“Fuaır sıad bás ar son saoırse na hÉıreann” [they died for the freedom of Ireland]. Na Fıanna Éıreann [warriors of Ireland; IRA youth] were begun in 1909 by Countess Markievicz and Belfast man Bulmer Hobson (WP). They took part in the Easter Rising of 1916. The role of honour lists deaths from 1969 to 1984 – the Troubles. After the Agreement, the Fıanna are affiliated with Republican Sınn Féın and the Continuity IRA. At the corner of Beechmount Avenue and the Falls Road – see the Visual History of this wall.
The Éırí Amach Na Cásca 1916 [Easter Rising 1916] mural in Beechmount Avenue/Ascaıll Ard Na bhFeá/RPG Avenue is repainted (by DD and Seany McVeigh) due to the new doorway. Compare to the previous version. (See also the IRA plaque.)
The plaques read “36th Ulster Division – dedicated to all our fallen comrades who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for his friends. For God and Ulster.” and “From the officers and volunteers of East Belfast to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Great War.” The quadrants of the mural show (clockwise) soldiers in the trenches, soldiers manning a machine-gun, the death telegraph for William MacFadzean, and a soldier reflecting on a grave. UVF YCV “Lest we forget”
“Over 40 years ago, the presence of this flag on this street unleashed a vicious campaign of discrimination and violence against this community lasting decades … 45 years on this flag can flow freely from every corner… all flags are welcome on this road and so are you … fáılte go dtí west Belfast .” The incident referred to is the “Tricolour Riots” of the 1964 Westminster election campaign, in which the IRA’s Billy McMillen (shown in the middle) stood for office. Armed police raided his Divis Street headquarters and removed a Tricolour in the window. An Phoblacht has an account of the election and events. Here is news video from 1964 of charges subsequently brought against 70 people. The US Stars & Stripes is included prominently in the array of flags, but the Union Flag is absent. Coıste’s website is now coiste.ie rather than .com.
Here is a set of 2009 images of the left half of “Freedom Corner” on Newtownards Road.
Compared to the 2005 images: the background of the UFF mural has been repainted; “Loyalist East Belfast” replaces the letters “UFF”; the Red Hand Of Ulster replaces “Feriens Tego” (From Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, 1953: “The strangest victory in all history: Heremon [Érımón] O’Neill racing a rival chieftain for possession of Ireland became the first man to touch its soil by cutting off his own hand and hurling it ashore! His sacrifice made Heremon the first king of Ulster, 1015 B.C. The red hand of Ulster is still the provinces coat of arms thousands of years later.” Most people believe it not.) Notice that outline is of the six-county Northern Ireland rather than of the historical Ulster; and the “Ulsters Past Defenders” mural has been completely repainted with the emblems of the UDR and B-Specials at the centre (“This is dedicated to those who served in our conflict – we forget not”, “Formed in 1970, the Ulster Defence Reg. was an infrantry [sic] regiment of the British army intended to carry out security duties in NI. It was later disbanded in 1992. A total of 197 members were killed through the troubles”, “Formed in 1920, the Ulster Special Constabulary had been set up taking action against the IRA. It was divided into three categories A, B, and C specials. Later in 1970 they were disbanded. Then the UDR replaced them.”)
The Victoria Cross shows a lion on top of the crown of St Edward. The medal has been awarded since 1856 for combat valour by British Army soldiers. The four faces are perhaps those of Cather, McFadzean, Quigg, and Bell (see the mural in Cappagh Gardens). Painted by Dee Craig in Pitt Park, east Belfast, as part of the Re-Imaging Communities programme (Irish Times), perhaps replacing J2585.
“The arming, the training, and the sacrifice of The People’s Army.” The arming (left) comes from the guns smuggled into Larne on the Clyde Valley. The training shown here (right) is probably Ballywalter. The sacrifice (bottom) is the 36th (Ulster) Division going over the top in James Beadle’s painting ‘Charge of the 36th (Ulster) Division, Somme, 1st July 1916’.
Peter Moloney Collection 