The mural of the Mountjoy, taking part in the Breaking of the Boom that ended the Siege of Derry in 1689, has seen better days, in part because of the replacement of the original two-line street sign with a modern single-line one which does not fit into the mural.
Roulston Avenue, Waterside, Londonderry
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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WBLY (West Bank Loyalist Youth? – leave a comment if you can confirm) and a red hand on a wall in The Fountain in Londonderry.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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On closer inspection, one can see images relating to WWI, the UDA, the William King Flute Band, and various arms of the military such as the Paras and B Specials adorning the Cathedral Youth & Community Centre/Centre For Learning & Development in The Fountain, London-/Derry/Doire. The close-up below shows a plaque in honour of David Warke, who founded the club in 1972 (Yellow Tom); the profile is perhaps also of Warke.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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A partly commercial, partly political, mural on the Abercorn Bar, Abercorn Road, London-/Derry/Doire. The figures with outstretched hands are a copy of Maurice Harron’s ‘Hands of Peace’ statue, which is at the roundabout roughly 250m away (where the bridge in the picture lands on the city-side of the Foyle river; the location of the pub is up the hill to the left). He has made a great deal of other interesting work too – check out the video of him at work on his web site.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00942 you are now entering free derry doire ice cold harp
A commercial mural in Dún Geımhın/Dungiven promoting McCloskey’s newsagents and the Irish News by association with Derry (Gaelic) footballers (and a hurler in the background) and local boxers John Duddy (from Derry) and Paul McCloskey (WP) who was born in Dungiven (and is presumably related to the shop owners??).
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00928 newspaper of the year, john duddy on the up, paul mccloskey hits top form paddy heaney against the breeze tuesday
Mural to Kevin Lynch (WP) in Dún Geımhın/Dungiven. Lynch died after 71 days on hunger strike – the longest-surviving striker – in Long Kesh/the Maze prison.
The four black-and-white squares show (top left) Mary Nelis, Kathleen Deeny and Theresa Deery, protesting the arrests of their sons; (bottom left) the memorial to Lynch in nearby Park, where has was born; (top right) blanketmen Hugh Rooney and Freddie Toal; (bottom right) Lynch’s gravestone in Dungiven.
Along the bottom are the emblems of Kevin Lynch Memorial flute band (Fb), Kevin Lynch’s hurling club (“mısneach ‘s dílseacht”), and St Dympna’s football club, Luton (Fb).
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Copyright © 2013 Extramural Activity
X02866 X00927 kevin lynch 1956 1981 i’ll wear no convicts uniform nor meekly serve my time that Britain might brand Ireland’s fight 800 years of crime memorial flute band mısneach is dílseacht st. dympna’s gaelic football club my sister brother son is not a criminal
Here is a close-up of the UFF mural which can be seen in the background of the Feriens Tego entry, in Lord St. A pair of red hands are in shackles and the fences of the Maze are superimposed on an outline of Northern Ireland. (Very similar to the ‘For Peace’ mural on the Shankill in 1995.)
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00932 free our prisoners some gave all all gave some, east belfast, ulster freedom fighters
“If defeated everywhere else I will make my final stand for liberty with the Scotch-Irish (Ulster-Scots) of my native Virginia.”
George Washington commanded the Continental Army during the revolution and served as the first president of the United States, beginning in 1789. His ancestry was English and the quote is undocumented, the closest being this statement from McKinley.
The note in the corner reads, “History records that almost half of Washington’s army were Ulster-Scots”; the basis for this claim might be General (Charles?) Lee’s report that “half the rebel Continental Army were from Ireland.” (See Chapter 2 of Bagenal, The American Irish And Their Influence on Irish Politics.)
Ebrington Street Lower, Waterside, Londonderry
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Sport and politics intersect in this mural at the junction of Broadway and Donegall Avenue in south Belfast. Northern Irish flags provide a backdrop for the shields of Linfield football club and the Northern Ireland football association.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00926 proud supporters LFC irish football association
The “Ulsters Past Defenders” mural has been completely repainted though with a similar layout as before: UDR on the left, USC/ B-Specials on the right, but now with the USC emblem joining the UDR’s in the centre.
“Formed in 1970, the Ulster Defence Reg. was an infrantry [sic] regiment of the British army intended to carry out security duties in NI. It was later disbanded in 1992. A total of 197 members were killed through the troubles”
“This is dedicated to those who served in our conflict – we forget not”
“Formed in 1920, the Ulster Special Constabulary had been set up taking action against the IRA. It was divided into three categories A, B, and C specials. Later in 1970 they were disbanded. Then the UDR replaced them.”
Newtownards Rd, east Belfast
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 