If there’s one thing superheroes like doing, it’s breaking down brick walls. At least, Spider Man, Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America and Wonder Woman do. Cat Woman crawls in via a tunnel painted on a buttress to the wall at the entrance to the Slıabh Dubh estate. The murals were painted by a local artist and local children. For images from the launch, see Black Mountain Shared Space.
Above is the new Joe Cahill mural in Beechview Park, next to the GAA pitch. The mural was unveiled on September 2nd. (Images of the unveiling from An Phoblacht.) Joe Cahill (WP) holds the cup aloft. The group in the bottom left corner (see the second image, below) are Pat O’Hare, Frank Cahill, Tom Cahill, (the three Cahills were featured in the previous mural) Ned Maguire, Jr., Ned Maguire, Sr., Alec Crowe, Paddy Meenan, Tommy Crowe, Dal Delaney, and Hugh Elliot. In the crook of Cahill’s arm (see third image, below) are Rita McParland, Sean Wallace, Paddy Corrigan, John Pettigrew, and John Stone. None of these adults is still alive; all were from the local area.
The chalet bungalows in the background on the left are gone, but you can see images of them on the Belfast Forum.
The plaque on the left names others in addition: Billy Kelly, Alice Cush, Kate Campbell, John Mulligan, Mary Mulligan, David Mulhern, Margaret Mulhern, John Clarke, Margaret Farrelly, Marie Williams, Kevin Sullivan, Michael Rock, John McColgan, Bridget Maguire, Martin Maguire, Sally Corrigan, Sonny O’Reilly, Maggie McArdle, Jimmy McArdle, Kathleen Wallace, Maragret McGuinness, John Flanagan, Maisie McGuckian, Charlie McGuckian, Anthony Muldoon, Jim Logue, Ellen Weir, Liam Mackie, Oliver McParland, Sadie McMahon, Tommy Crowe, Maddie Holden, Sarah Doyle, Jimmy Doyle, Kathleen Pettigrew, Mary Cushnihan, Bell Cosgrove, Gerry Campbell.
“JFTC2” stands for “Justice for the Craigavon 2” and is the latest Black Mountain project from the GaelForce Art group. Above is a view from Ballymurphy, over the Cú Chulaınn mural on Glenalina Road, and the image below is the view from the Slıabh Dubh estate (off Springfield Road, opposite the barracks), where a new series of super-hero murals (including Spiderman) are currently being painted. The “2” are Brendan McConville and John-Paul Wootton and appeals for the innocence (in the death of PSNI Constable Stephen Carroll), are ongoing. (Video from U.tv.)
This new pro-Basque mural on the International Wall on Divis Street calls for the release of Arnaldo Otegi, one-time ETA member and leader of a pro-Basque party, along with other political prisoners. (More information on Otegi at arnaldotegi.com and WP.) “Pake bidean” is the Basque for “The pathway to peace”. (The mural is at the eastern end of the wall; takes the place of the Ian Knox anti-racism mural featured in Never Actually Existed.)
Update: Otegi was released in March, 2016 (Irish Times)
“Che Guevara – Blood of an Irish rebel.” A colourful new mural has been completed on the Falls Road (at the end of McQuillan Street) in time for the anniversary of Che Guevara’s death, on October 9th, 1967. The mural features multiple copies of Korda’s iconic Guerillero Heroico (discussed in the Visual History page on Jim Fitzpatrick), two quotes from Che – “When forces of oppression come to maintain themselves in power against established law, peace is considered already broken” and “If you tremble with indignation at every injustice then you are a comrade of mine” – and the flags of (from left to right) the Basque Country, Palestine, Ireland, Cuba, Catalonia and Argentina (where Che was born; or perhaps Guatemala, where he was first active – the shield above contains no central icon, which would distinguish the flags).
Che’s father declared that the blood of Irish rebels ran through his son, in reference to their Irish ancestry. For genealogical information, see the previous entry on the Che Guevara Lynch mural in Derry.
The artist is Damian “DeeDee” Walker, of the Gaelforce group. The piece has been in progress for about a month.
The new Gaeltacht mural on Divis Steet’s International Wall is to mark the launch of The Big Gaeltacht Quarter Plan and the signing of the Gaeltacht Quarter Charter (Tele).
Detail from a new mural on the Springfield Road, opposite the barracks: End British internment of Irish Republicans, 2013. Painted by Rebel Rebel of the Gael Force Art group. A shot of the whole piece can be found below.
Extramural Activity 