CNR

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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Nailed To The Mast

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“For what died the sons of Roısín?” The Dogs of IRA D Company [second battalion, Belfast brigade] are added onto the mural of native son and first blanket man, Kieran Nugent: Nugent is reported to have said to his mother, “If they want me to wear a uniform they’ll have to nail it to my back.”

The International Wall, Divis Street, west Belfast. The same board was also mounted in Balkan Street. The Dogs also appear around the corner on Northumberland Street (see Our Struggle Continues).

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Stop The Genocide Of Yemeni People

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The United Nations in February called the humanitarian crisis in Yemen the worst in the world (UN) with famine and cholera affecting 18 million people (WP). According to UNICEF, a child is dying every ten minutes (UNICEF). The crisis results from the on-going civil war. Saudi Arabia (with arms, training, and intelligence support from the UK (Theresa May on the left next to Union Flag headscarf), the US (Trump on the right next to US flag headscarf), and France (French flag on the lowest missile) has conducted an air campaign to restore Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, who was driven from Aden in March, 2015, by Houthi forces. The Saudi intervention has been criticized for killing citizens and destroying infrastructure (WP), shown in the mural above by bombs falling on a hospital and a school. Update: UK sales were found to be illegal by the Court Of Appeal on June 20th, 2019 (BBC).

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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Timeless Memorials

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Discounts on hand-held and full-size Tricolours “in memory of all of those who have given their lives in the cause of Irish freedom” from the Milltown engravers – next to the Kurdish barbers – on the Falls Road.

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Lámh Chuıdıthe

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“Ag síneadh amach lámh chuıdıthe” [stretching out a helping hand] – this is a new Cogús [conscience] (Fb) republican prisoners office on Ardoyne Avenue.

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The First Dáıl

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“Countess Markievicz – first woman to be a member of the 1st Dáıl and the 1st woman in the world to hold a cabinet position as minister for labour 1919-1922.” Markievicz is shown here in civilian garb with a Cumann na mBan pin – compare with the previous mural celebrating the centenary of CnamB. The first Dáil Éireann met in the Round Room of the Mansion House in Dublin (residence of the Lord Mayor) on January 21st, 1919. 35 Sinn Féin deputies – including Markievicz – were absent because they were “fé ghlas ag Gallaıbh” (“imprisoned by foreigners”) and four more “ar díbırt ag Gallaıbh” (deported by foreigners); Unionist members including Edward Carson did not attend (The Irish Story). Among its business was the adoption of a Declaration Of Irish Independence (title page shown on the right).

The photograph reproduced is of the crowd awaiting news of a truce in the War Of Independence in July 1921 (WP).

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Spoil Your Vote

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“Don’t forget republican prisoners – spoil your vote for political status.” Below are two images of RSF posters in support of republican prisoners (also, Éıre Nua).

Stencil in Ascaill Ard Na bhFeá/Beechmount Avenue, Belfast.

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Wear Your Easter Lily With Pride

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16 republicans, the seven signatories of the Proclamation among them, were executed in the wake of the Easter Rising, 14 of them in Dublin in a 10-day period from May 3rd to 12th. They are depicted in this Saoradh  (web | tw) poster blindfolded and wearing suits: (from left to right) Patrick Pearse, Thomas Clarke, Thomas MacDonagh, Joseph Plunkett, Edward Daly, William Pearse, Michael O’Hanrahan, John MacBride, Éamonn Ceannt, Michael Mallin, Seán Heuston, Con Colbert, James Connolly, Seán MacDiarmada, Thomas Kent, and Roger Casement. Their deaths and the Rising are commemorated in Belfast each Easter with a parade

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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Winter Is Over

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The long wait for fans of the television series Game Of Thrones is over as season eight commences this week. Season seven ended in August 2017. Above is Daenyres of House Targaryen, seeking to reclaim the Iron Throne from her base in the Bawnmore estate. Previously: The Night King.

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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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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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