Above: Henry Joy McCracken RFB [republican flute band (web)]. Annual Henry Joy/United Irishmen Commemoration. March will be held in the New Lodge area, Sunday 2nd of September. Parade will start at Duncairn Parade at 3 pm sharp. All republicans Welcome. Republican Network For Unity.”
In March or April of 2012, many of the murals on the International Wall were modified to include ‘posters’ for the ‘Free Marian Price’ campaign, including the ’40 year’ black taxi mural shown above. As a member of the IRA, Price was jailed for the Old Bailey bombing in 1973, and her post-Agreement license was revoked in May, 2011, when she was charged, as a member of the Real IRA, in connection with the Massereene Barracks shooting of 2009 – she was sent to Maghaberry. Starting in June, 2011, graffiti and art calling for her release began appearing.
Below are more of the modified murals on the wall. Not included below are the Falls Curfew modification and the Kieran Nugent modification (see M08273).
The Provisional IRA arose “Out of the ashes of 1969”, but the lineage is a long one and all but one of the organisations, events, and arms depicted here precede 1969: Cumann Na mBan, Na Fıanna Éıreann, Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann, a Celtic shield and sword, a pike (from the 1798 Rebellion), a Thompson gun, the Tricolour; only the assault rifle is modern and perhaps also is meant to indicate the “Belfast Brigade” Provisionals. “Fuaır sıad bás as son saoırse na hÉıreann.”
An in-progress shot from March 5th is below. Replaces Laochra Na nGael.
21 portraits of locals were later added – see M08552.
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.”
“Understand the past – and build a better future, le cheıle, “Catholic, Protestant, and Dissenter” – Wolfe Tone”. The past that is to be understood is the 40th anniversary of the Battle Of St Matthew’s (“Cath Naomh Máıtıú” in the “4” on the left) which took place in June 1970. Two Protestants and a Catholic died; the battle was a founding moment in the history of the Provisional IRA (“Óglaıgh na hÉıreann” in the “0”) (WP). St Matthew’s church is depicted on the right.
In the centre is a Tricolour with a modified version of the ‘raised arms’ illustration of ‘everyone has their part to play’ (e.g. Emancipation Of Women has a paintbrush, hammer, and book in addition to a rifle; one in Derry has paintbrush, spanner, coloured pencils (at the end of a shorter arm), rifle, book, and placard – see The Destructive Talents Of The RUC). Here we have a dove – perhaps in place of the rifle – pencil, and spanner.
For information about the 2010 launch, see Glór Mhıc Aırt.
“They cannot or never will break our spirit … Tıocfaıdh ár lá” – Bobby Sands. For the 30th anniversary of the 1981 hunger strike in which ten republican prisoners died in the H Blocks.
“30th anniversary of the hunger strike. 5th May 1981. IRA final salute. IRA Vol. Bobby Sands, MP Fermanagh South Tyrone.” Gerry Adams watches on as a funeral volley is fired over Sands’s coffin.
“1650-2009: 350 years of occupation, 350 years of resistance. Catalan language has been spoken since VIII century. Nowadays, after 350 years of occupation and prohibition, there are 9 million Catalan speakers. The spirit of revolt against the Spanish kingdom and French state is still alive. The struggle of the Catalan people continues against the existing discriminations. Not Spain, not France.” “Saoırse na hÉıreann, Llibrtat Països Catalans”.
“Broken Irish is preferable to skilful English”, itself written in somewhat broken Irish. In each corner is a gold ring (fáınne óır), sometimes worn by fluent Irish-speakers. The top hat and the ?daisies? alongside the harp, shamrock, and ?flute? are unusual; if you can explain their appearance here, please comment or get in touch.
Iveagh Youth mural in Iveagh Drive/Céıde Uíbh Eachach
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 later a founder member and Chief of Staff of the Provisional IRA. In the centre of the image he is at the end of the table at the August 13, 1971, press conference to comment on the introduction of internment (CAIN). He is honoured in the mural above alongside his brothers Tom and Frank Cahill. (Pat O’Hare is painted between Tom and Frank.)
In the top left are small boards with portraits of Ned Maguire Snr, Ned Maguire Jnr, Sam Holden, Dal Delaney, Rita McParland, Paddy Meenan, Paddy Corrigan, Sean Wallace, John Petticrew, Alex Crowe.
“Never will they label our liberation struggle as criminal – Bobby Sands [March 6th Diary].”
Extramural Activity 