painted wall

The Untold Story

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This is a repainted version of the Canada Street mural about Protestant refugees to Liverpool in 1971. The text on the right of the previous version began “In August 1971 many Protestants fled their homes as the IRA launched a bitter sectarian attack on Protestant communities throughout Belfast” but now does not mention the IRA.

To the mural has been added a laminated letter of thanks to Elsie (Allen) Doyle, one of the organisers in Liverpool

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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in august 1971 many protestants fled their homes as the scale of violence erupted throughout belfast the loyal people of liverpool held out the hand of friendship in our hour of need up to 2000 terrified women and children escaped from burning homes to live in the safety of liverpool that act of friendship by the people of liverpool will never be forgotten a bond never broken no surrender telegraph the big flight of fear is on refugee problem is still growing number of homeless running into several thousand moving out of riot areas echo city gets ready northern ireland steamship ulster queen princes dock just after 6.30 am tired and strained hastily packed suitcases told of there anguish elsie allen doyle the debt of gratitude owed to this lady cannot be measured sitting in liverpool she seen the plight of the protestant families having to flee their home some of them burning as a member of lily of north ladies l.o.l. 79 she decided something had to be done her husband & father-in-law traveled to belfast in august 1971 what she saw motivated her to think that people could come and stay these needed a break away from mayhem that was going on in the name of the republican cause started to make plans and phoned friends including the orange order the hand of friendship was being extended across the irish sea they would not be found wanting took over 900 no mean feat seen they were all housed and cared for god bless you grandchildren loyalist stretched out to us

Lockout Centenary

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“There can be no dignity in labour, till labour knows no master.” The statue of Jim Larkin in Donegall Street Place has been augmented with a massive mural celebrating the many unions which have membership in Ireland. 2013 marks the 100-year anniversary of the Dublin lock-out, which ran from August 1913 to January 1914. The three female figures in the border to the right of Larkin are Winifred Carney, Inez McCormack, and ?Betty Sinclair?.

For the statue without the mural, see James Larkin.

Donegall Street Place, Belfast city centre.

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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Peace Bridge

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In this Caw mural the Peace Bridge is shown spanning the Foyle between (the former) Ebrington barracks and the Guildhall, with a film-strip of images, many depicting naval and military scenes, above and below. Second from left in the upper ribbon, a poster encourages people to “Join the Wrens [and free a man for the fleet]” (the Women’s Royal Naval Service; see the poster at IWM); there are also soldiers playing ping-pong in their barracks, and the ship’s bell of the HMS Londonderry (which served as a training ship during the Falkland War — WP).

Sperrin Park, Caw, Londonderry

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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The Derrys

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“In proud memory of our fallen comrades from the Nelson Drive flute band. Glorious on the graves of heroes, kindly upon all those who have suffered for the cause. Thus will shine the dawn. They gave their tomorrow for our today.” The words in italics are from a Winston Churchill radio broadcast on October 21, 1940, entitled Dieu Protège La France. The final, more familiar, phrase is John Maxwell Edmonds’s memorial epitaph. The 10th battalion of the Inniskilling Fusiliers, in the 109th brigade of the 36th (Ulster) Division, was called “The Derrys” (web).

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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West Bank Estate

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The red hand in Fountain Street – seen previously with “PSNI scum” and “IRA” graffiti – is somewhat repaired – “PSNI scum” is still faintly visible across the top and the “IRA” at the base of the hand has been blacked out. “WBE” has been added; the “E” in “WBE” is unknown – compare with WBLY.

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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The Dogs

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Above is a new board (on painted background) at the Falls Road Garden of Remembrance for IRA volunteers in D company (the ‘Dogs’) of the 2nd battalion Belfast Brigade and local civilians from the lower Falls who died in the 20s, 70s and 90s. The main board shows a map of the area from Dunville Park to the Divis flats with lilies marking the spots of various deaths. Surrounding it are the portraits of fourteen of the volunteers listed on the marble – Maguire, O’Rawe, McKelney, Donaghy, Quigley, McAreavey, Hughes, Loughran, MacBride, Kelly, Carson, Campbell, Skillen, Marley.

The text in the close-up gives a history of the birth of the Provisionals and D company’s defense of the area in the Falls Curfew of 1970. Also mentioned is the 1972 hunger strike by Billy McKee and others in the Crumlin Road Gaol (NYTimes).

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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Free Otegi

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This pro-Basque mural on the International Wall on Divis Street calls for the release of Arnaldo Otegi, one-time ETA member and leader of a pro-Basque party, along with other political prisoners. (More information on Otegi at ig and WP.) “Pake bidean” is the Basque for “The pathway to peace”. 

(The mural is at the eastern end of the wall; takes the place of the Ian Knox anti-racism mural featured in Never Actually Existed.)

Update: Otegi was released in March, 2016 (Irish Times)

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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