Clonard Martyrs

This is a replacement version of the gallery of “Clonard Martyrs” above the memorial garden, seen previously in 2011. The central phoenix is now in red (rather than green) and the background imagery has been removed but the roll of honour remains the same:

Left: Dan Duffin, Seán McCartney, Tom Williams, Gerard McAuley, Peter Blake, Seamus Simpson, Seán Johnston, Seán Gaynor, Pat Duffin, Gerard Ó Callaghan, Seamus Burns, Danny Ó Neill, Tom McCann.

Right: Gerard Crossan, Seán Ó Riordan, Martin McKenna, Liam Hannaway, Jim McKernan, Dan McCann, “dedicated to the memory of local republican, Billy Davidson”, Tony Lewis, Joe McKenna, Brian Dempsey, Finbarr McKenna, Seán Savage, Prıonsaıs Mac Áırt.

For many of the stones and plaques, see Clonard Martyrs, Who Have Resisted And Still Resist, and Deceased Republican Prisoners.

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Copyright © 2015 Peter Moloney
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The Courage And Sacrifice Of The Hunger Strikers

Here is a close-up of the the middle of the Hunger Strike board above the Clowney Street phoenix (which is the Oldest Mural in Belfast) seen previously in 2013.

For an image of the writing – “Bobby Sands murdered 1.17 am. 5th May 1981. ‘My position is in total contrast to that of an ordinary prisoner: I am a political prisoner.”” – see the Homer Sykes collection. The quotation is from Sands’s ‘The Lark And The Freedom Fighter’ (pdf).

For “Thirty thousand can’t be wrong” see this episode of Thames TV’s ‘TV Eye’ (youtube).

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Copyright © 2015 Peter Moloney
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Poet, Gaeılgeoır, Revolutionary, IRA Volunteer

April 1st:

The Bobby Sands mural in Sevastopol Street has been given a facelift, including the blocking-up of a vent on Sands’s left cheek. Kieran Doherty and Joe McDonnell have been added in place of the 1798 medallions on each side. On the side-wall are Sean McCaughey, ten doves representing the 1981 hunger-strikers, and Long Kesh. Aerosol‘s accordion-player stencil has been also been retained, on the right.

For a full history of the wall, see the Bobby Sands (Sevastopol Street) Visual History page.

The ‘Slí Na Gaeltachta’ plaque off to the left reads:

Ag sráıd Sevastopol cuımhnıtear ar Bobby Sands ı múrmhaısıú a aithnıtear ar fud an domhaın. Ba scrıbhneoır, file, réabhlóıdí agus díograıseoır Gaeılge é Sands. Fuaır sé bas 5 Bealtaıne 1981 tar éıs 66 lá ar stailc ocraıs. As ucht na dıograıse a thaıspeáın Sands agus a chomhchımí ı leıth fhoglaım na teanga faoı choınníollacha uafásacha Bhlocanna H na Ceıse Fada, spreagadh glúın úr chun dul ı mbun athghabháıl na Gaeılge.

Here at Sevastopol Street Bobby Sands is remembered in a mural which has become world-renowned. Sands, a writer, poet, revolutionary and Gaelic enthusiast, died on May 5th 1981 after 66 days on hunger strike. Sands and his fellow prisoners inspired a new generation to reclaim the Irish language enthusing them by the huge efforts they put into learning Irish in the horrendous conditions on the H Blocks of Long Kesh.

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Copyright © 2015 Peter Moloney
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Just As Good As Others

RNU (Republican Network For Unity) mural at the top of Berwick Road (Paráıd An Ardghleanna) featuring the words of Maıréad Farrell, one of the PIRA members shot on Gibraltar.

“Everyone tells me I’m a feminist. All I know is that I’m just as good as others … and that especially means men. I am definitely a socialist and I am definitely a Republican. I believe in a united socialist country, definitely socialist. Capitalism can offer our people nothing and yet that’s the main interest of the British in Ireland.”

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Copyright © 2014 Peter Moloney
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1ú Caṫlán Oırṫear Tıreoın Óglaıġ Na hÉıreann

1ú Caṫlán Oırṫear Tıreoın Óglaıġ Na hÉıreann [more typically “Tír Eoghaın”; 1st battalion east Tyrone IRA]

“Beannaımıs spıorad do-ċlaoıte na laoċra atá ına luı ıns na huıgheanna seo.” [We bless the indomitable spirit of the heroes who are buried in these graves.] “do-ċlaoıte” appears to be a Connacht form of “do-ċloíte”, meaning “indomitable”, “indefatigable” (Focaıl Fholaıthe).

The volunteers named on the various stones are Patrick Kelly, Patrick Vincent, Kevin Murray, Patrick Quinn, Patrick Carty, Seán Loughan, Patrick McDonald.

Kelly was killed in the Loughgall ambush – see the Loch gCál/Loughgall tribute mural in west Belfast (also a smaller mural in north Belfast).

Vincent was the driver of the lorry in the Clonoe Ambush.

Murray and McDonald were “killed in action” in 1974 (Fb).

Quinn was “killed in action” in 1973, along with Daniel McAnallen (Fb).

Loughan and Carty were “killed in action”, along with Dermot Crowley, in June 1973 (An Phoblacht).

The flat stone with the phoenix reads: “Romantic Ireland never dies!/O’Leary lies in fertile ground./And songs and spears throughout the years/Rise up where patriot graves are found.”

St Malachy’s churchyard, Coalisland Road, Edendork.

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Copyright © 2014 Peter Moloney
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The Only Secure Community Is An Organised one

“RNU in west Belfast are today leading the way in combating anti-social behavior [sic], reclaiming republican values, fighting the benefits cuts, tackling the increased drug problem, exposing the slum landlords, rebuilding community pride.”  RNU [Republican Network for Unity (Xitter)] stencil on Northumberland Street. Tommy Doherty (leaflet) is running in the local council elections taking place on May 22nd.

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Copyright © 2014 Peter Moloney
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Eileen Hickey Irish Republican History Museum

“Iarsmalann Na Staire Poblachtach Éireannach – Eileen Hickey Irish Republican History Museum” is across the street (behind the Conway Mill) from this mural. Eileen Hickey was a Provisional IRA member who served time in Armagh prison; she died in 2006, one year before the opening of the museum (obituary at An Phoblacht).

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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Don’t Let Our Brave Men Die In Vain

The Clowney Street phoenix, originally painted in 1981, is repainted – for a history, see The Oldest Murals.

Above, the board at the centre of the mosaics has changed, from an image of blanketmen to a montage of photographs “commemorating the courage and sacrifice of the hunger strikers”.

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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The Generations Shall Remember Them

For the fortieth anniversary of their deaths (during 1972), five young volunteers from the lower Falls are remembered: Daniel McAreavey, Joseph McKinney, Jimmy Quigley, John Donaghy, Patrick Maguire (real name Patrick Pendleton). Maguire, McKinney and Donaghy died together in an explosion (Oct 10); Quigley (Sept 29) and McAreavey (Oct 6) were shot. For further details of the how these five met their deaths, see among others Lost Lives by McKittrick et al. (Archive.org | Amazon UK | US). Biographies of the five begin at 7m46s in this history of D Company.

Quigley holds a copy of James Connolly’s 1910 pamphlet Labour in Irish History.

Video of the parade and unveiling on Sunday (Oct 7th, 2012) on youtube. The in-progress shot is from October 3rd, 2012.

“‘They shall be spoken of among their people and the generations shall remember them and call them blessed’ – P H Pearse”, from ‘The Mother‘.

Divis Street, Belfast

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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Copyright © 2012 Peter Moloney
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