four provinces

Crowley – Carty – Loughran

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“I ndıl chuımhne. In proud and loving memory of Óglach Dermot Crowley, Óglach Patrick Carty, Óglach Sean Loughran, Tyrone Brigade Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann who died on active service outside Omagh 25th June 1973. Fuaır sıad bás ar son shaoırse na hÉıreann. ‘If you strike at, or imprison, or kill us, out of our prisons or graves we will still evoke a spirit that will thwart you, and perhaps, raise a force that will destroy you! We defy you! Do your worst’ – James Connolly.” The three died from a premature bomb explosion. For brief biographies, see An Phoblacht.

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Copyright © 2007 Peter Moloney
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South Armagh Roll Of Honour

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These three images are from the electricity pole at the edge of the graveyard on Newry Road, Crossmaglen. First is a south Armagh IRA roll of honour, listing 20 volunteers’ names: McVerry, Boyle, Jordan, Campbell, Lochrie, McKiernan, Cleary, Harvey, McElvenna, Caherty, McCreesh, Moley, Caraher (Fergal and Francie), Duffy, Martin, Daly, Watters, Toner, and Rogers.

Second, on the back of the poles, “Caution – radiation area” refers to anomalies in animal births, allegedly due to radiation from British Army towers (An Phoblacht | Daily Ireland). There’s also a flyer protesting “political policing – democracy under attack”.

Finally, a Calor gas is modified with republican graffiti: “Built by robots, flown by dummies, taken out by 2nd Batt. barrack-busters.” The incident celebrated is a 1994 IRA mortar attack on a British Army helicopter at the Crossmaglen barracks (CAIN | WP page on the incident). The mortar used a Calor Gas tube, though not the one shown here (WP page on the mortar).

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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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Twelve Hunger Strikers

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“This stone was erected by the republican movement , south Armagh, in proud and loving memory of the twelve hunger strikers who laid down their lives during this phase of the struggle for Irish freedom.” “Fuaır sıad bás ar staılc ocraıs ar son saoırse na hÉıreann. Go ndeana Dıa trócaıre ar a nanamacha.” “Beıdh an bua agaınn go fóıll [We will win yet] – Raymond McCreesh – two days before he died.”

Newry Street, Crossmaglen

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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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The Five Demands, 2006

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A very different ‘Five Demands’ from Sınn Féın on the 25th anniversary of the hunger strike: “1. The Irish Government should produce a Green Paper on Irish Unity. 2. The work of the All Ireland Ministerial Council should be expanded and additional All Ireland Implementation Bodies created. Westminster MP’s elected in the 6 Counties should be accorded speaking rights in the Dail [sic]. 3. Voting rights for Presidential elections should be extended to citizens in the six counties. 5 The Irish Government should actively engage with the British Government and Unionism to promote and seek support for re-unification.”

The original ‘Five Demands’ are given as “1. The right to wear our own clothes. 2 The right to refrain from prison work. 3. The right to free association with fellow prisoners. 4. The right to organise recreation and leisure activity – with one letter, parcel and visit allowed per week. 5. To have remission lost, as a result of the blanket protest, restored.” For versions of the five demands from the period, see one | two | three.

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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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Keep On Marching

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“Keep on marching, don’t give up – Raymond McCreesh 1957-81. Died after 61 days hunger-strike, H-Block Long Kesh 1981.” The phrase was spoken at the end of a visit with Jim Gibney. “Beıdh bua agaınn go fóıll” [victory will be ours yet]. The mural is on the Quarter Road gable of “Raymond McCreesh House/Teach Réamoınn Mhıc Raoıs”, at Maryville Camlough.

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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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Copyright © 2011 Peter Moloney
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Wall Of Flags

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The IRA has no official flag and thus the Irish Tricolour serves the purpose. Here it stands between the Gal Gréine (Sunburst) of the Fianna (junior IRA) and the Starry Plough of Irish socialist groups, with the four provinces to the right.

Second Avenue, Derrybeg, Newry

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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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Óglach Réamann Mac Raoıs

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“Déanann Poblachtánaıgh An Iúır cuımhne ar an óglach Réamann Mac Raoıs.” [Newry republicans remember volunteer Raymond McCreesh]

IRA volunteer Raymond McCreesh – born in Camlough – was arrested in the aftermath of an attack on a British Army observation post in 1976. He joined the blanket protest and then the hunger strike; he died after 61 days on May 21st, 1981.

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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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100 Years Of Revolution

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A Sınn Féın centenary (1905-2005) mural is added to the Éıre Nua Flute Band board (seen in 2004). Above them is a Sınn Féın board with Mao’s statement that “If there is to be a revolution, there must be a revolutionary party.” Both the flute band and Sınn Féın have internet addresses.

Whiterock Road, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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Dedicated To All The Unsung Heroes

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The scale of the Ballymurphy memorial garden can be seen in the final image. The central panels (images 1 and 2) are to IRA volunteers. Jimmy Steele was OC of the IRA’s Belfast battalion and founding editor of Republican News. “The seed which on Cave Hill was sown/O’er Belfast town its fruit has grown/And they who served, suffered and died/Their blood, our cause has sanctified//Be proud of them our martyred dead/And in their footsteps let us tread/They died for us that we might see/Ireland, united, Gaelic, and free.” To the left and right are lists of civilian dead and on the far right is a brief list of activists who survived the Troubles but have died since.

For the mural, see this 2005 image.

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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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