Joe Hughes was confined to a wheelchair and could not speak or properly use his hands. Nonetheless, he became a boy scout, visited Lourdes and Rome, and raised thousands of pounds for disability causes. He was awarded an MBE and a People Of The Year award. The board includes a poem by Brian Smeaton and a biography of Joe.
Beechview Park, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2001 Peter Moloney
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A candle for each of the seventeen people killed by plastic bullets, including, in the middle, Nora McCabe. From the info plaque: “Nora McCabe was shot dead by the RUC on the 8th July 1981 at 7:45 a.m. as she left her home in Linden Street off the Falls Road in Belfast for the corner shop to buy cigarettes. It was also the morning that Joe McDonnell died on hunger strike …” For the poster her bullet sits on, see Plastic Death.
Islandbawn Street, Belfast
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Copyright © 2001 Peter Moloney
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IRA in the colours of the Tricolour on the light-poles of Springhill Avenue/Springhill Heights, west Belfast.
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Copyright © 2001 Peter Moloney
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RUC officers in riot gear fire plastic bullets.
Springhill Avenue, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2001 Peter Moloney
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IRA volunteers on manoeuvres with rifles and RPG, while British Army helicopter flies to base (possibly Divis Tower).
Springhill Avenue, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2001 Peter Moloney
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A trio of volunteers with Long Kesh in the background fire a funeral volley over photographic portraits of the ten deceased 1981 hunger strikers.
Springhill Avenue, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2001 Peter Moloney
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A vintage board from 1991, still visible ten years later on Corrody Road, Derry: hunger striker Francis Hughes “died 12th May 1981”.
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Copyright © 2001 Peter Moloney
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“Support the prisoner candidate” – former PIRA volunteer and CIRA leader Tommy Crossan stood from Maghaberry Prison as a RSF candidate for West Belfast in 2001 (Éıre Nua) and urged voters to “spoil your vote” – see the posters on the wall; also Bennie et al p. 59).
In 2014 he would be killed after his expulsion from CIRA – see RIP Vol Tommy Crossan.
Divis Street, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2001 Peter Moloney
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Peter Mandelson served as NI Secretary from October 1999 (replacing Mo Mowlam) to January 2001. As such, he oversaw the creation of the Assembly and of the PSNI. His departure (on 2001-01-24) is greeted with celebration and song – “Slán Abhaıle”.
Divis Street, Belfast
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Copyright © 2001 Peter Moloney
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“Merry Christmas & a happy new year to the Castlerea Five from the people of Belfast.” The Castlerea Five were five republican prisoners not released in 2000 (under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement) (An Phoblacht). They were jailed in Roscommon for involvement in the killing of Garda Jerry McCabe in 1996 (four of manslaughter, one of conspiracy to rob). Divis Street, Belfast
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Copyright © 2001 Peter Moloney
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Peter Moloney Collection 