In 2009, the Veterans’ Day holiday (begun in 2006) became Armed Forces Day. The event (and the raising of an MoD flag over Belfast City Hall – An Phoblacht) was opposed by éırígí and Sınn Féın. These posters are on the Falls Road.
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Copyright © 2009 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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“I ndıl gcuımhne oglach [sic] Sean McCaughey, Gaelgoır [sic] agus muınteıor [sic] [Irish-speaker and teacher]. Fuaır sé bás ar son saoırse na hÉıreann.” “Formerly of Duneden Park, Ardoyne. Died on hunger and thirst strike after 23 days in Portlaoise gaol on May 11th 1946.” “For those who believe no explanation is necessary; for those who don’t believe no explanation is possible.”
McCaughey was convicted of kidnapping and torturing IRA chief of staff Sean Hayes, who was suspected of treason. His hunger and thirst strike was preceded by five years on the blanket.
“NBCS” = North Belfast Cultural Society.
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Copyright © 2008 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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2006 was the 25th anniversary of the second hunger strike, in 1981. This Ardoyne commemorative piece combines a painted border of Celtic knotwork with boards depicting scenes from 1981: a funeral volley, Derry women in blankets, women banging binlids, a masked protester throwing a Molotov cocktail at an armoured jeep, marchers outside a polling station.
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Copyright © 2008 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The close-up shows three generations of toddler hurlers, from barefoot and cloth-cap to boots and braces to baseball cap and tracksuit. Kickhams is the local Cumann Luthchleas Gael (GAA club) (Fb | tw), founded 1907, named for republican writer Charles Kickham. The mural shows football, hurling, and handball.
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Copyright © 2008 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Londoner Stephen Lawrence was murdered by stabbing in 1993 and, although arrests were made, no charges were brought. A 1998 public inquiry found that the Metropolitan Police Service was “institutionally racist”. In 2012, two of the original suspects were found guilty of the murder (WP). Catholic Robert Hamill was beaten to death by loyalists in Portadown in 1997 while police in an RUC land-rover looked on (WP).
Brompton Park, Ardoyne, north Belfast. The same board (in slightly different colours) appeared in Artana Street, south Belfast.
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Copyright © 2008 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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These are 2008 images of the Drumcree mural in the lower Shankill estate, seen previously in 2004. The mural would be “re-imaged” in 2009.
“Here we stand, we can do no other” adapts Luther’s saying at Worms to the standoff in Portadown between the Orange Order and Catholics on the Garvaghy Road, which links the church at Drumcree (shown in the mural) with the town centre.
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Copyright © 2008 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Sean Savage, Maıréad Farrell, and Dan McCann were “Executed by the British SAS 6th March 1988.”
“Oh! Cold March winds that pierce the dark/You cry in aged tones/For souls of folk you’ve brought to God/But still you bear the moans//Oh! Weeping winds, this lonely night/My mother’s heart is sore/Oh! Lord of all, breathe freedom’s breath/That she may weep no more! – Bobby Sands Weeping Winds“
Replaces the painted board seen in 2001.
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Copyright © 2008 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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This is the ‘Cuba – Ireland’ mural in Shiels Street, middle Falls, west Belfast, at the end of its life in 2008. The mural dates back to at least 1998 – see the images from 1999 in the Peter Moloney Collection.
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Copyright © 2008 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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“A web of double agents, death squads and deceit” involving PSNI, RUC, Special Branch, RHC, UFF, MI5 MI6, LVF, UDA, UDR, UVF. The web begins at the door of 10 Downing Street. On the side wall of the Sınn Féın office on the Andersonstown Road.
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Copyright © 2008 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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“Óglach Coımhín Mac Brádaıgh a fuaır bás agus é ag cosaınt a phobaıl.” [Volunteer Coimhín Mac Brádaigh, who died while defending his community.] Mac Brádaıgh was killed pursuing loyalist gunman Michael Stone, who was attacking the funeral of the Gibraltar 3, in Milltown Cemetery, on March 16th, 1988, twenty years before the board above was erected on the Andersonstown Road. After a short time it was moved to South Link.
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Copyright © 2008 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Extramural Activity 