“Dedicated to all republican prisoners past and present.” Bobby Sands’s poem The Rhythm Of Time, published in 1981 as part of Prison Poems, is printed in full along with images of Long Kesh and other prisons in which republican prisoners were held.
The tarp was launched 2014-08-10, to coincide with the anniversary of the introduction of interment in 1971 (see e.g. this BBC news report).
Palestinian icon Leila Khaled, who took part in aeroplane hijackings in 1969 and 1970, is featured in this new mural pro-Gaza mural in Hugo Street. The central portrait is a replication of a famous photo by Eddie Adams (WP), taken after her first skyjacking; she then underwent plastic surgery to disguise her identity prior to the 1970 attempt (WP).
On the left is an éirígí stencil calling for “Acht Na Gaeılge Anoıs!!!” – “An Irish Language Act Now!!!” The Belfast Telegraph reports that an Irish language bill will be published in the near future, though the DUP have already rejected such an Act. (For more background and discussion see Brian Walker’s post on Slugger.)
Four deaths have been added to the memorial plaque in St James’s Road, west Belfast, which commemorates locals from the area who died at the hands of the police and army.
The plaque dates back to (at least) 1986, and originally named Rooney (civilian), Liggett (IRA), Waterson, McDonald (civilian), McGrady (civilian), Larmour (civilian), Burns (IRA), and Brady (SF).
To these have been added McAllister (civilian), Devine (civilian), O’Dwyer (civilian), and Burns (IRA).
See also: The area’s main memorial garden also includes O’Callaghan (d. 1977 IRA) and Lenaghan (d. 1991 civilian). Next to it is a mural to Liggett And Brady.
“Oppression breeds resistance”, in the form of Leila Khaled and an IRA gunman, and a clenched fist in the colours of the Palestinian flag. This is a new pro-Gaza mural in the middle Falls with Irish “Tıocfaıdh ár lá” [our day will come] and Arabic “يومنا قادم” [our day is coming] (and in the shields “Saoırse” and “حرية”[freedom]).
The artist is DD Walker (“Rebel Rebel”), who painted the Blood Of An Irish Rebel Che Guevara mural last (2013) October which this replaces.
“South Belfast Ulster Volunteer Force 2nd battalion, A company, Donegall Pass.” The flag of England (St. George’s Cross) is in one corner and in the other is an orange star with “1912” written below, the year the Ulster Volunteers were founded. The colour-scheme is the reverse of the Orange Order’s: its flag has the purple star of the Williamites on an orange field.
“Welcome to Creggan – watch your back on the way out” and “Welcome to the Bogside – RUC beware”. The (anti-Agreement/perhaps “New”) IRA volunteers are shown wearing balaclavas and holding an RPG and an assault rifle.
This is an interesting set of images from Main Road, Moygashel.
The first three employ familiar imagery of the UVF and the 36th Division (the Home-Rule era “Deserted! Well – I Can Stand Alone” is less familiar but goes back to at least 1988; the UVF flag also references the anti-Home Rule movement in the “1912” date of the founding of the Ulster Volunteers).
The stencil (“It is not racist to protect your own community”) and hand-painted board (“Don’t be DUPed”) indicate a recent change in attitudes.
In the May elections for the European Parliament, UKIP received the most votes and the most seats (24), campaigning on an anti-immigrant and Euro-skeptical message; this is its best electoral performance to date (WP). Perhaps in response to UKIP’s increasing popularity, Conservative leader David Cameron last year (2013) promised (gov.uk) a referendum on EU membership, should the Conservatives be elected in next year’s (2015) general election.
The source of dissatisfaction with the DUP is less clear. The party won the largest number of seats in the local elections in May (WP).
These are perhaps the first appearance in the Peter Moloney Collection of both sentiments.
Peter Moloney Collection 