political

Blessed Are Those Who Hunger For Justice

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M00131+

A hunger-striker lies in bed praying with rosary beads and bathed in beams of light coming from the hands of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

(Painted by Con, who describes the mural as an attempt to break through with nationalists (as distinct from republicans), though one source says “by a Ballymurphy man, named something like Tim Skillen/Skelly”.)

Rockmount Street, west Belfast

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Copyright © 1981 LC
M00131

Ireland’s Cross To Bear

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M00121+

M00122+

Here are four panels on Beechmount Avenue (Belfast) in 1981 depicting (from left to right) Ireland in the grip of a fist with a Union Flag cufflink, a prison guard whose mouth holds prison bars, a naked figure in a tricoloured scarf crucified on a Union Flag, and Ireland carrying a cross “Made in Britain”.

At least three of the original images are by Jack Clafferty, a founder member of the Troops Out Movement, and can be found on-line.

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Copyright © 1981 LC
M00121 M00122

We Remain What We Are

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M00097+

M00205+

M00204+

“Of course we can be murdered, but while we remain alive, we remain what we are, political prisoners of war – B. Sands”. A lark in barbed wire on an Irish tricolour, with the names of the ten hunger-strikers who died: B. Sands, F. Hughes, P. O’Hara, K. Lynch, M. Devine, R. McCreesh, J. McDonnell, M. Hurson, K. Doherty, T, McIlwee [McElwee].

Whiterock Road, Belfast.

The latter images show an earlier version of the mural, with six names, and the wall in preparation.

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Copyright © 1981 LC
M00097 M00205 M00204 [M00207]

Unite To Fight Hunger Torture Death

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M00082+

In addition to the board at the top of the stairs there is a tricolour with “IRA” on it (to the left) and (on the right) the names, in Irish, of the first four hunger-strikers on either side of a celtic cross: Roıbeard Ó Seachnasagh, Eamonn Mac Craoıs, Pronsıas Ó hAodha, and Pádraıg Ó hEadhra.

For the twin end-wall, see Their Hunger, Their Pain, Our Struggle.

Shaws Road, west Belfast.

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Copyright © 1981 LC
M00082

Victory To The Blanketmen POWs

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M00085+

M00086+

An advertising hoarding on the Springfield Road (just before the Whiterock Road), Belfast, is taken over by a republican artist: “H” and “A” for the H-Blocks and Armagh Women’s Prison, with the names of four hunger-strikers (Bobby Sands Patsy O’Hara, Francis Hughes, Raymond McCreesh) and two tricolours.

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Copyright © 1981 LC
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