The six weeks from July 8th to August 20th 1981 saw the death of six hunger strikers – McDonnell, Hurson, Lynch, Doherty, McElwee, and Devine – adding to the four who began in March and died in May. All ten, along with Michael Gaughan and Frank Stagg from 1974 and 1976, are remembered in this recent (spring 2015?) board in Rockmore Road, west Belfast.
This is the fourth iteration of this board, which goes back (at least) to 1995. For two of the previous versions, see the Peter Moloney collection: third | first.
South Belfast MP Robert Bradford was assassinated by the Provisional IRA in Finaghy at a meeting with constituents; the caretaker of the community centre, Ken Campbell, was also killed by the fleeing attackers. Taking place in late 1981, with the hunger strikes having ended only a month before, the killing was noted around the world and raised fears of broad civil unrest (BBC | NYTimes). The board above serves as a substitute for an earlier mural to Bradford on the adjacent gable wall. See below for a wide shot of Oak Street with the Bradford board between the repainted Cemented With Love and No Surrender Club.
Oak Street is a fitting place for a mural about the Siege of Derry, as the oak leaf, shown to the left and right of the board above (and in the wide shot, below) is a symbol of the town, “doire” meaning an oak grove. The gates to the city were locked by thirteen apprentices, against the wishes of Governor Robert Lundy who wised to surrender the city. When the deposed king James II and his army arrived and demanded the surrender of the city of Derry, the cry from within was “No surrender!” The city was then besieged for 105 days until relief arrived in the form of ships of the navy of the newly crowned William & Mary.
The board shown above celebrates 50 years of the No Surrender Club South Belfast (1963-2013) a club affiliated with the Apprentice Boys Of Derry.
The New Lodge youth centre has received a make-over, with kids’ drawings of purple pencils, yellow flowers, pink buses, and red circles. Even the security wire at the top has been included in the gaiety.
Every day, men would line up in schooling pens on the various docks of the port of Belfast to be hired by foremen. As mentioned on the left-hand side of the board above (recently erected on the New Lodge side of the Duncairn “peace” line) the rise of the shipping container in the 1970s spelled the end of the docker: “from 3000 listed dockers in 1970, the number had fallen to 280 by 1985.” Author and poet John Campbell recalls his first day on the docks in 1952, unloading cement, in this NVTv video.
“This artwork celebrates the unique contribution that generations of dockers have made to the port and City of Belfast.”
“It was a physically demanding job, the hours were long, the conditions were tough and the availability of work was not constant. Without the Dockers, however, the Port of Belfast would not have been able to grow. / Transportation of goods by containers led to a revolution in working practices at Belfast Docks and the number of dockers decreased dramatically. From 3000 listed dockers in 1970, the number had fallen to 280 by 1985. Behind these figures lay the human story of vast social changes in the harbour area as well as the gradual dissappearance [sic] of an entire community who had earned their living from the sea and also through the loading and unloading of ships. These were the Dockers and their families, many of whom lived in Sailortown. / The workforce of dockers spanned both traditions. Red button and Blue button. Dockers had a common allegiance to the Port of Belfast which provided a living for men and families from both communities. / The work was backbreaking, yet the Docks educated us about life, integrity, discipline, about standing up for our rights, about having pride in our identity as working men, as Dockers. / The Dockers[‘] working environment was repressive and hazardous with large numbers experiencing industrial injuries. Others lost their lives or were badly injured in horrific accidents at work. Many suffered chronic long term illnesses, others died prematurely having contracted asbestosis. Many Dockers became politically aware in the formation of trade unions and social reforms. The Dockers Trade Union, Irish Transport and General Workers[‘] Union (ITGWU) organised by Jim Larkin (1909) and James Connolly (1910-11) celebrated its centenary in 2009.” OBU one big union
Here are panels 8, 5, 6, and 7 from the Patterson board featured yesterday. The final panel shows the star of David and a quote from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: “In all of Jewish history we have never had a Christian friend as understanding and devoted.” The interim panels described Patterson’s raising and leading of the Jewish battalions of the Royal Fusiliers in WWI. After dying in obscurity in Los Angeles in 1947, his remains were transported to Israel in December 2014 and reinterred (video). For more, including a recording of Patterson’s voice, see this BBC Magazine article.
Video of the launch:
The plaque to the right asks viewers to “please respect this artwork” but a fire was set below it in 2016; see Where Is The Reconciliation?
Here are the first four of eight images (plus one wide shot) of the new Patterson memorial at the junction of Northumberland and Beverly Streets. As the text on the board describes, Patterson went from Ireland to Kenya, where he killed several lions after months of hunting. He wrote an account of the hunt ‘The Man-Eaters of Tsavo’ which has inspired three movies; the lions, named The Ghost and The Darkness, were both over nine feet in length. Back in Ireland he commanded a battalion of the UVF and was involved in the Larne gun-running of 1914: Operation Lion.
“Pathways through childhood – Sweet childish that were as long as twenty days are now.” The good old days in south Belfast and its streets are remembered in these three panels from the Donegall Road railway bridge.
“Sam Boyd, 1907-1984 – the man with poetry in his soul.” “South Belfast folk poet.”
The “Streets of dreams”, some of them no longer in existence, are: Coolderry, Coolbeg, Coolfin, Fortuna, Egeria, Daphine, Pandora, Euterpe, Thalia, Coolmore, Abingdon, Colchester, Barrington, Empire, Maldon, Utility, Rydalmere, Rockland, Kitchener, Nubia, Soudan, Kilburn, Benburb, Ebor, Lecale, Moltke, Roden, Tavanagh, Rockview, Monarch Parade, Donegall Avenue.
These are seventh, eighth, and tenth panels on the north side of the bridge; for the other panels on this (north) side of the road, see also:
Charles, Prince Of Wales, Duke Of Rothesay, Duke Of Cornwall, and heir to the British throne, concludes a four-day visit to Ireland north and south today with a tour of Corrymeela peace and reconciliation centre. He is also colonel-in-chief of the Parachute Regiment (the Paras) which served in Northern Ireland from 1969 to 2007. Flyers have appeared protesting the visit (see the two images below), and The Rebels Rest on the Falls road is flying the banner shown above: “Fund communities, not royal visits – éırígí.org”. Éırígí also produced a video in memory of some of those killed by the Regiment during its time in Northern Ireland.
The Sınn Féın board to the left is from their campaign to extend voting in the Irish Presidential election to the north: “Vótaí do gach saoránach Éireannach”, “Paul Maskey supports #pres4all – Uachtarán do chách/President for all”
Extramural Activity 