This post begins a series of five in a row on a wall in Ballycolman estate in Strabane. First (on the left) we have the shields of the four provinces, and their names in Irish, with a Tricoloured shield and sunburst shield of Na Fıanna in the middle.
Here is an image of the completed Loch gCál/Loughgall mural (see also the in-progress image from 1987) in memory of the eight IRA volunteers from the East Tyrone brigade who were killed in an SAS ambush during an attack on an RUC base in May, 1987 (WP).
Their names are given here in Irish and (partially) in the old script:
“I ndıl cuimh[n]e de [= ar] Óglach Pádraıg Ó Ceallaıġ [Patrick Kelly], Óglach Séamus Ó Donn[ġ]aıle [Seamus Donnelly], Óglach Deaglán Mac Aırt [Declan Arthurs], Óglach Séamus Laıghneach [Jim Lynagh], Óglach Gearóıd Ó Ceallacháın [Gerry O’Callaghan], Óglach Pádraıg Mac Cearnaıgh [Pádraıg McKearney], Óglach Antóın Ó Garmaıle [Ó Gormghaıle | Tony Gormley], Óglach Eoghan Ó Ceallaıġ [Eugene Kelly]
an ochtar óglach de óglaigh na hÉireann a dúnmharú ag Loch gCál ar an ochtú lá Bealtaine 1987.” [the eight volunteers from the Irish Volunteers [IRA] who were murdered at Loughgall on the eighth day of May, 1987]
The town (Loughgall) and the four provinces are also named in Irish. An Easter lily is at the centre of the Celtic cross in the middle of the image, above a lark in barbed wire and a gal gréıne/sunburst.
Or, with h-lenition, Teach Sheosaımh Mhıc Gıollabhuí. The Sınn Féın press centre on the Falls Road, Belfast, is named for anti-Treaty IRA man Joe McKelvey, who was also the founder of the O’Donovan Rossa GAA club in Belfast. The mural features the shields of the four provinces and Sınn Féın in Celtic-style lettering.
In-progress image of what would become the Loch gCál/Loughgall mural in memory of the eight IRA volunteers who were killed in an SAS ambush during an attack on an RUC base in 1987.
This is a touched-up version of the phoenix mural, originally painted in 1981, in Clowney Street, Belfast. The phoenix has white tips to its wings and the mural is signed simply “Done by Sınn Féın”. The four provinces and the verses remain as before: “The people arose in 69/they will do it again at any time. Maggie Thatcher think again/don’t let our brave men die in vain.” Election posters for Gerry Adams of Sınn Féın are above the mural.
A roll of honour in Albert Street, Belfast, commemorating volunteers of the IRA’s D company, 2nd battalion, who died from 1971 to 1979: Hughes, Quigley, McAreevy, Maguire, Donaghy, McKinney, O’Rawe, Marley, Campbell, Skillen, Kelly, Carson
The mural above, painted in 1981, shows a phoenix rising from the shields of the four provinces and a stand of three flags: Starry Plough, Tricolour, and Sunburst. The flags are flying from regular poles, before the custom took hold of painting flags on pikes in order to include the 1798 rebellion. The mural continued to exist, untouched, for many years and is the oldest original mural in the north.
Here is a wide shot of the panels in Bishop Street. Some of these were previously featured in close-up (Patsy O’Hara | Broken H | Saor Éıre | Spirit Of Freedom | Unlock H Block | Flags And Shields) but a few were not: Victory To The Hunger Strikers and a harp, to the right (probably with “You can kill the revolutionary but not the revolution”).