RNU (Republican Network For Unity) mural at the top of Berwick Road (Paráıd An Ardghleanna) featuring the words of Maıréad Farrell, one of the PIRA members shot on Gibraltar.
“Everyone tells me I’m a feminist. All I know is that I’m just as good as others … and that especially means men. I am definitely a socialist and I am definitely a Republican. I believe in a united socialist country, definitely socialist. Capitalism can offer our people nothing and yet that’s the main interest of the British in Ireland.”
The UFF mural on the first gable of (so-called) Freedom Corner in east Belfast has been repainted many times since the first one took over – in 1991 – from a Gertrude Star mural (D00388). Repaints followed in roughly 2001, 2008, and 2011, now followed by the image shown above. The elements remain as before: a balaclava’d volunteer with assault rifle, the UFF emblem, a pistol, and a modified version of the Declaration of Arbroath: “For as long as one hundred of us remain alive we shall never in anyway consent to submit to the Irish [instead of “English”] for it’s not for glory, honour or riches we fight but for freedom alone which no man loses but with his life – U.D.A./U.F.F”
“RNU in west Belfast are today leading the way in combating anti-social behavior [sic], reclaiming republican values, fighting the benefits cuts, tackling the increased drug problem, exposing the slum landlords, rebuilding community pride.” RNU [Republican Network for Unity (Xitter)] stencil on Northumberland Street. Tommy Doherty (leaflet) is running in the local council elections taking place on May 22nd.
“Cuts: made in Britain [by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition led by Cameron and Clegg government], sold by Stormont!” éırígí (web) stencil on Northumberland Street.
The words “Rise up!” were later added to the banner being carried by the protesters on the right – see X02681.
Cumann Na mBan was founded on April 2nd, 1914, and it is being commemorated in various ways, including a mural on Ascaıll Ard na bhFeá/Beechmount Avenue.
Cumann Na mBan was the women’s division of the Irish Volunteers and is best remembered for its role in the Easter Rising of 1916. Its members were involved in the occupation of many locations. Some, including (non-combatant) Winifred Carney, were in the GPO, while Countess Markievicz, the main figure of the mural, was in St. Stephen’s Green. (Here is an RTÉ gallery of vintage photographs, including one of Markievicz surrendering.)
The letters “Cnamb” on a rifle formed the badge of Cumann Na mBan. The Irish “Ní saoırse go saoırse na mban” means “[There is] No freedom until the freedom of women”.
These are end-of-life images of the murals in Lincoln Court. The right-hand member of the pair, now covered by ivy, depicts scenes from the Ulster Workers’ Strike of 1974; of the four boards that made up the Community Spirit piece only the ‘1980s’ one remains.
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 new mural, above, on the International Wall commemorates the fortieth anniversary this year of the ‘Burning Of Long Kesh’ or the ‘Battle Of Long Kesh’, which took place on the night of October 15, 1974 and day of the 16th (when British Army units retook the camp).
The most comprehensive account available on-line of the conditions at the camp prior to the riot, the burning, and the battle on the morning of the 16th appears to be this 2004 piece in An Phoblacht by Joe Doherty and Christy Keenan. (For a virtual tour of the camp, see this video. Seamus Keenan’s Over The Wire (on again this month at the Derry Playhouse) attempts to recreate the scene.) Other accounts include those by Ronan Bennett, another inmate, in The Guardian. Here is a brief BBC News report from the 16th.
All accounts mention the use of gas and republican accounts state that CR was used on the morning of the 16th in addition to CS, dropped from helicopters as at the top of the mural. The Guardian, in 2005, confirmed that CR had been authorized for use in controlling riots and was available at the prison. CR is a carcinogen (WP) and in a post on his blog (now removed) Mairtin Óg Meehan suspects that exposure to CR is a cause of recent cancers among former prisoners.
In the lower left corner is a quoted telegram from Fr. Denis Faul, Fr. Raymond Murray: “To international Red Cross … Visited Long Kesh today with others … Request immediate investigation into use of CR gas … sub-human conditions … SOS … come immediately …” 20 Oct. 1974. These two wrote an 80-page report on the conditions at the camp following the event, entitled The Flames Of Long Kesh. See this 1999 An Phoblacht page for an image of the shelters constructed after the battle.
Actor and activist Margaretta D’Arcy (here, “Margaritta” D’Arcy) was arrested in October, 2012, for climbing the perimeter of Shannon airport and standing on the runway, in protest at the use of the airport by US military planes. She was jailed – aged 79 – for nine-and-a-half weeks in 2014. (Irish Times | Journal)
“Free Leonard Peltier – An honourable man who has spent 10yrs longer in jail than Nelson Mandela”. Peltier has been in jail since 1977, convicted of killing two FBI agents (WP).
Peter Moloney Collection 