Palestinian leader and secretary-general of Fatah during the 90s, Marwan Barghouti joined the Second Intifada (2000) and was arrested by Israeli forces in 2002 and sentenced to five life sentences for attacks by al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades. Barghouti laid out the rationale for the current hunger strike of 1,000 prisoners in a New York Times op-ed. He was reportedly caught eating in May.
“Stop drug dealers in our area.” “No drug dealers welcome in our area.” These anti-drug-dealing posters from Greater Ardoyne Residents’ Collective (Fb) are all over the area at present. A leaflet was also circulated as part of the campaign.
Seán Ó Rıordan was aged 13 when “killed in action by British crown forces” on Cawnpore Street on 23rd March 1972 (Sutton) and he is buried in Milltown cemetery. The 1977 Protocol I of the Geneva Convention would later prohibit conscription of children younger than 15 but allow for their voluntary participation. It is thus notable that this new board to “Fıann [sic] Seán Ó Rıordan” was “erected by the family”.
Ascaıll Ard Na bhFeá/Beechmount Avenue, west Belfast.
Saoradh (Fb) tarp in Ardoyne with scenes of protest, including a placard reading “Sinn Fein, SDLP, Catholic church silence”. The tarp is next to the plaque for IRA volunteer Larry Marley (shown below), whose protracted funeral meant scenes from Ardoyne being broadcast worldwide.
A variety of posters for marches in Easter week: on the 14th, Saoradh’s call for a counter-protest to the march by former soldiers against prosecutions for deaths during the Troubles (see e.g. Irish News); on the 16th, an Easter Rising commemorative march, somehow associated with the IRA’s D Company; on the 17th (see the final image, below), an Easter Rising commemoration in Derry, organised by Saoradh (and on the 30th – also in the final image below – a commemoration for “Óglach Teddy Campbell”).
Another selection of distressed posters, torn to reveal … more posters. The electrical box in the third image was included in last year’s collection: We Had Our Distresses.
Here, from left to right, are all of the metalworks in the memorial garden on Ascaıll Ard Na bhFeá by sculptor and painter Hugh Clawson. On the stone (above) an IRA volunteer – with the emblem of the Easter lily on his beret – rests in the arms of Mother Ireland and her harp. Then two featuring the lark as the ‘spirit of freedom’ (from The Lark And The Freedom Fighter). In the first, the lark breaks through the bars of a prison cell, and in the image below, it flies in front of an “H” made of bricks, carrying a bin lid. (For a lark carrying a rifle, see Lark Of War and Armed Resistance.) Clawson’s name can be seen on the bars. In the second, a lark carries a binlid, used by locals to signal the presence of British Army troops. “In memory of all Irish martyrs who have died on hunger strike in the fight for Irish freedom. Their inspiration and courage will always be remembered by the republican movement and republican family (mid Falls).” One female and one male volunteer stand with bowed heads. A pair of hands joined in prayer in the Beechmount memorial garden: “in memory of those innocent people from this area who have died in this struggle for Irish freedom”. Finally, a scene of protest, in front of the Free Ireland mural at the bottom of the street. “In memory of the all the unsung heroes off [sic] this area who’s [sic] hardship, sacrifice and support during this struggle for Irish freedom will never be forgotten by the Belfast Brigade óglaıgh na h-éıreann.” The plaque depicts the work of print-makers (“Smash H-Block Armagh”), marchers carrying portraits of hunger strikers (“Mid Falls supports the women of Armagh”), bin-lid rattlers, and muralists. The tarp above reads “Cuımhníonn Lár na bhFál – Mid Falls remembers” Out of picture to the right of the wide shot is Bobby Sands’s quote “Our revenge will be the laughter of our children.” See M04415.
Extramural Activity 