Here are some in-progress shots of the new Frederick Douglass mural being painted on Northumberland Street, being painted by a Short Strand artist, Marty Lyons, and Mark Ervine. (An image of the three artists during work on the mural can be seen at An Phoblacht.)
Nelson Mandela is in the second image. The person in the third image is Harriet Tubman rather than Rosa Parks, though Tubman did not wear spectacles; Parks will also be included.
Na Fıanna Éıreann was founded by Constance Markievicz – shown on the left of the mural – and Bulmer Hobson in 1909 as a scouting organisation for boys. When they reached 17, they were recruited into the IRB.
Mural in Beechmount Avenue/Ascaıll Ard na bhFeá commemorating the 30th anniversary of the hunger strike. The watchtowers of Long Kesh provide a lower border, joined by symbols of republican prisoners the lark and the green ribbon, as well as the Easter lily and Sınn Féın logo. “Honour Ireland’s dead – wear an Easter lily”. “I gcuımhne ar an staılc ocráıs. [In memory of the hunger strike.]” Replaces the previous Honour Ireland’s Dead which did not feature the hunger strike.
“They cannot or never will break our spirit … Tıocfaıdh ár lá” – Bobby Sands. For the 30th anniversary of the 1981 hunger strike in which ten republican prisoners died in the H Blocks.
“30th anniversary of the hunger strike. 5th May 1981. IRA final salute. IRA Vol. Bobby Sands, MP Fermanagh South Tyrone.” Gerry Adams watches on as a funeral volley is fired over Sands’s coffin.
In 2011, Éırígí contested the local election in Belfast, fielding candidates in two areas. Pádraıc Mac Coıtır received 1,415 first preference votes (more than 10%) in Upper Falls and John McCusker 647 in Lower Falls. Neither was successful (WP).
Queen Victoria and entourage paddle along the Irish shore at the end of the Great Hunger. (Here are one | two discussions of her visit and (un)involvement with famine relief.) Work by Rosie McGurran (Fb) in (the old) Linden Street, west Belfast.
When the mural to “the first blanketman” Kieran Nugent mural (in the Rock streets) was re-done in February 2011, it was initially framed with a terrific selection of posters from the period, many of them from continental Europe, about Kieran, the blanket protest, and hunger striker.
“I’m not a criminal. The Brits will have to nail prison clothes to my back.” For the previous mural, and some background about Nugent going “on the blanket”, see M02550.
A picnic basket of political parties: PUP, Conservatives and Unionists, DUP, [perhaps Alliance sticking out at the bottom] SDLP, and Sınn Féın. Painted for International Peace Day, 2009.
In 1607 – “400 blıaın” after the Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland – 50 years of newly-asserted English control, most recently at the hands of Charles Blount – who defeated the pair in the Nine Years’ War – and Arthur Chichester – who, as O’Donnell is shown reading, was “appointed Lord Deputy in Ireland” in 1605 – compelled Earls Hugh O’Neill of Tyrone and Rory O’Donnell of Tyrconnell to depart Ireland on a ship bound for Spain in order to petition for Spanish support in reclaiming the lands and status they were losing under English rule. They ended up in Rome instead and never returned, ending the period of Gaelic chiefs’ rule in Ireland and making way for the plantation of Ulster.
The pair of plaques on the left indicate that the mural was painted as part of the Re-Imaging Communities Programme’ (top) and launched by President Mary McAleese on June 19th (bottom). Even though the subject was historical, the state funding for the project required the removal of a sword from O’Neill’s right hand; he is shown instead clutching the collar of his cloak. For more on the re-imaging programme, see Visual History 10.
“Imeacht na nIarlaí. I ndıadh 400 blıaın … that the eternal values of liberty and democracy have prevailed and the sons and daughters of the planter and the Gael have found a way to share the land of their birth and live together in peace.”
