If You Remove The English Army Tomorrow

A line from James Connolly’s 1897 piece “Socialism And Nationalism” is adapted by the IRSP for the current post-partition situation: “England will still rule you, she would rule you through her bankers, landlords and Stormont”.

Connolly’s original thought is that – even in a self-governing republic – nationalism is not enough to establish an authentically Irish state: “If you remove the English army tomorrow and hoist the green flag over Dublin Castle, unless you set about the organization of the Socialist Republic your efforts would be in vain. England would still rule you. She would rule you through her capitalists, through her landlords, through her financiers, through the whole array of commercial and individualist institutions she has planted in this country and watered with the tears of our mothers and the blood of our martyrs.”

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Copyright © 2016 Peter Moloney
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The Evolution Of Our Revolution

A history of nationalism/republicanism from left to right: a pair of Easter lilies, four generations of rifles, and then a switch to a ballot paper with a check in favour of “unity” and a road named “Unity Way”: “From bullet to ballot: the evolution of our revolution. 1916 – 2016”

The mural was painted by Con on the north side of Hugo Street – the south side remains exclusively éırígí.

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Copyright © 2016 Peter Moloney
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Unfinished Revolution

There are currently three uses of the “Unfinished revolution, unfinished business” slogan in Derry.

First, a new mural is currently in progress in Creggan. On the right, a soldier raises the Irish Tricolour while trampling on Britain’s Union Flag and the “unfinished revolution” of 1916’s Easter Rising (reproducing a postcard of the era). The modern-day figure on the left is wielding a home-made rocket-launcher used in a 2014 attack on police. It also appears in the board immediately above, and in 2015’s Resistance in Ardoyne, north Belfast.

(The finished piece can be seen in the Seosamh Mac Coılle collection, with verbiage above and below reading, “Unfinished revolution, unfinished business” and “Resistance!”)

Central Drive, Eastway, and Westland Street, Derry.

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Copyright © 2016 Peter Moloney
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End The Torture

“End the torture in Maghaberry now!! Join IRPWA http://www.irpwa.com [irpwa.irish]” and “End internment and Britain’s torture of Irish POWs”.

Similar sentiments from the IRPWA/New IRA in Lecky Road (replacing Taobh An Bhogaıgh) and the RNU/ÓNH in Westland Street (which was previously on the rear of Free Derry Corner).

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Copyright © 2016 Peter Moloney
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Civil Rights

Paddy McAteer, Vinny Coyle, Ivan Cooper and John Hume.

October 7th:

The Bogside Artists’ Civil Rights mural in Rossville Street, Derry, which was originally painted in 2004, has been repainted (in October 2015 (BBC)) and the portraits of Ivan Cooper and John Hume added.

See also the Visual History page on the Bogside Artists.

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Copyright © 2015 Peter Moloney
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Refugees Welcome

The wave of people seeking asylum from political strife in Europe continues.”Fáılte romhaıbh a chaırde” is Irish for “Welcome, friends” while “Qaxootiga soo Dhaweyn” is Somali for “Refugees welcome”. Somalis make up about 9% of the current wave of migrants from Africa and Syrians 33% (Irish Times). 2,000 refugees are to be settled in Northern Ireland (belfastlive). The yellow-on-black outline of parents and daughter running originates in the United States, used on ‘caution’ signs along highways near the US-Mexico border. 

The mural was launched on September 12th.

Northumberland Street, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2015 Peter Moloney
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