Building An Ireland Of Equals

“Ag aontú Caıtlıceach, Protastúnach agus Easaontóırí.” – “Uniting Catholic, Protestant, and Dissenter.” In An Argument On Behalf Of The Catholics Of Ireland (1791), Wolfe Tone of the United Irishmen wrote, “To subvert the tyranny of our execrable government, to break the connection with England, the never-failing source of all our political evils, and to assert the independence of my country, these were my objects. To unite the whole people of Ireland, to abolish the memory of past dissensions, and to substitute the common name of Irishman, in place of the denominations of Protestant, Catholic and Dissenter, these were my means.”

With portraits of Bobby Sands, Wolfe Tone, and in the centre, Winifred Carney.

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Copyright © 2009 Peter Moloney
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Éırí Amach Na Cásca

The Éırí Amach Na Cásca 1916 [Easter Rising 1916] mural in Beechmount Avenue/Ascaıll Ard Na bhFeá/RPG Avenue is repainted (by DD and Seany McVeigh) due to the new doorway. Compare to the previous version. (See also the IRA plaque.)

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Copyright © 2009 Peter Moloney
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Those From the Ligoniel Area

The large stone in the corner is to Declan McCluskey but does not give a date or manner of death. It is perhaps the Declan McCluskey who died by suicide in 2005 (BBC-NI); his father Francie is included on the central plaque – he was killed by the UFF in 1982.

“This memorial is dedicated to the memory of all those form the Ligoniel area who lost their lives as a result of the conflict in our country. Mary, queen of the Gael, pray for them”; “This plaque is dedicated to the memory of Óglach Declan McCluskey, Óglaıgh na hÉıreann. ‘I love my God overall,’ he said, ‘And then I loved my land. Oh mother dear I was true, to God, to Ireland and to you.'”

The two central plaques read, “I ndıl chuımhne. This plaque is dedicated to the memory of all those from Ligoniel who lost their lives as a result of the conflict in our country. A Mhuıre banríon na nGael guıgh orthu.” and “In loving memory of Terry McCafferty, Michelle Osborne, Vol. Jackie Mooney, Danny O’Neill, Jim Sullivan, Alac Greer, Mary Sloan, Rosemary Brown, Mrs Sloan, Letta Younger, William Younger, Francie McCluskey, John O’Neill, Colm McCallum, Brian McKimm, Leo Scullion, Sammy Bell, Kevin Flood, Brian Duffy, John Todd, Maurice O’Kane. May they rest in peace.”

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Copyright © 2009 Peter Moloney
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The Undauntable Thought

“Michael Ferguson Sınn Féın MLA 25-10-53–25-9-06. Sean Keenan Sınn Féın 9-5-50–31-7-06. “It lights the dark of this prison cell/it thunders forth its might/it is the undauntable thought, my friend/the thought that says ‘I’m right'” – Bobby Sands”. Keenan was son of Derry republican Seán Keenan.

“Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann. Óglach Patricia Black 28-11-71–15-11-91. Óglach Frankie Ryan 23-9-66–15-11-91. Beırıgí bua.” The pair died near London when a bomb exploded prematurely.

On Pantridge Road, which runs into Michael Ferguson Roundabout at its eastern end. (See Teeling Family.)

Black and Ryan are also remembered by a plaque in nearby Woodside (M08902).

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Copyright © 2009 Peter Moloney
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For Irish Freedom In The West Tyrone Area

“In proud and loving memory of all those who gave their lives for Irish freedom in the West Tyrone area”. “Go luí cré ársa Thír Eoghaın go héadrom ar uıgheanna ár laochraí uaısle.” [May the ancient Tyrone clay lie lightly on the graves of our noble warriors.] Michael Devine, Eugene Devlin, Gerald McGlynn, Danny McCauley, Jim McGinn, Peter McElchar, Jim McAleer, Seamus Harvey, Charles Breslin, Tobias Molloy, Neil Lafferty, Patrick Shanaghan, Patrick Cannon, Davide Devine, Joseph Connolly, Damian Brolly. For the actual headstone, in Strabane Cemetery, see Stabane’s Republican Graves.

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Copyright © 2008 Peter Moloney
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Ard Eoın Kickhams

Kickhams is the local Cumann Luthchleas Gael (GAA club) (Fb | tw), founded 1907, named for republican writer Charles Kickham. The mural shows football, hurling, and handball. At the bottom there are three generations of toddler hurlers, from barefoot and cloth-cap to boots and braces to baseball cap and tracksuit.

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Copyright © 2008 Peter Moloney
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