican-American war.
Ballymurphy Road, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
M01647
“In proud and loving memory of Volunteers Liam “Bulmer” McParland, Billy Carson, Liam Mulholland, Sean Doyle”. Mulholland – fluent Irish speaker and the oldest person to be arrested during the initial internment sweep – is shown in the background while the other three are in fatigues, (all four in front of Ballymurphy shops). There are four additional portraits, of Rosaleen Russell, Annie Adams, Kathleen Moore, and Frankie Toner.
Ballymurphy Road, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
M01646
“Grieve not nor speak of us with tears but laugh and talk of us as though we were beside you”. Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann, Belfast brigade, 2nd battalion, B company volunteers Kevin Delaney, Patrick Campbell, Michael Clarke, Anne Parker, and Michael Sloan are shown on patrol in Ballymurphy Parade, the street just to the left of this mural. Campbell was 16 when killed by friendly fire; the oldest at time of death was Delaney, at 26.
Also named on the plaque are “republican activists” Esther Valelly, Theresa Campbell, and Maggie Campbell.
Glenalina Road, Ballymurphy, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
M01644 [M01645]
Copyright © 2012 Peter Moloney
[M07996] [M07997] [M07998] M07999 [X00070]
An unfinished mural, with an armed volunteer crouching in a street of terraced houses, in Gardenmore Road, Dunmurry/Belfast. There’s a “No RUC” board above.
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Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
M01634
“In Ireland’s darkest hour her sons and daughters have always rallied to her cause” and “out of the ashes of 1969 arose the Provisionals”. Different generations of Irish rebellion are portrayed: there is a 1798/1803 pikeman in the background, an early IRA man on the left, and female and male volunteers from the Troubles in the foreground.
Jasmine Corner/Gardenmore Road, Twinbrook, Dunmurry/Belfast
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Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
M01635
“Republican Sınn Féın demands political status for all republican POWs NOW”. Vintage imagery, of a blanket man and of a 1981 trio of IRA volunteers with weapons, used in an RSF board in Divis Street, Belfast.
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Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
M01620
Two armed and masked volunteers hold aloft an RPG, claiming “victory”, even though “our day” is still coming (tıocfaıdh ár lá). This is a crude version of the 1982 PLO -IRA mural in Belfast, but the direct ancestor of this board is the similar one – Victory – on Eastway, Derry, from 2000.
Please get in touch if you know what “BCRF” stands for. “CRF” (by itself) stands for “Catholic Reaction Force”. So, perhaps “Bogside Catholic reaction Force”? Or Bogside-Creggan Reaction Force”?
Fahan Street, Derry
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Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
M01598 [C00813]
Stencil of a UFF volunteer in kneeling position in Kennedy Place, Londonderry. With faded C-18 graffiti on the right.
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Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
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