More graffiti relating to the Gerry Adams arrest last week, this time on Divis Street: “In-Former Republicans – Boston College touts”. The graffiti refers to a collection of interviews made by former members of paramilitary groups (on both sides), some of which the PSNI gained access to after legal action and which are reported to have formed the basis of Adams’s interrogation. More background from the BBC.
Before the Gerry Adams arrest dominated the headlines (Get The Real Story), the major issue of last week was the announcement by NI Secretary Theresa Villiers (BBC-NI) that there would be no further investigation of the La Mon Restaurant bombing – in which 12 people died (WP) – or the Ballymurphy Massacre – in which 11 died (WP). Relatives of both sets of deceased were disappointed by the announcement, and on the republican side, Gael Force Art in conjunction with Relatives For Justice took to Slıabh Dubh to promote the latter’s #Time4Truth campaign. Below is an already-existing board on the lower side of Springfield Road, painted by Rısteard Ó Murchú, making the same demand.
“Peacemaker, leader, visionary”. A new mural of Sınn Féın leader Gerry Adams was officially unveiled yesterday (Saturday, May 3rd, 2014), taking its place on the International Wall between the Local Volunteers mural and the current WBTA mural (and replacing the Falls Curfew mural). The second image, below, is of the Adams piece alone. The mural was quickly painted after Adams’s arrest on Wednesday evening (April 30th) after he went for questioning about the Jean McConville case (see also: Headstone); he was released today without charge. An earlier version of the mural (completed May 2) had the word “tout” spray-painted on it on the night of May 2nd-3rd, in the location where “ar aghaıdh lınn” now appears.
A sizeable crowd turned out, as the launch served as a rally in support of Adams, featuring a statement by Martin McGuinness. As can be seen in the third image, below, of McGuinness and Martina Anderson, protesters at the unveiling/rally carried posters showing a picture of Adams with Nelson Mandela, between the words “Defend the peace process – Release Gerry Adams TD”. Video of the launch/rally from the BBC | images from the BelTel.
The image above of Long Kesh/HMP Maze is by Michael Mullen. The piece is paint on board; the autographs of all of Mullen’s fellow inmates in Cage 18 are on the reverse. The work is in the Eileen Hickey Republican Museum on Conway Street.
More electioneering, this time by éirígí on a wall in Hugo Street: “Votáıl éırígí #1 – Pádraıc Mac Coıtır – Máıre Drumm”. As shown below, this piece is next to the Ciarán Mulhullond piece featured previously: Think Independently.
The latest message on Slıabh Dubh (Black Mountain) went up on Thursday and is gone today (Saturday). It is the work of the 1916 Societies and their ‘One Ireland, One Vote’ campaign. (See the GaelForceArt Fb page for shots of the work in progress.) The Belfast Telegraph reports that politicians, including Jim McVeigh of Sınn Féın, have called for signs on the mountainside to cease. However, the field in which the signs appear – known as the Hatchet Field – is privately owned.
“RNU in west Belfast are today leading the way in combating anti-social behavior [sic], reclaiming republican values, fighting the benefits cuts, tackling the increased drug problem, exposing the slum landlords, rebuilding community pride.” RNU [Republican Network for Unity (Xitter)] stencil on Northumberland Street. Tommy Doherty (leaflet) is running in the local council elections taking place on May 22nd.
The phoenix portion of the mural was featured previously: Out Of The Flames.
April 24th, 1916 is the date of the commencement of the Easter Rising. The left-hand side of the building on the eastern corner of the Falls Road and Ascaıll Ard Na bhFeá (Beechmount Avenue) is a memorial to Republicans from County Antrim from 1798 to 1966 – when the ‘County Antrim Memorial’ was raised in Milltown on the 50th anniversary of the Easter Rising – and beyond; it is pictured in the lower right, a large cross-shaped monument. Tom Williams (WP), an IRA volunteer who was executed during the Northern Campaign (during the second world war) and is buried in the plot, is mentioned specifically on the headstone in the lower left.
The right-hand side – the Cumman Na mBan centenary – was featured previously.
These two pieces of graffiti have appeared on the Stewartstown Road: “RIP Tommy Crossan – slan a chara” and “Tommy Crossan a true Republican”. Crossan, a former leader of the CIRA, was shot and killed on Friday (April 18th, 2014 – Good Friday) (Guardian).
Here are three photographs from last Saturday’s (April 12th, 2014) ‘An Lá Dearg’ (The Red Day; red with rage/dearg le fearg) march in Belfast to protest cuts in promotion of the Irish language. The Belfast march comes a month after a similar ‘Lá Mór Na Gaeılge’ (Irish Times report) in Dublin on February 15th.
The first image shows the head of the parade, the second shows Patsy Dan Rogers, the ‘King of Tory’, and the third is of flyers for the event.
Extramural Activity 