International Women’s Day, which dates as far back as 1909, is celebrated every year on March 8th. Above is the 2014 mural marking the day, in the complex of shops behind the Bogside Inn.
A letter home from the Somme: “How I love you all. I wonder what you are doing at home. I must not do that. It is hard enough sitting waiting. We may move at any minute. When this reaches you for me there will be no more war, only eternal peace and waiting for you.” July 1st, 1916 saw the start of the Battle Of The Somme. The 36th (Ulster) division lost over 5,000 men in an initial successful attack near Thiepval Wood, but were driven back that evening.
Ulster suffragettes: “Women have been trained to speak softly and carry a lipstick. Those days are over.” (Bella Abzug). The board shows a picture of women drumming up an audience for a suffragette meeting in the Ulster Hall in November 1912. The image in the bottom right is of Emmeline Pankhurst being arrested in London in 1914; the top image is of Pankhurst on tour in the US in 1913 (LoC; see Pieces Of History for a description of the tour; she gave a speech entitled ‘Freedom Or Death’). Pankhurst spoke in Belfast at the 1912 meeting, though the speakers advertised on the placards are “Mrs Charlotte Despard, Miss Irene Miller, Mrs Edith How-Martyn, Miss Alison Neilans“. The first suffrage group in Ireland was the North Of Ireland Women’s Suffrage Society, founded in Belfast in 1872 by Isabella Tod. See also Belfast’s Infamous Prison for information about suffragettes held in Crumlin Road Gaol.
These plaques are on the front of Cumann Pobaıl Mhachaıre Botháın/Marrowbone Community Association, in memory of two long-time community-workers.
“Teach Christine. Erected in memory of Christine (Bap) Beattie, a dedicated friend and community worker to all in this area.”
“Máırtın Ó Dochartaıgh 1968-2011. Is cuma mura mbím beo ach lá agus oíche amháın fad agus go mbíonn lomrá [ıomrá] ar mo chuıd eachtraí ı mo dhıadh. [It is of no matter whether I live only a single day and night so long as my endeavours gain repute after I am gone.] Máırtín will be greatly missed by his family, friends and colleagues in the youth and community organisations in the Marrowbone and across Belfast.”
“1 in every 4 women will experience violence in their lifetime – stop domestic, sexual & state violence.” Campaign of unknown origin on the rear of Free Derry Corner.
The events of March 1988 are remembered 25 years on: the IRA’s Seán Savage, Daniel McCann, Mairéad Farrell were killed by the SAS in Gibraltar on March 6th; Kevin McCracken (IRA) was killed by British solders in Turf Lodge on the night of March 14th, after the corpses had returned to Belfast; John Murray, Thomas McErlean, and Caoimhín Mac Brádaigh (IRA) were killed by Michael Stone on March 16th in Milltown cemetery at the burial of the three. (Two British soldiers, Derek Wood and David Howes, were killed at Mac Brádaigh’s funeral procession on March 19th.)
Events include a plaque to “women in struggle” in the Roddy’s and a murals in Twinbrook (X02322 | M09378) and on the International Wall, Divis Street (X00979).
A board in the Bogside for “International Women’s Day, 8th March 2013 – Battling On: From petrol bombs to yarn bombs.” The woman in the painting – in the style of Banksy’s Flower Thrower (also imitated in Bundoran Banksy) – seems to have a petrol bomb rather than a yarn bomb.
“Strong is what we make each other until we are strong together.” Women in struggle, (clockwise) banging binlids, undergoing strip searches, protesting internment, victims of plastic bullets (Julie Livingstone), fighting in Cumann Na mBan. On the right are the astrological symbol for woman and the republican symbol of “Saoırse” with the green star and fist.
“Free Marian Price – political internee.” “Release Martin Corey now!”
For Price, see Free Marian Price. Martin Corey was returned to prison in 2010 and a 2011 commission ruled that he was a member of the CIRA (WP | Belfast Telegraph).
The Antrim Road at Carlisle Circus also bears the street-name ‘Winifred Carney Road’, given as part of the ‘Naming Our Streets’ project. Carney’s name was chosen for this location – SIPTU offices – because she was a trade unionist and also because she grew up on Carlisle Circus. The project celebrates 50 historically important Belfast women, seven of whom were honoured in this way (Women’s Resource & Development Agency).