physical force – Page 57 – Seosamh Mac Coille Collection

The World Did Gaze In Deep Amaze

2016-08-272026-08-19Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Towards the end of July, the IRPWA began painting a POW mural for the right end of the wall, space that the historical painters hoped to use for a gallery of international figures inspired by Irish resistance — Leonard Peltier, Marcus Garvey, V.I. Lenin,W.E.B. DuBois, Mahatma Gandhi, Ho Chi Minh, Che Guevara, Nelson Mandela, Angela Davis, Muammar Gaddafi, Yassar Arafat, General Giap, and Sukhdev Thapar (see the final image, below) — under the title “And the world did gaze with deep amaze” (a line from the song The Foggy Dew).

This would have provided a book-end to the mural similar to the gallery of early nationalist figures at the left-hand end. The IRPWA whitewashed the end of the wall (see the third image, below) and commenced work on a POW mural (leading to two sets of painters working at the wall in late July (second image)). In the end, only Leonard Peltier was painted, in the same style as Wolfe Tone. And later, Seany McVeigh’s Pearse Surrenders To The Developers was added (see the fourth image).

03689 2016-07-29 Free Political Prisoner Bilal prog+

03803 2016-08-27 IntWall2016 AmazeDevelopers 1+

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03802 X03689 X03688 X03803 Divis St

100 Years Of The Covenant

2016-08-252026-08-19Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The covenant was signed in September 1912 (as captured in another famous image from Belfast’s City Hall — see Betting Office). The mural above uses the text of the Covenant as a backdrop to a composite of Edward Carson speaking and a row of Ulster Volunteers, formed in January 1913 (see the similar mural First World War).

Alain Miossec/Murals Irlande Du Nord has a post comparing this painted version with the previous plastic version, which is almost identical, apart from Stormont as a backdrop rather than the text of the Covenant.

Carnhill Walk, Castlemara, Carrickfergus

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03806

Show No Mercy, Expect None Back

2016-08-252026-08-19Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Above and below are images from a new UFF/UDA/UYM mural in Ballyclare, featuring the Ulster banner and Union flag, and a quartet of hooded gunmen.

A very similar slogan is used in an Eddie The Trooper mural in Carrickfergus.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X3808 X03807 Erskine Pk south east antrim SEA quis separabit UYM terrae filius

The Ten Foot Pikers

2016-08-242026-08-20Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The first few pages of Commandant Michael Sheer’s testimony to the Bureau of Military History describe the activities of the elite squad called the “Ten Foot Pikers”, including how postal officer Dan McGandy stole election ballots sent by mail during the general election of 1918. As described in the plaque above, McGandy went missing in January 1919 and was found in the Foyle six weeks later. This article suggests that he fell in after a struggle with British soldiers who had intercepted him while stealing grenades; this Derry Now article suggests he was thrown in by the soldiers, who then arranged his things to make it appear a suicide.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03801 strabane old road óglach oglagh IRA IRB to die locally on active service war of independence

Justice For Robert

2016-08-242026-08-19Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This small plaque is on Northumberland Way, on the ‘Dignity’ panel of the Amnesty mural and to the right of La Historia Es Nuestra. It is presumably a reference to the killing of Robert McCartney (WP) though by the time of this photograph, Jock Davison – whom the family believed had given the order for Robert’s stabbing – had already been shot dead (Bel Tel).

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03799

Ógra Shınn Féın

2016-08-232026-08-19Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

A vintage Ógra Shınn Féın stencil still visible in north Belfast. On the removal of the petrol bomb from the modern Sınn Féın Youth logo, see Slugger O’Toole.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03798 Kerrera Street

Civil & Religious Liberty

2016-08-222026-08-19Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

William III of England, commonly known as William of Orange, led his troops to victory on July 1st, 1690 at the Battle of the Boyne against the forces of James II, the deposed English monarch and the father of his wife. The Williamite campaign began with successful resistance against the Siege of Derry in 1689 and James’s final defeat came a year later on July 12th, at Aughrim.

The Brave Thirteen

2016-08-222026-08-19Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The repainting of the Mountjoy ‘Breaking The Boom‘ in the Siege Of Derry is the second of three recent works in the Waterside. (See also City Of Temperance.) The work has been retitled ‘The Brave Thirteen’ and extended to include the closing of the gates by 13 Apprentice Boys, whose surnames are given here as Sherrard, Morrison, Steward, Campsie, Cunninghman, Sherrard, Conningham, Cairns, Hunt, Crookshannks, Irwin, Harvy, Spire (for first names and alternate spellings, see Apprentice Boys).

Secret Army Silhouettes

2016-08-222026-08-20Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Secret army silhouettes of the UDA’s 3rd Battalion, D Company from Antiville, Larne.

The first wide shot, below, shows the complete line-up of UDA/UFF/UYM boards, including Eddie acting as a UDA flag-bearer. The second shows the royal family boards on the north side of the wall.

UDA Flag-Bearer

2016-08-222026-08-19Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Rather than the Union flag that he carries in other murals and on the original Iron Maiden album cover (see The Trooper), in this version Eddie The Trooper carries a UDA flag (with the UFF symbol also shown). “AYM” is probably “Antiville Young Militants”.