“I gcuımhne ar Vol. Kieran Doherty TD, [IRA] Brıogáıd Bhéal Feırste, of 54 Commedagh Drive, rugadh 16ú Deıreadh Fómhaır 1955, elected TD for Cavan/Monaghan 18th June 1981, a fuaır bás 2ú Lúnasa 1981, after 73 days on hunger strike in the H-Blocks of Long Kesh. ‘It is not those who can inflict the most, but those who can endure the most, who will conquer in the end.’ [paraphrase of Terence MacSwiney]” The memorial stone is in Commedagh Drive, Belfast, just west of Doherty’s home, where there is a plaque to mark his residence “Vol Kieran Doherty T.D. lived here 16-10-1955 – 2-8-1981 Fuaır sé bás as son saoırse na hÉıreann”.
“Erected by the National Graves Association as a tribute to the bravery of Vol. Frank Ward who of 5th April 1922 at Dunamore gave his life in the execution of his duty as a soldier of the Irish Republic. Ar dheıs Dé go raıbh a anam. ‘While Ireland holds these graves, Ireland unfree shall never be at peace.’ [Patrick Pearse]” Ward was born in Omagh. At age 22, while dismantling a bridge near Dunamore in order to frustrate British movements, he was shot in a gun battle by the B-Specials (FindAGrave). He is buried in Carrickmore, Co. Tyrone.
The hunger strikers memorial in Rossville Street, Derry, gets a new centre-piece: the dove (or lark?) and barbed wire are now mounted on a fist (or at least, curled fingers). See previously 2001 which has close-ups of the side stones, and 2004 which has a shot taken from the same spot.
“Lest we forget. This memorial is dedicated to the men of the Willowfield Battalion, East Belfast regiment, Ulster Volunteer Force, who made the supreme sacrifice in the Great War 1914-1918. It stands on the site of the old Willowfield unionist hall, opened by Sir Edward Carson on May 16th 1913, as a drill hall and rifle range for Willowfield UVF. It was from this hall volunteers marched to Balmoral, from there to the green fields of France, some never to return. Sleep on, dear sons of Ulster, ’til the trumpet sounds again.”
“In memory of our fallen comrades Ulster Volunteer Force East Belfast.”
“In solemn remembrance we salute the brave men of Ulster. Without favour or reward they fought militant republicanism on its own terms. Their courage, dedication and sacrifice we will remember for evermore. Joe Long, Robert (Squeak) Seymour, Charlie Logan, Trevor King, Billy Miller, Tommy McDowell, Joe Shaw, Colin Caldwell, Harris Boyle, Wesley Somerville, Geoffrey Freeman, David Swanson, Sinclair Jonhston, Robin Jackson. This is a few of the many. For God and Ulster.”
“This monument is erected by the County Grand Orange Lodge of Armagh to commemorate the bicentenary of the formation of the Orange Order after the Battle Of The Diamond on 21st September 1795.” The monument is near “the diamond” itself – the cross-roads of Grange Road and Derryloughan Road.
“Na bíodh amhras ar éınne cé bhéas ına mháıstır ar an tír seo nuaır a bhéas Éıre saor. ‘Sıad na daoıne féın a bhéas ı gceannas agus a rıalós [ = rıalú ?] an tír.” is a translation of a line from Padraig Pearse’s The Sovereign People: “Let no man be mistaken as to who will be lord in Ireland when Ireland is free. The people will be lord and master”. “Unveiled by Thomas McGleenan, OC Armagh Command, IRA, 7th April 1974” (close-up at CAIN).
The stone below reads: “In loving memory of all those from the greater Armagh area who gave their lives for the cause of Irish freedom. ‘While Ireland holds those graves, Ireland unfree shall never be at peace.’ [Pearse] Fuaır sıad bás ar son saoırse na hÉıreann.”
