“Sınn Féın protects paedophiles – ask Gerry”. The reference is perhaps to Brendan Curran’s allegations about the party covering up abuse by a Catholic priest (Indo) and the “ask Gerry” part a reference to Liam Adams’s 2013 conviction and the investigation into whether his brother, Gerry Adams, had withheld information about it (Guardian).
Stanley’s Walk, Derry
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Copyright © 2015 Peter Moloney
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“The Cross Of Crosses – marking 45 years of conflict in Northern Ireland 1969-2014. Let this be the year the conflict ends. Sponsored by: George McIlroy, IGNITE 2014”
The sculpture, which contains 45 small crosses, was designed by Ross Wilson.
Between the security gates on Northumberland Street, west Belfast.
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Copyright © 2015 Peter Moloney
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“Fáılte go dtí Brandywell” – this is a long mural about the welfare of children, citing rights 3, 6, 9, 23, 24, and 31 from the UN’s Convention On The Rights Of The Child, as rendered by Caroline Castle.
Brandywell Road, Derry
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Copyright © 2015 Peter Moloney
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A “historical wall feature” was unveiled in January (BBC) by the Shared History Interpretive Project (SHIP) (web | Fb) on the outside of the Dockers’ Club in Pilot Street in Sailortown. The new piece is a montage of about 60 images of vintage photographs, a census form, and posters of industrial life. In the top-middle there can be seen an image of the board this one replaces, which featured two carters pulling away a heavy load.
Another addition in the work is the inclusion of Billy McMullen (1888-1982) and John Quinn (1876-1935) alongside Winifred Carney (1887-1943), James Connolly (1868-1916), and Jim Larkin (1876-1947). Both McMullen and Quinn are Belfast trades-unionists. Quinn’s headstone in Milltown Cemetery can be seen in Forgotten In Life, Remembered In Death.
Pilot Street, Sailortown, north Belfast
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Copyright © 2015 Peter Moloney
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This is a mural in support of travellers’ right, featuring horseshoes, musical notation, and a child looking out of a vintage caravan. Sponsored by West Against Racism Network (WARN) and Springfield Charitable Association (SCA – web)
The image that the artists were working from for central portion of the mural – a 2009 photograph by Mark Stedman – can be seen still taped to the wall.
International Wall, Divis Street (Visual History)
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Copyright © 2014 Peter Moloney
M11534
“Welcome” to all our Polish neighbours on the “Road To Equality” and the “beautiful symphony of brotherhood” (from the Martin Luther King “I Have A Dream” board).
Derrin Pass, Andersonstown, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2014 Peter Moloney
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In a sermon on November 4th, 1956 (and repeated on other occasions), Martin Luther King, Jr. imagined a letter from Paul to the Christians of America, expressing concern for spiritual life in a capitalist society and appealing for desegregation of society using non-violent methods – “the weapon of love” – keeping in mind “that you are merely seeking justice for him as well as yourself”.
Click for audio – the remark quoted occurs at the 3 minute mark of section 4 (archive.org)
Beechmount Street, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2014 Peter Moloney
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“Derry women made more than shirts – they made communities”.
Here is a Derry mural celebrating the role of women in society, both locally and world-wide.
On the left of the main panel, women march out of one of the city’s gates. The information sheet reads as follows: “On International Women’s Day, March 8th [1991, not 1981 as the hand-written addition suggests], the first ever women’s mural in Derry was unveiled on the back of Free Derry Wall. It was designed and painted by Patricia Hegarty and Joe Coyle, and helpers, both men and women. The mural takes its inspiration from a march in November 1968, after Minister for Home Affairs Bill Craig banned all civil rights marches in the walled city. Women factory workers walked out and spent the afternoon marching in and out of every gate in the city, deliberately “breaking the ban”. Men marched in from DuPont to join them, and a rally was held in the Diamond. In the mural you can find the faces of some of those marching on that historic day, as well as other women who played their part in the ongoing struggle for justice. Civil rights workers Bridget Bond and Women’s Aid refuge founder Cathy Harkin march alongside republicans such as Ethel Lynch, Bridget Sheils, Peggy Derry, prisoners’ rights activists Susie Coyle, and many others. You may find images of your granny, sister or aunt. The mural is dedicated to all those women whose energy and determination have changed their lives and the world about them.”
The board on FDC can be seen in Woods’s Seeing Is Believing?, plate 19.
In the centre of the main panel, a tapestry of images and posters is being sewn by a woman at a sewing-machine in one of Derry’s large shirt- and collar-making factories (one of which, attached to “Fabric World”, is shown on the right).
The tapestry includes flyers/posters of local women banging bin lids at the death of Tom McElwee, marching past the ‘Free Derry’ slogan on Free Derry corner, striking, and protesting; there are also posters supporting Palestine and gay rights, celebrating femininity, and one of Wonder Woman.
Lecky Road, Brandywell, Derry
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Copyright © 2014 Peter Moloney
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M11611
Here are two Sınn Féın boards on contemporary social issues, at the old Andersonstown RUC barracks. First is “Stand together against racism”; second is support for an Irish Language Act “Sınn Féın ag tacú le Lá Dearg Na Gaeılge, 12 Aıbreán – ag teacht le chéıle ag An Chultúrlann, Bóthar na bhFál, Béal Feırste, 2.00 in.”
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Copyright © 2014 Peter Moloney
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A new mural on the International Wall combines two current events. One is the furore surrounding the recent description of Islam as “satanic” by Belfast pastor James McConnell (Tele) (and a ‘Rally Against Racism’ to take place today (Saturday, May 31st) – Tele). The middle of the mural reads “Respect and defend our Muslim brothers + sisters – kardeslik azadi”.
The other is the death of Maya Angelou (WP), who died this past Wednesday (May 28th). Angelou is pictured in the top half of the mural, with Muhammad Ali, along with an Angelou quote: “Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the past inaccessible.”
In the bottom half appear Padraig Pearse and James Connolly and a line from the Proclamation of the Irish Republic: “Cherish all the children of the nation equally.”
Takes the place of the Miami Five.
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Copyright © 2014 Peter Moloney
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Peter Moloney Collection 