The impetus for this 2007 graffiti in Rossville Street is unknown. The Gardaí and PSNI rugby squads joined forces in 2003 (compare Shame on You, St Brigid’s) and the Derry City team goes back to the 19th century. Get in touch if you know the reference. Signed “JC”.
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Copyright © 2007 Peter Moloney
M0343Copyright © 2007 Peter Moloney
This is the scene at the Lecky Road underpass (going up to Barrack Street) in February 2007: above,”SF/RUC scum”, “Kill all cops”, “Vote Peggy O’Hara“, “Israel scum”, with tricoloured supports and light-pole; below, a series of paste-ups to victims of Bloody Sunday (on its 35th anniversary) and others nominated as part of Bluebell Arts’s “Unsung Heroes” project – Willie McKinney (killed on Bloody Sunday), Kevin McElhinney (killed on Bloody Sunday), “Palestinian youth from Balata refugee camp. Despite being denied a homeland, they dare to dream. Nominated by Bluebell Arts”. Here is a gallery of images from the anniversary march (indymedia) with plenty of anti-SF messages on display.
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Copyright © 2007 Peter Moloney
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Peggy O’Hara – mother of 1981 hunger striker Patsy – stood in the NI Assembly election of March 2007. She garnered 4.4% of the first preference votes but was not elected (ARK).
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Copyright © 2007 Peter Moloney
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The INLA declared a ceasefire in 1998 but did not begin decommissioning its weapons until 2009. The graffiti shown above (Rossville St, Derry) calls on it to unite with hard-line republicans from the Continuity and Real IRAs.
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Copyright © 2007 Peter Moloney
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Denis Donaldson, IRA and Sınn Féın member, was killed by a shotgun blast to the chest in April 2006. He was living in a Donegal cottage after being outed as an Mi5 and Special Branch informer. The Real IRA later (2009) claimed responsibility. Next to that graffiti is “Vote your No. 1 army” (previously seen in 2005) with a number of modifications: it looks as though “Real” was replaced with “C” (Continuity IRA) and then all of the modifiers have been deleted in favour of simply “IRA”.
Gartan Square, Derry
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Copyright © 2007 Peter Moloney
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Anti-extradition graffiti in Eastway and Gartan Square, Derry. Please get in touch if you can identify “Fergal” or “Tommy”.
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Copyright © 2007 Peter Moloney
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“Remember collusion victims”. The graffiti refers to a Gaelic football game played between local club St Brigid’s and the PSNI. It was the first time the PSNI squad had played a team from the north (Irish Times | BelTel).
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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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This YCV shamrock graffiti is in Carlingford Street, Belfast. The artist was interrupted before finishing.
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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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“We have nothing to offer but blood, tears, and sweat. Whatever the cost maybe, we shall fight on the beach’es [sic], we shall fight in the fields and on the street’s [sic]. We shall never surrender.” A message from “E.B. [east Belfast] Loyalists” in Castlereagh Parade, combining two speeches of Winston Churchill’s:
1940-05-13: “I would say to the House, as I said to those who have joined the government: I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat. We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering. You ask: What is our policy? I will say: It is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us, to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark and lamentable catalogue of human crime.”
1940-06-04: “We shall defend our island whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches. We shall fight on the landing grounds. We shall fight in the fields and in the streets. We shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender. ”
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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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Hard-line republican graffiti in Stanley’s Walk and Rossville Street, Derry.
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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
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