“Níl aon rud acu ına n-armlann ımpırıul [ımpırıúıl] a bhrısfidh meon an Éıreannaigh [Éıreannach] nar mhaın [mhıan] leıs a bheıth brıste – They have nothing in their whole imperial arsenal that can break the spirit of an Irishman who does want to be broken”
“Damn your concessions, England – it’s our freedom we want.” [– Seán Mac Dıarmada]
“Maghaberry concentration camp – End forced strip searches – End controlled movement.”
The scroll reads “Out of the ashes of 1969” arose the Provisional IRA, but the lineage is a long one and all but one of the organisations, events, and arms depicted here precede 1969: Cumann Na mBan, Na Fıanna Éıreann, Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann, a Celtic shield and sword, a pike (from the 1798 Rebellion), a Thompson gun, the Tricolour; only the assault rifle is modern and perhaps also is meant to indicate the Provisionals, Belfast Brigade. “Fuaır sıad bás as son saoırse na hÉıreann.”
“Community Inquiry Report: There was a clear breach of Article 2 of the European Convention On Human Rights, the right to life. The jury was deeply moved by the integrity and honesty of the evidence they heard. We have been deeply shocked by the state’s total failure to investigate killings and woundings. The evidence is unequivocal regarding the innocence of the deceased and wounded. There is no evidence whatsoever that they were armed or acted in a manner that could be perceived as a threat to the security services.”
Two of the New Lodge Six (James Sloan, James McCann) were killed by the UDA outside a bar and four (Tony ‘TC’ Campbell, Ambrose Hardy, Brendan Maguire, John Loughran) were among the crowd that gathered, killed by British Army snipers from their positions on top of the flats, using night-vision sights, February 3rd-4th, 1973. Sınn Féın politician Gerry Kelly spoke at the launch (image in the Seosamh Mac Coılle collection).
Jim O’Neill was killed in February 1976 during an IRA arson attack on a furniture warehouse on the Antrim Road near the New Lodge – Gerry Fitt’s house next door might have been the ultimate target (Belfast Child); Robert Allsopp appears to have accidentally shot himself in March 1975 (Irish Peace Process). Both were members of Na Fıanna. The flute band (Fb) is named in their memory.
Below the portraits of Jim O’Neill and Robert Allsopp is written “Glaıne ınár cgroí, neart ınár ngéaga, beart de reír [réır] ar [ár] mbrıathar.” [Purity in our hearts, strength in our limbs, action consistent with our words]
“The British government has no right in Ireland, never had any right in Ireland, and never can have any right in Ireland.” (Last Statement, 1916)
“James Connolly 1868-1916 James Connolly was born in June 5th 1868. In 1810 he became organiser for the Irish Transport And General Workers Union in Belfast. In 1913 he co-founded the Irish Citizen Army. He was one of the signatories of the 1916 Proclamation and commanded HQ in the GPO during the 1916 Rising. He was executed by the British on May 12th 1916.”
“Nora Connolly O’Brien 1893-1981 Nora Connolly was the 2nd daughter of James Connolly. Nora was a member of Cumann Na mBan and the Gaelic League in Belfast. She played an organisational role in the ICA in the run up to the 1916 Rising. She was a trade unionist and remained so throughout her life.”
Here are five images from Barrack Hill in Armagh: a pair of murals showing a “UVF Gun-Smuggler 1913” and “Arms Training 1913”, along with some UVF nail-ups, one above a True Blues flute band board (Fb).
The Maghaberry/Strip Searches mural did not have a painted poster added to it but (as can be seen in Street View) it did have a placard added to the bottom reading “Justice for Marian Price” – this difference is because this mural is under the control of anti-Agreement republicanism rather than pro-Agreement republicanism/Sınn Féın. (The same placard was also mounted in three places in the barbed wire above the wall – see the final image and the Street View link.)
The Guernica mural was left untouched, perhaps for aesthetic reasons, perhaps because it had outside funding.
Brian Robinson was shot by the British Army in 1989 immediately after he had shot and killed a Catholic (Paddy McKenna) walking along Crumlin Road. This is the fifth version of the Brian Robinson mural in Disraeli Street, Belfast.
The stone reads “UVF 1st Batt B Coy Vol Brian Robinson killed in action 2nd Sept 1989. For his country and his people he took up the gun, a volunteer to the end and a true Ulster son. Robbed of his life’s blood in Sept ’89 but the name Brian Robinson will live for all time.
The plaque includes “Also his loving mother Margaret Robinson died 3rd September 1989”
“Take pride in your history and culture”, namely: the Siege Of Derry and the Battle Of The Boyne (from the Jackson Mural in the Fountain); flute bands (Shankill Protestant Boys, Shankill Star, Pride Of The Shankill, Ulster Girls, Young Conway Volunteers, Pride Of Ardoyne, Warkworth Purple Star, Hillview, Shankill Road Defenders, Pride Of The West, West Belfast Volunteers, Sons Of Ulster, Pink Ladies (Ulster), Whiterock, Shankill Fusiliers, Britannia); Royal Black and Orange Order parades (marching past the Guildhall in Londonderry and the Clifton Street lodge in Belfast), 11th night bonfires, supporting the Northern Ireland soccer team, lambeg drumming, playing the pipes, accordion playing – with Union flags and bunting throughout.
Peter Moloney Collection 