City/Town

The RIC Murder Gang

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One RIC member was killed and another wounded outside the Beehive Bar in a shoot-out with IRA men in September 1920. In reprisal, County Inspector Harrison and his men killed Vol. Ned Trodden, Vol. Sean Gaynor, and Sean McFadden (Rısteard Ó Murchú). The gang, under Detective Inspector Nixon, would go on to kill more Catholics in 1921 and in 1922 commit the McMahon killings and the Arnon Street killings, in each of which 6 people died.

On the right is a small board on “political policing”: “Agents exposed. Shoot-to-kill. Spying. Cover-ups. Collusion. Plastic Bullets. Sectarian policing. Poisoning peace process.”

Northumberland Street, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2007 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Belfast Dockers And Carters Strike 1907

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“Not as Catholics or Protestants, not as nationalists or unionists, but as Belfast workers standing together.” For the 100th anniversary of the strike by dockers and carters in Belfast, this large board was painted by Fra Maher and Rısteard Ó Murchú. It was launched without the title across the top (youtube | M03786).

Leaders Boyd and Larkin are portrayed in the middle. The second panel shows speakers (including Larkin) on a platform (O’Hare); the third shows an RIC guard of blackleg workers – about 70% of the force mutinied and the fifth panel shows dismissed RIC constable William Barrett being carried through Belfast; the sixth shows the Cameron Highlanders being stoned by picketers (History Ireland). Margaret Lennon and Charles McMullan, two Catholic victims of British soldiers, shot during protests, are portrayed in the bottom right.

Northumberland Street, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2007 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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One Big Union

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The red hand of Ulster serves as the emblem of the Irish Transport & General Workers Union, founded by Jim Larkin in 1909. It was led by James Connolly from 1914 to 1916. Winifred Carney, from Bangor, founded the Irish Textile Workers’ Union in Belfast in 1912 and was personal secretary to Connolly. A border of rope frames the main image of carters working on the docks, above.

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Copyright © 2007 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Charter Youth Club/Sandy Row Womans Group

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Here is a complete set of the nine panels on Blythe Street, five from the Charter Youth Club, four from the Sandy Row Womans Group [sic].

Blythe Street, Sandy Row, south Belfast

Update (2014): The Womans Group/Women’s Group panels were featured in more detail in Mr Saturday Night and Those Days Are Gone.

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Copyright © 2007 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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