knot-work – Page 10 – Extramural Activity

Cultural Identity

2013-03-072024-12-19Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Saint Malachy’s G.A.C. is more than a club. It’s our club. To participate is to represent your community and an expression of your cultural identity.”

A mural celebrating Gaelic games in the parish of St. Malachy/Naomh Maolmhaodhóg, in the Markets area of Belfast. The parish church – featured in the top centre – has a celebrated fan-vaulted ceiling (WP). This mural, on the other hand, features a highly unusual bay window.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00972 established 1936 ar scáth a chéıle a mhaıreann na daoıne

Ionad Séamus Uí hEarchaıdh

2013-02-112024-12-16Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Two images from the Markets, one from the Jim Hargey Community Centre in Market Street, and the other from the old Markets Creche in Cromac Street.

“Dílıs go bás” [faithful unto death]

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Kevin Lynch

2013-02-112024-05-08Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Mural to Kevin Lynch (WP) in Dún Geımhın/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 (“mısneach ‘s dílseacht”), and St Dympna’s football club, Luton (Fb).

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Copyright © 2013 Extramural Activity
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 mısneach is dílseacht st. dympna’s gaelic football club my sister brother son is not a criminal

KevinLynch U16DerryHurling — Lynch raising the Under-16 County Derry hurling trophy.

Páıstí Na Carraıge

2013-01-062024-12-16Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Stories from mythical Ireland including the Children Of Lear, Oısín & Nıamh, and the Salmon Of Knowledge are depicted in a 2006 mural painted by Mo Chara with the children of the Whiterock Children’s Centre.

Whiterock Road, west Belfast.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Na Fıanna Ard Eoın

2012-09-162025-03-22Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The Fıanna plaque at the top of Berwick Road gets a sunburst background and cut-out portraits of the four Fıanna named on the plaque which dates back to 2009, commemorating “one hundred years of resistance” (1909-2009): Davy McAuley, Josh Campbell, Josie McComiskey, and Bernard Fox, all of whom died in 1972. The vintage Fıan on the left is perhaps Christy Lucey. The medal pictured is the Golden Jubilee medal.

“You may kill the revolutionary, but never the revolution.” “Dedicated by the Republican Network For Unity.” “Strength in our hearts, strength of our limbs, consistency of our tongues.”

For close-up of the plaque, see M06728.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X05185 [X05183] X05184 [X01561]

Green, White, And Bronze

2012-08-202024-12-16Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This is the new Michael Conlan mural, on Violet Street, painted by Marty Lyons. It is notable for how quickly it went up (Conlon (and Barnes) won medals on August 11th), for the sponsorship (by the Beehive and McPeakes), and for the artists’ signatures (below the McPeakes label – click on the image to enlarge).

Boxing is organized on an all-island basis (WP), though at the Olympics boxers can choose to fight for either Ireland or GBNI.

At London 2012, Ireland won four medals in boxing. Conlan, Barnes, Katie Taylor (gold) and John Joe Nevin (silver).

(P.S. The Nevins are travellers (WP) and Mr and Mrs Nevin could not find an establishment in Mullingar where they could watch the fight – they had to go out of town to a pub where they weren’t known. )

Here’s a picture of the mural in progress. (Replaces the Celtic mural.)

Other Olympians: In London, a mural of Usain Bolt. In the U.S., a mural was painted of gymnastic champion Gabby Douglas. Irish/Northern Irish Olympians in Belfast. Anti-corporate Olympics mural.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00584 michael conlon, the beehive, mcpeakes, XXX olympiad london 2012, violet street

No Right In Ireland

2012-06-042024-12-16Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“The British government has no right in Ireland, never had any right in Ireland, and never can have any right in Ireland.” (Last Statement, 1916)

“James Connolly 1868-1916 James Connolly was born in June 5th 1868. In 1810 he became organiser for the Irish Transport And General Workers Union in Belfast. In 1913 he co-founded the Irish Citizen Army. He was one of the signatories of the 1916 Proclamation and commanded HQ in the GPO during the 1916 Rising. He was executed by the British on May 12th 1916.”

“Nora Connolly O’Brien 1893-1981 Nora Connolly was the 2nd daughter of James Connolly. Nora was a member of Cumann Na mBan and the Gaelic League in Belfast. She played an organisational role in the ICA in the run up to the 1916 Rising. She was a trade unionist and remained so throughout her life.”

The mural was launched on May 3rd.

For the gallery above the mural, see On The Brink Of Sectarian Disaster.

Clondara St, west Belfast.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Thousands Are Sailing

2012-03-242024-12-15Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Irish people, perhaps fleeing the Great Hunger, board a ship to emigrate to the United States.

The mural was seen in 1999 and dates to 1995 – the 150th anniversary of the Great Hunger.

Oakman Street, Belfast.

Out Of The Ashes Of 1969

2012-03-142025-08-23Extramural Activity1 Comment

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.

For a PUL use of the phrase, see Out Of The Ashes.

New Lodge Road, north Belfast

O’Neill-Allsopp Memorial Flute Band

2012-03-032024-12-16Extramural Activity2 Comments

Jim O’Neill was killed in February 1976 during an IRA arson attack on a furniture warehouse on the Antrim Road near the New Lodge – Gerry Fitt’s house next door might have been the ultimate target (Belfast Child); Robert Allsopp appears to have accidentally shot himself in March 1975 (Irish Peace Process). Both were members of Na Fıanna. The flute band (Fb) is named in their memory.

Below the portraits of Jim O’Neill and Robert Allsopp is written “Glaıne ınár gcroí, neart ınár ngéaga, beart de reír [réır] ar [ár] mbrıathar.” [Purity in our hearts, strength in our limbs, action consistent with our words]