The previous street-level graffiti on Westland Street, Derry — for which see 1973’s PIRA Provos — is shown here being repainted with a series of three panels: a tricolour and starry plough, hands in chains, and H-block.
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Copyright © 1981 Peter Moloney
M00187 M00186
The conveyor belt of British justice is depicted as inexorably moving arrested republicans from questioning at Castlereagh to jail in Crumlin Road to sentencing in front of Diplock court to prison in the H-Blocks. (For a small board in Derry see The Conveyor Belt.)
Beechmount Avenue, Belfast
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Copyright © 1981 Peter Moloney
M00126
A hunger-striker lies in bed praying with rosary beads and bathed in beams of light coming from the hands of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
(Painted by Con, who describes the mural as an attempt to break through with nationalists (as distinct from republicans), though one source says “by a Ballymurphy man, named something like Tim Skillen/Skelly”.)
Rockmount Street, west Belfast
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Copyright © 1981 LC
M00131
A naked republican prisoner lies in the arms of his parents – invoking Michelangelo’s pietà – with the towers of Long Kesh (a.k.a. HMP Maze) in the background.
Painted by Con at the top of Donegall Road, Belfast.
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Copyright © 1981 LC
M00111 M00109 M00110
An advertising hoarding on the Springfield Road (just before the Whiterock Road), Belfast, is taken over by a republican artist: “H” and “A” for the H-Blocks and Armagh Women’s Prison, with the names of four hunger-strikers (Bobby Sands Patsy O’Hara, Francis Hughes, Raymond McCreesh) and two tricolours.
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Copyright © 1981 LC
M00085 M00086
A slightly different list from the one featured yesterday (in Until The Last Prisoner Is Free) “1. No prison uniform; 2. No prison work; 3. Free Association; 4. Education facilities; 5. Full remission”, “Smash H Block”.
Whiterock Road, west Belfast
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Copyright © 1981 LC
M00059
There is a lot going on in this image: pedestrians pass in front of a row of boarded-up shops, above them is written “Until the last prisoner is free we are all imprisoned” with posters of the hunger strikers, an Irish tricolour and “If they die, you die”; on the left “No, not a dog, but a POW” and a version of the five demands, concerning prison uniforms, work, association, parcels, and remission.
Ballymurphy shops, west Belfast
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Copyright © 1981 LC
M00058
“Political status for the men in H.Block and the women in Armagh”, “Victory to the Provos” – graffiti in Beechwood Avenue, Derry.
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Copyright © 1981 Peter Moloney
M00052
Here are two images, from 1981 and 1983, of graffiti in Bond’s Street, Waterside, Londonderry, reading “More H Blocks”, “Let them die”, with the outline of a coffin and the number “9” on it.
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Copyright © 1981 Peter Moloney
M00050
Copyright © 1983 LC
M00074
“They die, you die – Brit Govt”. Above are posters of hunger strikers, some marked with dates of death. From right to left, smaller posters show Sands, Hughes, McCreesh, and O’Hara. From left to right, the larger posters show [McDonnell out of frame?], Doherty, Lynch (both marked as deceased), McElwee, Quinn, Devine, McKeown, McGeown, Devlin.
If the posters are an accurate guide, the date is somewhere between August 2nd and 8th, the dates on which Doherty and McElwee died. Liam McCloskey would join the strike on August 3rd.
The dentist’s office round the corner from Ballymurphy shops, Belfast.
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Copyright © 1981 LC
M00049
Peter Moloney Collection 