“Peadar Séamus Mac Eıreagaın, óglach in Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann, fıan Ard Mhacha Na Fıanna Éıreann, ball de Chumann Poblachtach An Phıarsaıgh cathaır Ard Mhacha. Maraíodh ag saıghdıúırí Brıotanacha ar an 7ú Aıbreann 1973 in aoıs a hocht mblıan deag.” “Peter James McGerrigan, volunteer Irish Republican Army, fian Armagh Na Fıanna Éıreann, member Pearse Republican Club Armagh City, shot dead by British troops 7th April 1973 aged 18 years.”
“Pobal Ard Mhacha agus comprádaithe Shéamus Mhic Eireagain agus Antoine Mhic Aoidh a thóg an leacht seo i gcuimhne na ndaoine uilig a thug a mbeatha ar son phoblacht na noibrí.” “This memorial was erected by the people of Armagh and comrades of Jim McGerrigan an Tony Hughes in memory of all who have made the supreme sacrifice in the struggle to achieve a workers republic.”
“Antoıne Seán Mac Aoıdh, ceathrú máıstır ceannas Ard Mhacha Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann, ball de Chumann Poblachtach An Phıarsaıgh cathaır Ard Mhacha. Maraíodh ag saıghdıúırí Brıotanacha ar an 9ú Aıbreann 1973 in aoıs a naoı mblıan déag.” “Anthony John Hughes, quartermaster Armagh command, Irish Republican Army, member Pearse Republican Club, Armagh city, shot dead by British troops 9th April 1973 aged 19 years.”
Jake McGerrigan and Tony Hughes were both shot in the Windmill Hill area of Armagh in a 48-hour period in April 1973. There is an individual plaque to Hughes in the same location (behind Culdee Terrace) and a stone to McGerrigan in Windmill Avenue. Video of Jake McGerrigan’s funeral.
“This stone was erected by the republican movement , south Armagh, in proud and loving memory of the twelve hunger strikers who laid down their lives during this phase of the struggle for Irish freedom.” “Fuaır sıad bás ar staılc ocraıs ar son saoırse na hÉıreann. Go ndeana Dıa trócaıre ar a nanamacha.” “Beıdh an bua agaınn go fóıll [We will win yet] – Raymond McCreesh – two days before he died.”
This is the republican memorial in the centre of Crossmaglen (in Cearnóg An Chaırdıneıl Ó Fıaıch). The monument was produced by Yann Goulet, the same sculptor who did the memorial at Ballyseedy, and like that work, this one depicts a young man striding forward in anger and anguish, though in this case he arises from a phoenix.
“Glóıre daoıḃse a laoċra uṁla cróga a d’ḟulaıng le fonn ar ṁéad ḃur ngrá fıal ar ṡaoırse na hÉıreann.” “Glory to you all praised and humble heroes who have willingly suffered for your unselfish and passionate love of Irish freedom.”
The brothers in question are Raymond and Brian McCreesh, from Camlough, Co Armagh. Raymond is third in the list of the ten deceased 1981 hunger strikers. “In memory of the volunteers who died on hunger strike in H-Blocks 1981.” “H-Block is rock that the British monster shall perish upon for we in H-Block stand upon the unconquerable rock of the Irish socialist republic – Bobby Sands”.
The lower stone reads “These men made the supreme sacrifice for their country by dying on hunger strike from 1917 to 1976: 1917 Thomas Ashe; 1920 Michael Fitzgerald, Joseph Murphy, Terence McSwiney; 1923 Joseph Whitty, Denis Barry, Andy Sullivan; 1940 Tony Darcy Sean McNeela; 1946 Sean McCaughey; 1974 Michael Gaughan; 1976 Frank Stagg. “It is not those who can inflict the most but those that can suffer the most who will conquer” – Terence McSwiney.”
These three images are from the grassy areas at the junctions of Dublin Road and Tullyree Road in Kilcoo, Co Down. There is a large memorial stone from the South Down Republican Graves Association “in loving memory of those who died on hungerstrike in the H Blocks of Long Kesh” along with Sands’s quote, ten crosses in the shape of an “H”, and “IRA” letters nailed to the electricity pole. “Fuaır sıad bas [bás] ag [ar] son saoırse hEıreann [na hÉıreann] .”
Peter Moloney Collection 