The Antrim shield and the emblems of local clubs St Gall’s, Ó Donnabháın Rosa, O’Donnell’s appear on a low wall in St James’s.
St Katherine’s Road, Belfast
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2010 Peter Moloney
M05785
West Belfast GAA
four provinces
The Unsung Heroes
“In proud and loving memory of all local volunteers, prisoners of war, republican activists and the unsung heroes who died of natural causes having served the cause of Irish republicanism [“sean óglach” on the individual plaques]. Together in unity you formed a bond which gave true meaning to the undefeated risen people. Your deeds of bravery and resistance will never be forgotten by the people of greater St. James’s. In your honour the quest for Irish freedom continues.”
With the famous “our steps will be onward” quote from Máıre Drumm at an anti-internment rally in Dunville Park on 10th August, 1975 (RN).
Coıste Cuımhneacháın Lár Na bhFál/Ard Na bhFeá [Memorial committee of mid-Falls/Beechmount].
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2010 Peter Moloney
[M05778] M06129 [M05841] [M05842] [M05843] M06131 [M06132] M06133 [M06134] M06135 M05840 M06130 M06136 M06137
Neamhcromtha, Neamhbhrıste!
“Unbowed, unbroken.” Five of the original 18 portraits are missing – see the image from 2006 (as well as the plaque just out of shot to the left.)
This is a version of the earlier Éıre/Ireland mural (depicted as a female in the centre of the mural) seen in 2005.
Mountpottinger Road, Belfast.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2010 Peter Moloney
M05648
Not Spain, Not France
“1650-2009: 350 years of occupation, 350 years of resistance. Catalan language has been spoken since VIII century. Nowadays, after 350 years of occupation and prohibition, there are 9 million Catalan speakers. The spirit of revolt against the Spanish kingdom and French state is still alive. The struggle of the Catalan people continues against the existing discriminations. Not Spain, not France.” “Saoirse na hÉireann, Llibertat Països Catalans”. In Clowney Street next to the ‘1969 Phoenix’ mural which dates back to 1981.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2010 Peter Moloney
M05620 M05619
Our Fallen Youth
“Na Fıanna Éıreann. 1909-2009. In this centenary year of the formation of Na Fıannan [sic] Éıreann by Countess Markievicz we celebrate and commemorate our fallen youth from the Ballymurphy area. Fuaır sıad bás ar son saoırse na hÉıreann.” Doyle, McCormack. Campbell, Dougal, Sloand, Magee, McWilliams, Dempsey also Cumann Na gCaılíní Mackin and McGartland. “The Fianna saw themselves as a youth organsiation dedicated to establishing Ireland’s independence. This plaque was unveiled by Seán Adams & Martin Dudley 8th August 2009.”
Springhill Avenue, Belfast
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2010 Peter Moloney
M05583 [M05584]
The Republican People Of Greater Ballymurphy
“This monument was erected by the republican people of greater Ballymurphy in proud and loving memory of all those volunteers from the area who gave their lives in the fight for Irish freedom.” Volunteers McParland, Kane, Maguire, Meehan, Sloan, McCormick, Campbell, Magee, Dougal, McCrudden, Clarke, Parker, Quigleey, Mulholland, O’Rawe, McGartland, Mulvenna, Pettigrew, Bryson, Teer, Stone, McGrillen, Tolan, McWilliams, Delaney, O’Neill, Jordan, Doyle, McCracken, McGeown. “Unveiled by Gerry Adams 12th May 1985. I ndıl cuımhne [chuımhne] i gcónaí ag na poblachtánaıgh ón cheantar Barr Cluanaí. Also in memory of the civilians who died at the hands of the British Army, RUC, UDR, and loyalist extremists.” The launch date of 1985 refers to the plaque’s former location in Glenalina Road (seen in 2001 and 2002).
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2010 Peter Moloney
M05578 [M05581] [M05582] [M05579] M05580
2012 [M08866] [M08867] M08868
The Gate To Tír Na nÓg
Four painted pillars at the entrance to the park on Springhill Avenue. By Mo Chara Kelly.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2010 Peter Moloney
M05577
Tá Ár gCultúr Beo
Tá Ár gCultúr Beo (“Notre culture est vivante/La nostra cultura e viva/Our culture is alive”) was painted by Mo Chara Kelly with help from the local youth. The red parts of the mural use a translucent medium that Kelly had become acquainted with while painting in the United States (An Pobal A Phéınteáıl 10) that allow additional figures from modern Ireland (left) and Celtic Ireland (right) to be seen. The winged figure (repeated four times) is a heron that he found in a book of Celtic designs while serving time in Long Kesh.
The mural was the first of four projects in Springhill facilitated by the Upper Springfield Development Trust as part of a “West Belfast Arts & Heritage Trail” (as per the plaque just out of view to the right) or “Public Arts Trail”.
Springhill Avenue, Belfast
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2010 Peter Moloney
M05566 [M05567] [M05568] [M05569] [M05570] [M05571] [M05572] [M05573] [M05574]
The Roddy McCorley Society
Images from the grounds of The Roddys club, Glen Road, Belfast, with memorials to McCorley (“In memory of Rody McCorley who was hanged here for his part in the rising of 1798 ‘The dead who died for Ireland, let not their memory die””), the deceased 1981 hunger strikers, the earlier 20th century hunger strikers (Thomas Ashe, Michael Fitzgerald, Terence MacSwiney, Joseph Murphy, Joseph Whitty, Denis Bary, Andrew Sullivan, Tony D’Arcy, Jack McNeela, Sean McCaughey, Michael Gaughan, Frank Stagg), Lenadoon deaths (Tony Henderson, Tony Jordan, John Finucane, Laura Crawford, Brendan O’Callaghan, Joe McDonnell, Mairead Farrell, Bridie Quinn, Patricia Black), Billy ‘Red’ Higgins founder member/president of the club, IRA volunteers from Lenadoon, “to the Irish men and Irish women who gave their lives in the rebellion of 1798”. Roddy McCorley, a Protestant member of the United Irishmen, is best known by the song written about his hanging at the bridge of Toome in 1800. (Here’s a version by Tommy Makem.)
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2010 Peter Moloney
[M05532] M05533 [M05540] M05541 M05542
[M05536] [M05537] [M05538] M05539 [M05534] M05535
[M05543] M05544 M05548 M05547 M05545 M05546
M05550 [M05551] M05552 M05553
Eastát Ghleann Collaınn
Mural in the Glen Colin estate, just off the Glen Road showing The Roddy’s club (in white) with the hunger striker memorial in the shape of a harp in front and the St. Oliver Plunkett church, which is in fact on the other (southern) side of the Glen Road, with the twin peaks of Divis and Black Mountain in the background. The Bobby Sands quote “Our revenge will be the laughter of our children” is at the bottom and three Gaelic games players on the right.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2010 Peter Moloney
M05531 [M05529] [M05530]
Peter Moloney Collection 