Operation Motorman

Operation Motorman, the British Army’s retaking of ‘Free Derry’, took place on July 31st, 1972. This is the repainted mural (the in-progress shot is from April); for the 2001 original, see M01426. (Part of The People’s Gallery by the Bogside Artists.)

For the installation to Seamus Bradley, who died during the operation, (and for the photo the mural is based upon) see X01130.

The plaque is to Patrick Shiels (M03583).

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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Don’t Let Our Brave Men Die In Vain

The Clowney Street phoenix, originally painted in 1981, is repainted – for a history, see The Oldest Murals.

Above, the board at the centre of the mosaics has changed, from an image of blanketmen to a montage of photographs “commemorating the courage and sacrifice of the hunger strikers”.

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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Na Fıanna Ard Eoın

“Strength in our hearts, strength of our limbs, consistency of our tongues.” “Na Fıanna Ard Eoın 1909-2009 – one hundred years of resistance. In proud memory Fıan Davy McAuley … Josh Campbell … Josie McComiskey … Bernard Fox. ‘You may kill the revolutionary, but never the revolution.’ Dedicated by the Republican Network for Unity.” The four deceased are portrayed on four small boards, along with standing figures of Fianna from both centuries.

The plaque (alone) was seen in 2011.

Berwick Road, Belfast

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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Red Hand Defenders

There are four loyalist paintings on the street surface in Portavogie, beginning with the crest of the Red Hand Defenders flute band (Fb) “Formed in 1979” and the Portavogie Young Volunteers.

Harbour Road and Main Road, Portavogie

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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Volunteer Denver Smith

“In memory of Vol. Denver Smith, murdered by cowards 1st January 2000. Here lies a soldier. He gave his life whilst serving his community. Lest we forget.” Smith was killed by a gang of six men with machetes and pikes; the incident was perhaps drugs-related (Guardian | BBC-NI. For the wider picture An Phoblacht | Irish Times).

The mural originally appeared with seven plaques, then with three plaques, and now with graveside mourners on either side of a single stone, and a bench and three flag-poles to the right.

The UVF flag is between the the Denver Smith and All Gave Some gables.

Parkhall Road, Antrim

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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March, 1988

March 2013 is the 25th anniversary of the Michael Stone’s attack on mourners attending the burials of the Gibraltar 3 in Milltown cemetery. Stone killed three people. The mural combines images of mourners taking shelter from Stone’s attack – links to the photographs represented and in-progress images can be found at Extramural – with the civil war memorial in Ballyseedy, Co. Kerry (WP) which was famously connected to the Gibraltar 3 in a mural prepared for the return of the coffins to Belfast – see A Legitimate Right To Take Up Arms. (Here is a copy of Tragedies In Kerry.) The Gibraltar 3 are portrayed on the left; Stone’s victims are on the right. In the top right is an IRA volunteer who had been shot two days earlier, on the night that the coffins of the Gibraltar 3 arrived in Belfast.

1988 puts us firmly in the era of video, and so you can see footage on youtube relating to each of these events. In chronological order:

Death On The Rock, a famous Thames Television production about the SAS killings of IRA members Maıréad Farrell, Danny McCann and Seán Savage on March 6th in Gibraltar.

Michael Stone’s attack on mourners at their funerals in Milltown cemetery, March 16th, which killed Thomas McErlean, John Murray, and IRA member Caoımhín Mac Brádaıgh (Kevin Brady).

The funeral of IRA member Kevin McCracken on March 17th (he had been killed on March 14th) at which British Army corporals Wood and Howes were killed.

For the small Marian Price piece to the left, see Another Victim Of British Injustice. These pieces together replace the Relatives Action Committee mural, later with Marian Price poster

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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Another Victim Of British Injustice

“Free Marian Price – another victim of British injustice.” For background, see the initial post of Marian Price slogans, from June 2011.

For the painted “Free Marian Price” posters added to most of the Divis Street murals in 2012, see Scaoıl Saor Marian Price.

On the International Wall, Divis St.

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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