blanket/dirty protest

They Were Faithful And They Fought

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The D Company board that was placed over the Brendan Hughes painting earlier in the year (see: Nailed To The Mast) was prelude to this new mural. Brendan Hughes has been included since the 2008 version (compare 2005 with 2008) but Crumlin Road hungerstriker Billy McKee is included for the first time. McKee was the first OC of the PIRA’s Belfast Brigade and arrested for possession of a handgun. The hunger strike was to secure political status for prisoners who had been convicted of crimes (WP).

“This mural is dedicated to the lives of: Billy McKee, Hungerstriker, Crumlin Road Gaol, achieved political status, 1972; Kieran Nugent, Blanketman, H-Blocks Long Kesh, fought the loss of political status, 1976; Brendan Hughes, Blanketman, Hungerstriker, H-Blocks Long Kesh, 1980.”

Click to enlarge (to full size)

Copyright © 2019 Extramural Activity
Camera Settings: f5.1, 1/80 ISO 80, full size 3324 x 3120

Click to enlarge (to full size)

Copyright © 2019 Extramural Activity
Camera Settings: f5, 1/80 ISO 80, full size 3096 x 3048

X06887 X06886

Nailed To The Mast

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment
“For what died the sons of Roisín?” The Dogs of IRA D Company [second battalion, Belfast brigade] move around the corner from Northumberland Street (see Our Struggle Continues) onto the International Wall and encroaches 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.”
Click to enlarge (to 1200 x 2218)
Copyright © 2019 Extramural Activity
Camera Settings: f8, 1/200, ISO 200, full size 2052 x 3792
X06561

The Courage And Sacrifice Of The Hunger Strikers

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The Clowney Street phoenix, which dates back to 1981 (see The Oldest Murals), has been repainted, and above, the blanketmen painting (see 1981-2011) has been replaced with a montage of photographs from the period, including prisoners on the blanket and dirty protest, the funeral of Sands and of McDonnell, and three pieces of graffiti: “Thirty thousands can’t be wrong” (Sands’s election to Westminster), “Bobby Sands murdered 1.17 am 5th May 1981”, and “My position is in total contrast to that of an ordinary prisoner. I am a political prisoner.”

Click and click again to enlarge (to 1200 x 800)
Copyright © 2013 Extramural Activity
Camera Settings: f8, 1/200, ISO 100, full size 3888 x 2592
X05274

Kevin Lynch

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment
02866 2015-08-26 LynchDungiven+
Mural to Kevin Lynch (WP) in Dún Geimhin/Dungiven. Lynch died after 71 days on hunger strike – the longest-surviving striker – in Long Kesh/the Maze prison.
The four black-and-white squares show (top left) Mary Nelis, Kathleen Deeny and Theresa Deery, protesting the arrests of their sons; (bottom left) the memorial to Lynch in nearby Park, where has was born; (top right) blanketmen Hugh Rooney and Freddie Toal; (bottom right) Lynch’s gravestone in Dungiven.
Along the bottom are the emblems of Kevin Lynch Memorial flute band (Fb), Kevin Lynch’s hurling club (“misneach ‘s dílseacht”), and St Dympna’s football club, Luton (Fb).
Click and click again to enlarge (to full size)
Copyright © 2015 Extramural Activity
Camera Settings: f8, 1/800 ISO 400, full size 2592 x 3516
2013-02-05 DungivenLynch+
Click and click again to enlarge (to 1500 x 1749)
Copyright © 2013 Extramural Activity
Camera Settings: f8, 1/160 ISO 100, full size 2267 x 2643
KevinLynch U16DerryHurling
Lynch raising the Under-16 County Derry hurling trophy.
text: X02866 X00927 kevin lynch 1956 1981 i’ll wear no convicts uniform nor meekly serve my time that Britain might brand Ireland’s fight 800 years of crime
memorial flute band misneach is dílseacht st. dympna’s gaelic football club my sister brother son is not a criminal

Maghaberry Dirty Protest

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Support the Maghaberry “Dirty Protest” 1981-2011″. Republican prisoners in Maghaberry began a dirty protest of throwing urine and excrement onto prison landings, as well as not washing or shaving, to protest forced strip searches (BBC).

See previously: Maghaberry Concentration Camp.

Beechmount Ave/Ascaill Ard Na bhFeá, Belfast

Click and click again to enlarge (to 1200 x 800)
Copyright © 2012 Extramural Activity
Camera Settings: f8, 1/125, ISO 100, full size 3888 x 2592
X00831

Remember The Hunger Strikers

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This is the seventh year of the hunger strikers mural in Twinbrook. This is 2012/31st anniversary edition. See previously 2006 and 2008. There is a Marian Price poster on the left, next to Michael Gaughan and Frank Stagg, who died on hunger strikes in 1974 and 1976. Blanket men Hugh Rooney and Freddie Toal are shown in the large mural on the right hand side, next to Bobby Sands.

Click and click again to enlarge (to 1200 x 800)
Copyright © 2012 Extramural Activity
Camera Settings: f8, 1/250, ISO 100, full size 5616 x 3744

Click and click again to enlarge (to 1200 x 800)
Copyright © 2012 Extramural Activity
Camera Settings: f8, 1/160, ISO 100, full size 5616 x 3744
X05246 X05244

Free The POWs

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment
2011 image of the historical republican POW mural in Ludlow Square, New Lodge, Belfast, seen previously in 1997 and 2010.
Click to enlarge (to 1800 x 1200)
Copyright © 2011 Extramural Activity
Camera Settings: f8, 1/60, ISO 100 , full size 3888 x 2592
X00463

Cogús

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Cogús [conscience] is the POW-support organisation of the RNU (web). On the left is a blanketman, on the right is a contemporary POW being beaten by a prison guard in riot gear. “Make a difference – Join RNU – Be committed, stand as one – Implement 12th August Agreement – End strip searches – End controlled movement.”

Berwick Road, Ard Eoin.

Click and click again to enlarge (to 1200 x 800)
Copyright © 2011 Extramural Activity
Camera Settings: f20, 1/20, ISO 100, full size 5616 x 3744
X00472

1981-2011

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment
For the 30th anniversary of the second hunger strike, the moasic portraits of the ten men to die (plus Michael Gaughan and Frank Stagg) used at the Falls Road end of Beechmount Avenue to commemorate the 25th anniversary, are placed around the blanketmen board above the Clowney Street phoenix.
Click to enlarge (to 1200 x 1800)
Copyright © 2011 Extramural Activity
Camera Settings: f8, 1/100, ISO 100, full size 2592 x 3888
text: X00422

Fir Na Pluide

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The “blanket” (Gaeilge: pluid) protest (not wearing prison uniforms) was a response to the removal of political (Special Category) status in 1976 (WP). The “no wash” or “dirty” protest (not using toilet facilities) followed in 1978 (WP). Both forms of protest are illustrated in the board shown above: three unshaven men wear blankets and go barefoot in a cell with excrement smeared on the walls.

An information plaque was added below, on the Phoenix mural (not shown – see M04941).

Click and click again to enlarge (to 1200 x 800)
Copyright © 2010 Extramural Activity
Camera Settings: f32, 1/15, ISO 100, full size 5616 x 3744
X05957