“Fuaır sıad bás ar son saoırse na hÉıreann” [they died for the freedom of Ireland]. Na Fıanna Éıreann [warriors of Ireland; IRA youth] were begun in 1909 by Countess Markievicz and Belfast man Bulmer Hobson (WP). They took part in the Easter Rising of 1916. The role of honour lists deaths from 1969 to 1984 – the Troubles. After the Agreement, the Fıanna are affiliated with Republican Sınn Féın and the Continuity IRA. At the corner of Beechmount Avenue and the Falls Road – see the Visual History of this wall.
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.”
These hand-drawn BRY/RIRA murals are a montage of many traditional republican symbols, such as Celtic FC, the Easter lily, Bobby Sands, an assault rifle, the Tricolour and a crude island of Ireland. Plus support for Basque separatists ETA. “CRF” = “Catholic Reaction Force”?
Here are three nail-ups from Newry Road, Crossmaglen. The first shows hooded IRA volunteers in front of Starry Plough and Sunburst flags on pikes (symbol of the 1798 Rebellion). The second shows crossed pikes and crossed rifles. The third calls for British Army bases to be demilitarised.
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).
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.
This series of images comes from the Lecky Road, Derry underpass. Patsy O’Hara, Joe McDonnell, and Tom McElwee get individual boards. Unusually, both the Real IRA and Continuity IRA are included in the final panel. As can be seen in the wide shot, to the left are Roll Of Honour and BRY 1969.
“I ndıl cuımhne [chuımhne] ar Neil McCrory a fuaır bás an trıú lá de Shámhaın 1976 ı laımhe dılseoırí [at the hands of loyalists]. Dedicated to the memory of Fıan Neil McCrory murdered 3rd November 1976. Scouts of Na Fıanna a band o’er the nation/May every home greet you with joy and delight/May God give you strength for to love him and Ireland/And when the day comes gives you courage to fight.”
