The Shankill Memorial Garden next to West Kirk Presbyterian is home to memorials to WWI (see Who Went To War And Never Returned) and the Shankill Bombing (see In The Shadow Of Death) . It has also become the site of many small memorials to local people, including volunteers in the UVF. For “S Company” see S Company, C Company.
“Est 1913 Irish Citizen Army / Irish National Liberation Army Est. 1974”. The Irish Citizen Army was founded in Dublin in 1913 to protect striking workers from police violence. After taking part in the Easter Rising of 1916, however, the ICA did not participate in the War Of Independence and the Civil War. In 1974, some founding members considered reviving the “ICA” name to reflect the organisation’s “allegiance to the working class” while Costello (pictured on the right) suggested “National Liberation Army”, which was then amended to include “Irish” (History Ireland | WP | WP). MNI includes an “ICA-INLA” Starry Plough on the stairs into the New Lodge from 1989 (C00105).
The banner raised over the Liberty Hall headquarters of the ICA read “We serve neither king nor kaiser but Ireland” – the famous photograph is included in the post of the same name – but this has been updated. The Belfast version of the board, above, reads “nor Nato”, while the Derry version, below reads “nor quisling”.
“Victory to the workers”. Costello House is home to the IRSP (tw) “Advice Hub” with representative Dan Murphy (Mid Falls & Springfield) and Michaely Kelly (Lower Falls). Murphy (in Black Mountain) received 2.7% and Kelly (in Court) 3.2% of first-preference votes in the recent local elections (WP).
Art by Danny Rumbl (ig), HMConstance (ig), KMG (ig), Zippy (ig), Codo (ig), and various writers on the Cupar Way “peace” line, on top of pieces from last year by Bust, Lobster, and others – New Levels, Same Devils.
Long-time Palestinian activist and former spokesperson for Islamic Jihad Khader Adnan died on May 2nd, at the age of 45, after 87 days on hunger strike in Ramla prison, in central Israel (Al Jazeera).
This was Adnan’s fifth time on hunger strike. In 2017, he spent 58 days on hunger strike and in 2015, 56 days. The strike in 2011-2012 lasted 66 days, during which time a mural was painted just to left of the mural shown here, featuring Adnan and Hanna Shalabi; they, along with many other prisoners, were on hunger strike to protest the “administrative detention” (imprisonment without trial) of more than 300 Palestinians – see Administrative Detention. Earlier, shorter, strikes took place in 2002 and in 2000, when he was imprisoned by the Palestinian National Authority for directing a protest against Lionel Jospin, then French Prime Minister (Gulf News).
According to Amnesty International, there are currently more than 1,000 Palestinians being held on ‘administrative detention’ (Amnesty).
As can be seen from the in-progress shots below, Risteard Ó Murchú painted Latuff’s cartoon, with Latuff looking on.
“I measc laochra na nGael go raibhh siad.” Profiles of Patricia Black, Frankie Ryan, Michael Ferguson, and Sean Keenan were added in late 2021 (video of launch) to the pair of existing monuments that memorialise them in Colin/Poleglass (for which see The Undauntable Thought on Peter’s site).
Black and Ryan were IRA volunteers killed by in a premature bomb explosion near London (An Phoblacht).
Michael Ferguson and Seán Keenan were activists and Sinn Féin councillors. Both died in 2006 of cancer (Irish Times | Bel Tel).
On Pantridge Road, which runs down to Michael Ferguson roundabout (An Phoblacht).
Voters go to the polls tomorrow in the loca government elections. Of the parties standing, the TUV, DUP, and – presumably this west Belfast household’s preference – Aontú are against the legal status of abortion in NI.
“FNGG” stands for “Féile Na gCloigíní Gorma” [Festival Of The Bluebells]. Bluebells – cloigíní gorma – typically grow in woodlands rather than on open hillsides (Belfast Hills Partnership) but Sliabh Dubh/Black Mountain (site of this latest message on the mountain in support of the festival) is also a blooming ground – images can be seen in the festival’s full programme (at Glór Na Móna). The festival includes plenty of outdoor activities, including a bluebell walk on Friday morning; Damien Dempsey headlines the concert at St Comgall’s on Thursday night.
The title of today’s post [The Magic/Spell/Charm Of Black Mountain] comes from a piece by Feargal Mac Ionnrachtaigh, writing about his childhood experiences of the upper Springfield area, including the bluebells on the mountain, his father Terry’s love for the hill, and the killing of brother Terry Óg by the LVF. See previously (at Peter’s site) Save The Black Mountain, and No Such Thing As Failure | Páirc Mhic Ionnrachtaigh.
“Mol an óige agus tiocfaidh sí [encourage youth and it will flourish].” The emblems in the corners are of two local GAA clubs “Naomh Eoin” and “Caiiinéal [Cairdinéal] Uí Dhomhnaill” – the “Joe Cahill Annual Tournament” was held at Easter at their two pitches.
Joe Cahill joined the Fianna in 1937 and was involved in the republican movement from then until his death in 2004, including being in Tom Williams’s company in 1942, and was later a founder member and Chief of Staff of the Provisional IRA.
Extramural Activity 