CNR

The Courage And Sacrifice Of The Hunger Strikers

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The Clowney Street phoenix, which dates back to 1981 (see The Oldest Murals), has been repainted, and above, the blanketmen painting (see 1981-2011) has been replaced with a montage of photographs from the period, including prisoners on the blanket and dirty protest, the funeral of Sands and of McDonnell, and three pieces of graffiti: “Thirty thousands can’t be wrong” (Sands’s election to Westminster), “Bobby Sands murdered 1.17 am 5th May 1981”, and “My position is in total contrast to that of an ordinary prisoner. I am a political prisoner.”

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Free Stephen Murney

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2013-05-09 StephenMurney+

The advertising hoarding at the corner of Divis Street and Northumberland Street continues to provide incongruouscounterpoints to the material below it. Stephen Murney is an éirígí activist currently in prison on terrorism charges (BBC-NI). On the left are the outstretched arms of Jim Larkin, whose statue was featured two days ago.

2013-05-09 StephenMurneyleft+

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Ballymurphy Memorial

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2013-05-06 BallymurphyMemorial+

This is a memorial stone on Springhill Avenue in Ballymurphy to deceased republican volunteers from the area. This stone can be seen in the middle distance in first image in the post White Line, Black Flag.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
this monument was erected by the republican people of greater in proud and loving memory of all those volunteers from the area who gave their lives in the fight for irish freedom unveiled by gerry adams 12th may 1985 i ndíl [ndıl] cuımhne [chuımhne] i gcónaí ag na poblachtánaıgh ón cheantar barr clunaı also of the civilians who died at the hands of the british army r.u.c. u.d.r. and loyalist extremists mcparland kane maguire meehan sloan mccormick campbell magee dougal mccrudden clarke parker quigley mulholland o’rawe mccartland mulvenna pettigrew bryson teer stone mcgrillen tolan mcwilliams delaney o’neill jordan doyle mccracken mcgeown plough sunburst

White Line, Black Flag

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2013-05-05 HungerstrikersAbu+

The anti-Thatcher slogan on Black Mountain above Ballymurphy was replaced with “Hunger Strikers Abú”. May 5th was the anniversary of Bobby Sands’ death in 1981 and a “white line” protest took place – marchers walk down the white line in the middle of road – with participants bearing Sands’ image and carrying a black flag.

2013-05-05 WhiteLineBlackFlag+

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Break The Connection With Capitalism

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2013-05-01 Anti-Fascist+

“In Memory of the Belfast men who fought against fascism with the international brigade, Spanish civil war 1936 – 1939.” The colours of the international brigade (red, yellow and purple – here a lighter violet colour) serve as a background.

The board shows Belfast socialists walking at Bodenstown, 1934 as part of the annual Wolfe Tone commemoration, held each year in June. Tone, an Anglican and the founder of the United Irishmen, is buried in the Bodenstown graveyard. Sources report, however, that there was an attempt to exclude these marchers, from “Shankill Rd Belfast Branch”, from part of the 1934 commemoration. The reasons given vary: they were carrying a non-standard banner, they had communist leanings, and, they were Protestants. (See Paddy Byrne | WP1 – though a different banner is mentioned | WP2 – see “legacy” section | WP3 – see fn. 1).

The plaque to the right reads: “In memory of all those who fought in Spain against Fascism 1936-1939. This mural  was erected by Teach Na Fáılte Republican Ex-Prisoners Support Group and Belfast City Council. It was unveiled on April 20th, 2013 (irsp.ie). Signed “[Fra] Maher 2013”.

Northumberland Street, west Belfast.

X00828 2022-03-19 Anti-Fascism plaque+

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Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01079 X00828 Original photo of the marchers, at An Phoblacht.

Béal Feırste Feabhsaıthe

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2013-05-01 Feabhsaithe+

Irish-language signage from Belfast City Council at the corner of An Bealach Leathan/Broadway and Bóthar na bhFál/Falls Road. On the left you can see the English translation of the central board’s “Ag tógáıl Béal Feirste feabhsaıthe”: “Building a better Belfast”. The building shown to the right and left of the centre is proposed for the site.

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Éıre Nua

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2013-04-30 RoryOBradaighAntrimRd+

This is a recent poster (this one on the Antrim Road near Carlisle Circus) featuring the “Éıre Nua” plan of the 70s and 80s (which remains policy of Republican Sınn Féın, which split from Sınn Féın in 1986) and one of its authors, Ruaırí Ó Bradaıgh (WP). The plan calls for four parliaments, one in each of the four provinces, with a capital in Athlone. A documentary, Unfinished Business, featuring Ó Bradaıgh, can be seen here.

Update: Ó Bradaıgh died on June 5th, 2013 (Irish Times)

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