painted wall

Vote Sınn Féın 1 2 3 4

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“Vote Sınn Féın 1 2 3 4” and “Tıocfaıdh ár lá!” have been painted on top of a 1981 mural based on a poster sent by the Iranian Ayatollah Khomeini, which featured the head of Bobby Sands against a backdrop of skeletal bodies, one of which can still be seen in the top middle of the wall. Somewhat ironically, the original mural also included the quote to the right: “The Irish Republican Army is right: The British government does not listen to the ballot box in Ireland and the only thing they will listen to in Ireland is what they listened to in other colonies: agitation, rebellion, and armed forces”.

(An image of the original mural can be found in the Paddy Duffy Collection – T00048)

Oakman Street, Beechmount, west Belfast

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Copyright © 1986 Peter Moloney
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They Murder The People And Have No Shame

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“1941 Auschwitz, Buchenwald; 1981 Long Kesh prisoner of war camp” – a repeatedly vandalised mural in Oakman Street, Belfast. Centrally pictured is the killing of Michael McCartan, shot by an RUC officer named McKeown (named on the right) while painting graffiti in south Belfast. For a detailed description see BritishArmyKillings. “20 years it’s still the same – they murder people and have no shame.”

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Copyright © 1986 Peter Moloney
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Stad Maggie Anoıs

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A hand with tricoloured cuff attempts to stop one with a Union flag from taking the six counties from the rest of the island. The plural imperative would be “stadaıgí”.

The image was used (in the 70s? and 80s?) in the United States for fundraising (MOMA | Fb | Etsy).

Beechmount Avenue, west Belfast. See also the same idea in Strabane: England Get Out Of Ireland.

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Copyright © 1986 Peter Moloney
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Tell The World, Freedom Is At Hand

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The death by hanging of African National Congress supporter Benjamin Moloise on 18 October, 1985, for the alleged murder of a South African policeman, drew international condemnation and led to widespread rioting in Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth. (ExecutedToday | Jet) His words, “tell the world, freedom is at hand”, are paired with a phrase from Bobby Sands, “we aim to be free”, in this ANC-IRA mural featuring an armalite and a zulu shield and spear. In the second and third images the boards (above the mural) declaring west Belfast an “apartheid free zone”/”ceantar saor ó apartheıd” can be seen.

“Beır bua” [seize victory]; “erected by Sınn Féın April 1986”

Ascaıll Ard Na bhFeá/Beechmount Avenue, west Belfast

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Copyright © 1986 Peter Moloney
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