Sean Downes

“Sean [aka John] Downes, age 22, murdered at this location by the RUC on the 12/8/84. Victim of state violence.” Downes was hit at close range by a plastic bullet outside Connolly House on the Andersonstown Road, Belfast during an attempt by police to arrest NORAID‘s Martin Galvin. Reserve Constable Nigel Hegarty was charged with manslaughter but was cleared.

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Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
M01946

Leana An Dúın Unbowed Unbroken

The dying Cú Chulaınn (as portrayed in bronze by Oliver Sheppard, in a statue installed in the GPO in 1935) is used as a symbol for the locals from Lenadoon area of west Belfast who fought for freedom (“saoırse”): Tony Henderson, John Finucane, Brendan O’Callaghan, Joe McDonnell, Laura Crawford, Maıréad Farrell, Patricia Black, Bridie O’Neill (subsequently changed to Bridie Quinn).

See also the Cú Chulaınn Visual History page.

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Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
M01934

They May Kill The Revolutionary

“They may kill the revolutionary but not the revolution.” The imagery of the open-throated volunteers goes back to a 1981 poster. The 11 portraits are perhaps those of the people listed on the roll of honour at Constance Markievicz House, a short distance away: Martin Skillen, Gerard Fennell, Sean McDermott, Paul Best, Pearse Jordan, Terence O’Neill, John Dempsey, Martin Forsythe, Tom Magill, Sean Savage. Kevin McCracken.

Norglen Parade, Belfast

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Copyright © 2002/2004 Peter Moloney
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Copyright © 2010 Peter Moloney
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Hedge Row School

“Leabhaır an teanga Ghaeılge lıom” [“Speak Irish with me”]. Catholic (and Presbyterian) education was prohibited by the penal laws (WP) and particularly the Education Act of 1695 (WP) – this is probably what’s on the notice on the left-hand tree. Schooling by Catholics (in Irish) nonetheless took place, in covert houses and outhouses, as well as in fields and hedge-rows. The Act was repealed in 1782, provided the teacher took an oath of allegiance to the Crown.

Ardoyne Avenue, north Belfast

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Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
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Copyright © 2008 Peter Moloney
M04305

An Gorta Mór

An Gorta Mór is the Great Famine, or the Great Hunger among those who point out that there was plenty of food in Ireland in the late 1840s, just not made available to peasants. Of a population around eight million, a million people died and a million more emigrated. “They buried us without shroud or coffin” is a line from an unrelated Seamus Heaney poem Requiem For The Croppies.

The mural comprises three images from Illustrated London News: The Ejectment, The Day After The Ejectment | The Embarkation, Waterloo Docks Liverpool.

“Ardoyne Art & Environment Project”. In 2004, “Emigration” was incorrectly spelled with two “M”s – see the post at Extramural Activity.

Ardoyne Avenue, north Belfast

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Copyright © 2002 Peter Moloney
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