This is the scene in Ardoyne Avenue, looking west towards Berwick Avenue and Divis mountain. In the middle ground, Sınn Féın urge people to get on the electoral rolls: “British government guilty of electoral fraud. 211,000 denied their vote [see also in Linden St]. Are you one of them? An bhfuıl tusa ına measc? Register now. Cláraıgh anoıs. Sınn Féın.”
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Copyright © 2004 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00119
The large board on the left commemorates the 10 dead hunger strikers (WP) and two blanketmen. “No greater love” echoes John 15:13.
There are also two smaller boards on the right: first, “Same old mural, same old force” with the three-in-one figure of RUC, Orange Order, and loyalist paramilitary under a traffic “No” symbol; second, an interesting board alleging collusion between the RUC and the UDA and UVF in north and east Belfast.
Oldpark Road, north Belfast
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Copyright © 2004 Cathal Woods
X00063 h-block martyrs 1981
“Emmet to hang!” The launch of a new 200th-anniversary Robert Emmet board in Ard Eoın/Ardoyne (“Comóradh Ard Eoın – Roıbeard Emmet 1803-2003”) included a re-enactment of Emmet’s execution on 20th September, 1803, for his role as the leader of the 1803 rising of the United Irishmen (WP). The words along the bottom of the board – “Let no man write my epitaph until my country takes her place among the nations of the world” – come from Emmet’s Speech From The Dock, given after the ‘guilty’ verdict was announced.
In the medallions in the corners are (clockwise) three United Irish republicans Michael Dwyer, (cousin) Anne Devlin and Thomas Russell, and Emmet’s fiancée Sarah Curran.
A mural to Emmet was one of the very few CNR mural painted before the Troubles, in 1953 for the sesquicentennial – see Visual History 02.
Havana Way, Ard Eoın/Ardoyne, north Belfast
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Copyright © 2003 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02969 X02968 X00004 michael dwyer anne devlin sarah curran thomas russell comóradh ard eoın roıbeard emmet 1803-2003
Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 