printed board/placard

11 Innocent Civilians

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The inquest into the Ballymurphy Massacre – the killings of 11 people from August 9th to 11th, continues, with testimony this past week from former Paratrooper Henry Gow (Irish News | BBC-NI). The image above shows Hugh Mullan being shot from Springmartin while going to the aid of a neigbour, Bobby Clarke; he is waving a white Babygro (BallymurphyMassacre.com). The Paratrooper is distinguished by his red beret.

The mural was originally painted by Rısteard Ó Murchú in 2008 and displayed first on the Whiterock Road then around the corner on the Springfield Road; the location of the repainted board is at the Glenalina Road entrance to the area, in the spot of the former 1916 GPO mural (which had lasted seventeen years before the wall was re-plastered and whitewashed in 2017).

“This plaque is dedicated to the 11 innocent civilians murdered by members of the British Parachute regiment in August 1971. Fr Hugh Mullan, Frank Quinn, Noel Phillips, Joan Connolly, Danny Teggart, Joseph Murphy, Eddie Doherty, John Laverty, Joseph Corr, Paddy McCarthy, John McKerr. Donated by the Frank McCann Cumann, Hamilton [Scotland] (Fb).” This might be the plaque seen previously in Beechmount Avenue; the wall in Beechmount was “architecturally re-imaged” (i.e. knocked down) in 2017, with the dispersal of several plaques and boards.

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Groves – Reilly Corner

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“Coırnéal Groves Reilly”. Throughout the Troubles the junction of the Glen and Falls Road was home to an intensely fortified RUC barracks. The barracks was demolished in 2005 and gradually redeveloped over the years. In January (2019) it was renamed in honour of activists Emma Groves and Clara Reilly who campaigned for decades against plastic bullets (Groves was blinded in 1972 by a plastic bullet fire by a Paratrooper) and founder members of Relatives For Justice (web). For images from the launch, see Irish Examiner.

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Not Politically Correct

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Former TUV but now independent Councillor Jolene Bunting (web) was elected from the Court district in west Belfast in 2014. Her 2019 campaign posters (seen here around Lanark Way and Shankill Road) have drawn criticism (NewsLetter) – in addition to those shown here are “Put veterans before immigrants” and “Local homes for local people”. Her appeal against a 4-month suspension for anti-Islamic remarks was rejected last week, despite her claim that elected representatives have enhanced freedom of speech (Irish Times).

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Springhill-Westrock Massacre

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The Department For Communities (web) is “re-imaging” the brick wall at the back of St Mary’s University College (along Ascaıll Ard Na bhFeá/Beechmount Avenue) into a fence. It’s not clear what, if anything, was wrong with the wall in physical terms. One possible “community” reason for the wall’s removal is to thereby remove the roughly 20 murals and 18 panels of CNR victims (original 15 + 3 more) on the wall. Whatever the reason, these will no longer have a home and some are being moved to other locations, including the Springhill-Westrock Massacre mural. For more information about the massacre, see the post about the board when it was in Ascaıll Ard Na bhFeá – The Truth Costs Nothing.

See also: the WBTA mural was moved from Beechmount Ave (Alternative Transport) to Clowney Street (Alternative Transport, Alternative Location).

Update: the conversion (from wall to fence) was completed in September (St Mary’s).

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Vote For Me, Then Butt Out

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Local elections take place two weeks from today, on Thursday May 2nd. Some are fed up with the political status quo: “Tired of the same old self-serving rubbish? Maybe it’s time for a chance. Politicians are elected by you to serve you. Demand honesty, demand transparency, demand better.” The “blue” (unionist) candidate is described as having “superficial charm, egocentricity, untruthfulness & insincerity, lack of remorse & shame, poor judgement, failure to plan & learn from experience” and voters are counselled “when electing a candidate, always seek the advice of a qualified psychologist.” The placards are posted on Ormeau bridge, between nationalist lower Ormeau and unionist Annadale. At the top of the light-pole, actual candidate Paul Loughran is standing from People Before Profit, which we have seen before advertising in both loyalist and republican areas: see Pick And Mix.

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100 Years In Northern Ireland

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“Commemorating 100 years of the Royal Air Force in Northern Ireland.” This Donegall Road mural highlights six locations in the north and their connection to the RAF in WWI, including Bentra, near Whitehead, home to the Sea Scout airships that guarded Larne-Stranraer ferries against U-boats.

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Their Only Colour Was Khaki

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This is a close-up of the painting in the window of My Old Toy Box (Fb) in Smithfield Market (BelfastCity). It includes the 36th (Ulster) Division, and 10th and 16th (Irish) Divisions. It is not clear why the 63rd (Royal Naval) Division (WP) is included as it does not appear to have any connection to Ireland. Please leave a comment if you can explain the connection.

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Inspire, Uphold, And Make Happy

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The wall at the top of Springhill Avenue was knocked down to great acclaim in 2017 (Guardian) but the impact was merely cosmetic as a wire fence and substantial shrubbery continued to block the way. The removal of the wall also meant the removal of the pro-Palestinian murals painted on it: Palestine Abú | Man Against Machine | Hellfire. In its place has now been put a large board celebrating the history of the area and especially the contribution made by Des Wilson and Noelle Ryan who worked in Springhill House for over forty years. Both Des and Noelle were interviewed by NVTv in 2012. Des turned 93 in July (encomium by Gerry Adams); Noelle died in 2014 (An Phoblacht | BBC-NI).

The left hand side of the mural shows Mother Teresa, who lived and worked in the area with four nuns from 1971 to 1973 before being put out (allegedly) by the Catholic church (TripleVision documentary).

On the right, the old and new Springhills are contrasted, with images taken from the same spot approximately 30 years apart.

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