Live Free!

Joe Cahill joined the Fianna in 1937 and was involved in the republican movement from then until his death in 2004, including being in Tom Williams’s company in 1942 and later a founder member and Chief of Staff of the Provisional IRA. In the centre of the image he is at the end of the table at the August 13, 1971, press conference to comment on the introduction of internment (CAIN). He is honoured in the mural above alongside his brothers Tom and Frank Cahill. (Pat O’Hare is painted between Tom and Frank.)

In the top left are small boards with portraits of Ned Maguire Snr, Ned Maguire Jnr, Sam Holden, Dal Delaney, Rita McParland, Paddy Meenan, Paddy Corrigan, Sean Wallace, John Petticrew, Alex Crowe.

“Never will they label our liberation struggle as criminal – Bobby Sands [March 6th Diary].”

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Copyright © 2010 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Ballymurphy Massacre August 1971

The painting (by Rıstead Ó Murchú) on the board shows the killing (from the direction of Springmartin) of Father Hugh Mullan in waste ground near Springfield Park. It was previously on the Whiterock Road but has now been moved onto the Springfield Road to join the murals calling for justice. (Out of frame to the right are more panels, including one about the children left behind and one of locals protesting.)

“Ballymurphy Massacre – August 1971 – We demand the truth” with portraits of the 11 dead – Quinn, Mullan, Connolly, Teggart, Philips, Murphy, McCarthy, Doherty, Laverty, Corr, McKerr.

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Copyright © 2010 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Liam MacCarthy Cup

“Councillor Liam MacCarthy, Ireland’s forgotten son. Gael, patriot. Winners of the All-Ireland hurling championship are awarded a trophy named after MacCarthy.

This is an unusual mural in terms of form: it is a mix of mural and board and the knot-work border does not go around the top, so that the hurley players extend the painting and not do not break the frame of the painting.

International wall, Divis Street. To the right of the Cuba 50 mural.

(Replaced in 2012 by Never Actually Existed)

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Copyright © 2009 Cathal Woods
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Same Story, Same Bigotry

Londoner Stephen Lawrence was murdered by stabbing in 1993 and, although arrests were made, no charges were brought. A 1998 public inquiry found that the Metropolitan Police Service was “institutionally racist”. In 2012, two of the original suspects were found guilty of the murder (WP). Catholic Robert Hamill was beaten to death by loyalists in Portadown in 1997 while police in an RUC land-rover looked on (WP).

Brompton Park, Ardoyne, north Belfast. The same board (in slightly different colours) appeared in Artana Street, south Belfast.

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Copyright © 2008 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Caoımhín Mac Brádaıgh

“Óglach Coımhín Mac Brádaıgh a fuaır bás agus é ag cosaınt a phobaıl.” [Volunteer Coimhín Mac Brádaigh, who died while defending his community.] Mac Brádaıgh was killed pursuing loyalist gunman Michael Stone, who was attacking the funeral of the Gibraltar 3, in Milltown Cemetery, on March 16th, 1988, twenty years before the board above was erected on the Andersonstown Road. After a short time it was moved to South Link.

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Copyright © 2008 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Hunger Strikers

Frank Stagg and Michael Gaughan are included alongside the deceased 1981 hunger strikers in a gallery of portraits that has been updated annually since (at least) 2006. The large panel shows blanket-men Hugh Rooney and Freddie Toal, and Bobby Sands, the first to die in 1981.

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Copyright © 2008 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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