This mural is based on an original by Ahmad Shaweesh (ig) which shows a group of people, perhaps a family, in distress. The piece, both original and reproduction, is deliberately left unfinished, presumably to represent the unfinished lives of the Gaza dead.
90% of Meenan Square was bought by Apex Housing for redevelopment with funds from the Executive Office (EO Press Release | Derry Now) in April 2023. 11 million pounds of T:BUC’s 45 million has been put towards the project (Derry Journal). Demolition took place in August, 2021, but it remains a waste-ground. In the meantime, Saoradh (web) and the IRPWA (web) have commandeered the hoarding for two tarps protesting “British Crown forces’ sectarian targeting of republican families” and “sectarian political policing”.
Two days of public hearings were held on January 11th and 12th and the ruling on the 26th directed Israel to take “all measures” to prevent any acts that could be considered genocidal, though it did not order a halt to Israel’s attack on Gaza (Al Jazeera | WP).
Sınn Féın moved in the Dáıl that Ireland join South Africa as a plaintiff in the full case, but the motion was defeated (Irish Times).
The image above shows, on the left, three children from Ireland, Palestine, and South Africa holding hands, and, on the right, dead Palestinian children flying to heaven over stripped and kneeling Palestinian prisoners. The flying children are based on an image by Taqdees Fatima (ig) and the kneeling prisoners on an image by Saïd Hassan (ig). The source for the three children is unknown.
The Pride Of Ardoyne flute band memorial site was overhauled in November. The silhouetted bandsmen (seen in Pride Of Ardoyne) are gone and the cross and wooden plaque at the top (see Billy Hanna) have been joined by two large boards, naming “J. Bailey, W. Hanna, S. Rockett, B. McClure” and, (on the drum) “Charlie Dunn (1957-2021)”, along with 20 small plaques of these five plus 15 more who are an “absent member”, “absent friend”, and “loyal supporter”.
“In memory to all who fought and gave their lives.” This is the tribute to the Ulster Division at the Carrickfergus Rangers Supporters’ Club, citing the words of Wilfrid Spender “I am not an Ulsterman but yesterday, the First of July [1916], as I followed their amazing attack, I felt that I would rather be an Ulsterman than anything else in the world.” (For more of Spender’s tribute to the 36th Division, see I Am Not An Ulsterman.)
The INLA (Irish National Liberation Army), together with the IRSP (Irish Republican Socialist Party), was founded in December, 1974, splitting from the Officials over their on-going ceasefire. It called a ceasefire in 1998 and ended its armed campaign in 2009. “Let the fight go on”, by other means.
The three INLA members who died in the 1981 hunger strike – Patsy O’Hara, Kevin Lynch, Mickey Devine – were all from Derry.
This graffiti is from Derry’s Bogside; The Runner is visible in the distance of the wide shot, immediately below. For the Saoradh board, see British Gaols In Ireland.
“Since 1948”. This is an interesting board in a comic-book/graphic-novel or movie-poster style with a montage of striking imagery and patterning crammed together, revealed by pseudo-tears, and overlaid lettering in multiple fonts and colours.
The imagery and references are threatening: included are air-jacker Leila Khaled and a rioter with a catapult (who completes the slogan “from the river to the sea … Palestine will be free!”; the lower part of the face of the main figure (and of the face in the bottom-right corner) is covered; we also see “Rebel With[out] A Cause” the 1955 film. in the top left “Struggle Continues – Since 1948” in the style of a fashion emblem, and in the bottom right, “1948” in the style of a mid-century house-number font or perhaps the 1984 film version (with John Hurt and Richard Burton) of Orwell’s 1984.
The other piece – a large bird in the colours of Palestine – is a poster by Videndomen (PPA).
Extramural Activity 