Extramural Activity

The image above shows the large IRPWA board (Republican Prisoners Still Exist!) being reinstated yesterday (June 21st) at the right-hand end of the International Wall on Divis Street. It was removed (on the 19th) in preparation for a new pro-Palestinian mural (BelTel); the IRPWA protested on-line (web) and it was reported that two men showed up at the house of the mural-painter and threatened to shoot him (BelTel); this led to calls from Sınn Féın for the threat to be withdrawn (Belfast Media). [Update, June 24th: the threat was withdrawn (Belfast Media)]

The IRPWA, reacting on the 20th to the publicity (web), set out its version of events and provided some information about the allocation of spots on the wall – including two anti-Agreement spots – on Divis Street (and also about Northumberland Street).

On Divis Street, the first political prisoner’s board towards the left-hand end of the wall goes back to the Castlerea Five (in 2000), followed by a painted mural in 2004 – Segregation For Irish POWs; at the right-hand end of the wall a Tommy Crossan board was mounted in 2001, though this spot has been used for other purposes at various times. (Complete histories of these spots, and the rest of the wall, can be found on the map.)

There was some tension over the anti-Agreement spots in 2016, when most of the wall was repainted for the 1916 centenary. There was a plan to include the spot on the right-hand end (see the final image of The World Did Gaze In Deep Amaze) but the IRPWA instead asserted its control of the spot and painted a Bilal Kayed mural; the 32CSM mural (in roughly the third spot from left) was covered over – for the launch only – by a version of the intended ‘Public Meeting’ mural that was instead painted on a sheet (see Shared Space). The image of Carson was also vandalised while it was being painted (see We Won’t Have Carson).

During the recent ‘Painting For Palestine’ initiative, the murals in the two anti-Agreement spots – Khader Adnan and Republican Prisoners Still Exist! (the board at the centre of the current controversy) – were left untouched.

See also the recent history of the Kieran Nugent spot at the left-hand end of the wall: replaced by a mural about Catalan independence in 2015 – Votes About Votes – but Nugent (along with Maıréad Farrell) was included in the hunger-strikers mural further down the wall – I’ll Wear No Convict’s Uniform | Peace With Justice; then Nugent was Reinstated in the form of a painted board; then the ‘reinstated’ board was removed for the 1916 centenary painting – Young Ireland; a mural of Nugent was then repainted in 2017 – Kieran Nugent; a D company board honouring Nugent, Hughes, and McKee was mounted in 2019 – They Were Faithful And They Fought.

Other controversial murals (post-Agreement) include: The Butcher’s Apron in Beechmount, 2016 | Ireland Says “No” To Genocide Joe in Divis, 2024.

Click image to enlarge
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