This Struggle

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.

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Respect For All

Two final pieces from the #ae17 election campaign. Above, a somewhat menacing crocodile waits impatiently for an Irish-language act: “Meas do chách – Acht na Gaeılge anoıs!” (“Respect for all – Irish language act now!”) The white circle on red is the logo of An Dream Dearg, an Irish-language campaign (Irish News); the crocodile stems from DUP leader Arlene Foster’s response to Sınn Féın demands for an Act, when she said “If you feed a crocodile, they’re going to keep coming back and looking for more.” (BBC-NI | video at RTÉ) She later said she regretted the remarks as they allowed her to be demonised during the campaign (BelTel).

Below, Saoradh’s plea that “A vote for Stormont equals a vote for British rule – Don’t vote! Reject the quislings and Brit collaborators.” (See also: Stormont Must Go)

Previously: Previously from the 2017 Assembly Elections: Tapaıgh An Deıs | End The Age Of the Dinosaurs | Keep Belfast Clean | Hard Border | The Burning Issue

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Tapaıgh An Deıs

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People Before Profit are fielding two candidates (Michael Collins, Gerry Carroll) in west Belfast for the Assembly elections. The hoarding above (on the Andersonstown Road) points to “the failure of established political parties” (“theıp ar na páırtıthe polaıtıúla bunaíochta”) and asks voters to “seize the opportunity” for change.

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Cousins

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Cousins Francis Hughes (Ó hÁodha) and Thomas McElwee (Mac Gıolla Bhuídhe) were the second and ninth of the 1981 hunger strikers to die. They share a grave in St. Mary’s churchyard in their hometown of Bellaghy, Co. London-/Derry. The image above shows their gravestone “erected by the people of Co. Derry and Co. Antrim”.

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X03932 ı measc laochra na nGael go raıbh a nanamacha óglaıgh na héıreann IRA

Ár Tae Will Come

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Sınn Féın representatives Paul Maskey (above), Gerry Adams, and Martin McGuinness are photoshopped into these beverage-themed, Irish-language puns outside the ‘Falls Rolls’ bakery: Ár tae will come, Tıocfaıgh [sic] ár látte, and Mocha-ra.

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Ceart Gınmhıllte/Abortion Rights

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Two pieces relating to abortion rights. The first is a piece of Irish-language graffiti in North Street, below Andy Council’s CNB14 Phoenix, signed by “Mısneach” (“courage”). The second is a stencil in Garfield Street below Leo Boyd’s Bowie tribute Oh You Pretty Thing: “Need an abortion? Womenhelp.org.”

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Doıre Colum Cılle 700 AD

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The Christian missionary Colm Cılle (in Latin, Columba), born in Donegal, founded a monastic settlement on the banks of the Foyle (then still part of Donegal) around 540 AD. The “Doıre” part of the name means “oak grove” and perhaps refers (as the information panel suggests) to “a sacred grove of trees, which may have pre-dated the monastery.” The mural above shows a reconstruction of the Derry monastery c. 700 AD. The name “Londonderry” dates to 1662.

Columba moved on to Scotland circa 563 and founded an abbey on the island of Iona. Among his reputed miracles is the banishment of a great water beast from the River Ness in 565.

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“This is a reconstruction of the early Christian monastery at Derry around 700 AD which was founded by St Colum Cille around 546 AD. Colum Cille left his community in Derry in 563 AD with twelve companions to found the great monastery of Iona. He only subsequently returned to Ireland once and died in 593 AD. Although St Colum Cille founded a number of Irish monasteries, it would appear that Derry was his principal residence until he left Ireland. The name itself, Doıre, (sometimes Doıre Colum Cılle) means ‘the oakgrove of Colum Cille’ a sacred grove of trees, which may have pre-dated the monastery.”

“Is athchuthú é seo ar an mhainistir luath-Chríostaí i nDoıre thart ar 700 AD a bhunaigh Naomh Cholm Cıille thart ar 546 AD. D’fhág Colm Cille a phobal ı nDoıre thart ar 563 AD le dáréag eıle le mómhaınıstır oıleán Í a chur ar bun. Níor fhill sé go hÉıreann ach uaır amháın agus fuaır sé bás in AD 593. Cé gur bhunaigh Naomh Cholm Cille roınnt maınıstreacha eıle ı nÉırınn, shocrıgh sé ı nDoıre de réır cosúlachta go dtí gut ımıgh sé. Déanann an t-aınm ‘Doıre Cholmcılle’ tagaırt do dhoıre naofa, a bhí ann roımh an mhaınıstir.”

Lıú Lúnasa

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Lıú Lúnasa is an Irish language festival, held this year on 24-28 August. The mural above shows rocks taken from the wall separating Palestine and Israel being used to build a gaelscoıl (an Irish-language school). The mural was painted by Jımí Mac Fhlannchadha.

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X03817 Nansen St na habaır é, dean é. troıdımís. dearg le fearg.

Rebels’ Unrest

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The four banners shown above are on the front of the Rebels’ Rest in west Belfast: “Cothaıgh meon na saoırse/Nurture the spirit of freedom”, “Decolonise your mind”, “Welcome to west Belfast, poverty capital of the six counties”, and (visible below) “PSNI/MI5/British Army not welcome in this area” (one of several of these boards placed in various republican areas – the one at the end of the International Wall is included below). For previous stencils from 2014, see The Rebel’s Rest.

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Among The Heroes Of Labour

“¡No pasarán! In memory of the International Brigades and the men from Derry, Donegal & Tyrone who served in the struggle against fascism in defence of the Spanish Republic 1936-38. … I measc laochra lucht oıbre go raıbh a n-aınm – May their names [name] be among the heroes of labour. Erected by the North-West Spanish Civil War Project, July 2013.”

For brief biographies of those named, see Ireland Spanish Civil War. For some background see DonegalDiaspora. The plaque is above the Unite offices in Carlisle Road, Derry.

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