physical force – Page 7 – Extramural Activity

Rotten And Corrupt

2023-05-282025-09-10Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Rotten And Corrupt: Christopher Little (39) entered guilty pleas to nine charges at Belfast Crown Court last month – including attempting to have sex with a child. [Irish Times] 20 officers shared racist, sexist and misogynistic messages including texts and images which mocked Arabic and Islamic people. [Spotlight programme] Six PSNI officers all had hearings for an array of alleged offences. PSNI revealed they themselves had dismissed 11 police officers amid claims of over 130 misconduct cases throughout the force. [Belfast Live]”

It’s not clear who is behind these flyers in north Belfast; the harpist on the electical box is by Kerrie Hanna (ig).

New Lodge Road, Belfast.

Update: the posters have been removed (by the end of July, 2023).

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Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Copyright © 2023 Cathal Woods
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Neither King Nor Nato

2023-05-262025-01-07Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Est 1913 Irish Citizen Army / Irish National Liberation Army Est. 1974”. The Irish Citizen Army was founded in Dublin in 1913 to protect striking workers from police violence. After taking part in the Easter Rising of 1916, however, the ICA did not participate in the War Of Independence and the Civil War. In 1974, some founding members considered reviving the “ICA” name to reflect the organisation’s “allegiance to the working class” while Costello (pictured on the right) suggested “National Liberation Army”, which was then amended to include “Irish” (History Ireland | WP | WP). MNI includes an “ICA-INLA” Starry Plough on the stairs into the New Lodge from 1989 (C00105).

The banner raised over the Liberty Hall headquarters of the ICA read “We serve neither king nor kaiser but Ireland” – the famous photograph is included in the post of the same name – but this has been updated. The Belfast version of the board, above, reads “nor Nato”, while a Derry version, below, reads “nor quisling”.

The Derry mural in the background is The Runner, part of The People’s Gallery.

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Beırıgí Bua

2023-05-212025-01-07Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“I measc laochra na nGael go raıbh sıad.” Profiles of Patricia Black, Frankie Ryan, Michael Ferguson, and Sean Keenan were added in late 2021 (video of launch) to the pair of existing monuments that memorialise them in Colin/Poleglass (for which see The Undauntable Thought on Peter’s site).

Black and Ryan were IRA volunteers killed by in a premature bomb explosion near London (An Phoblacht).

Michael Ferguson and Seán Keenan were activists and Sınn Féın councillors. Both died in 2006 of cancer (Irish Times | Bel Tel).

On Pantridge Road, which runs down to Michael Ferguson roundabout (An Phoblacht).

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Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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What Answer From The North?

2023-05-192025-01-07Extramural Activity1 Comment

These are the boards at the chip shop (formerly a Spar and before that a Mace) in the centre of the Mourneview estate, Lurgan.

Above, in Mourne Road, a gallery of photographs of the Craigavon Protestant Boys (Fb) past and present, with a plaque in memory of Victor Stewart. “Our only crime is loyalty.”

Below are the images from the front of the shop, in Pollock Drive:

First/right: “When injustice becomes law resistance becomes duty.” The same panel was seen in Ballyclare, though for the 1st East Antrim battalion rather than the Mid Ulster brigade.

Next: A company, 1st battalion, Mid Ulster brigade UVF – Lurgan as well as Broxburn (outside Edinburgh) and Thornliebank (near Glasgow).

Next: A tribute to the Ulster Volunteers from the area: the 9th battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers joined the 108th brigade in the 36th (Ulster) Division; the 5th battalion joined the 31st brigade and the 10th (Irish) Division. This board goes back to (at least) 2011.

Next: “Believe, we dare not boast,/Believe, we do not fear/We stand to pay the cost,/In all that men hold dear.//What answer from the North?/One Law, one Land, one Throne/If England drive us forth,/We shall not fall alone!” Kipling’s poem Ulster.

The first stanza also appears in a Belfast RHC mural, and other lines from the poem have been used elsewhere: We Perish If We Yield | The Terror, Threats, And Dread.

All of the preceding pieces are UVF/PAF, but the last, high up on the left, is a UDU board in the top left of the wall, to 1 company, D battalion, South Belfast.

With thanks to Jackie Findon for today’s images.

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Copyright © 2023 Jackie Findon
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Gleann Ghormlaıthe Poblachtach

2023-05-182025-01-07Extramural Activity1 Comment

Here is a gallery of ten images of republican graffiti (and some basic muraling) from Glengormley, particularly the Elmfield area (see previously Glengormley Republican Youth).

Above: “This is republican Glengormley – GGRY”/”Is é seo Gleann Ghormlaıthe [mis-spelled in the graffito as “Ghormlıath”, perhaps by attraction to the English “ley” – the Irish ending comes from “flaıth” rather than “lıath”] poblachtach [mis-spelled with a final “t”, perhaps by attraction to the Irish “poblacht”].

Among the various images below: “resist British rule” along with an exhortation to join the IRA and Fianna (the sunburst); attacks on the IRSP/INLA (though a hammer and sickle are included); politically, attacks on the PUP and a threat that the “fascists” in the National Party “will be crucified”.

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Now As The Dawn Is Breaking

2023-05-042025-01-08Extramural Activity1 Comment

“Joseph Plunkett & Grace Gifford – their final embrace & farewell.” May 4th is the anniversary of the execution of Joseph Plunkett, one of the planners of the Easter Rising in 1916. Seven hours before he faced the firing squad, he married Grace Gifford. The photograph is from a re-enactment for a 1966 RTÉ programme Insurrection (RTÉ). The ballad Grace, written by Seán and Frank O’Meara in 1985, is now internationally known (here is Jim McCann’s 1985 performance).

This is one of various recent additions to the many memorials in Ard An Lao, Béal Feırste/Ardilea, Belfast. This replaces the board seen in Continuing Their Legacy.

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“Just before Joseph’s execution by British forces in Kilmainham gaol on Thursday May 4th, 1916”

Glengormley Republican Youth

2023-04-252025-01-07Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Brits out” and “Wear an Easter lily”. The CNR population in Glengormley has been increasing, especially to the west (home of Naomh Éanna CLG in Hightown) and south (see Fáılte Go Dtí Glengormley and, on the same Elmfield wall as shown below, INLA/Stop Internment) – Belfast North, which includes Glengormley, returned a nationalist (Sinn Féın’s John Finucane) for the first time in the 2019 general election. The broader Newtownabbey area is still predominantly Protestant, however, and there is an Orange arch right in the middle of Glengormley each year.

Who Is The Terrorist?

2023-04-182025-01-07Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“I’m a child. They have the guns. Who is the terrorists? ‘Cherish all the children of our nation equally’? ” The quote is from the 1916 Proclamation (CAIN); it has been used inclusively for various classes (see Cherish | The Children Of The Nation) but here is applied to children.

Anti-Agreement republicans have complained about being searched in the streets and in their homes, sometimes in front of children. (There is a Facebook group on the issue.)

RNU (ig | Fb) board in Divis Street, west Belfast.

Honour Ireland’s Patriot Dead

2023-04-072025-01-07Extramural Activity3 Comments

There are dozens of Easter Rising commemorations happening this weekend – see Belfast Media for a full calendar. Above is a board for Saoradh’s (web) Easter parade on Saturday 8th. Below is the Falls/D Company gathering.

“National Republican Commemoration Committee Easter commemoration. Unfinished revolution. 2.30 pm Saturday 8th April. International wall, Divis Street, Belfast. Bands in attendance. Honour Ireland’s patriot dead, wear your Easter lily with pride.”

Havana Way, north Belfast.