“Remember collusion victims”. The graffiti refers to a Gaelic football game played between local club St Brigid’s and the PSNI. It was the first time the PSNI squad had played a team from the north (Irish Times | BelTel).
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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
Established in 2004, Cumann Na Fuiseoige (The Lark) is “ag soláthar spórt Ghaelaigh don phobal sa cheantar Coilin” [providing Gaelic games to the people in the Colin area]. The club is named after the image of the lark (and barbed wire) used by Bobby Sands in his 1979 article The Lark And The Freedom Fighter. The choice of emblem proved controversial – Slugger.
Previously: a fundraiser for the club.
Jasmine Corner, Belfast
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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
“Equality for Irish”. At the 2006 Sinn Féin Slógadh, MEP Bairbe De Brún called for an Irish Language Act (Sinn Féin press release). The protesters in the mural carry placards reading “Is Gael mise – teastaionn Gaeilge uaim [I am Irish, I need Irish]”, “Naire orainn a Chomairle [Shame on you, [Belfast City] Council]”, “Cearta teanga – cearta daonna [not “daonne”]” – “language rights, human rights”. “We demand respect for our culture.”
The same trio of Pádriag Mac Piarais, Winifred Carney, and Roibéard Ó Seachnasaigh appears in Cláraigh Le Sinn Féin. Sands’s famous saying (“the laughter of our children …”) is translated into Irish: Is é gáire ár gcuid páistí a bheas mar dhioltas again.
Shiels Street, Belfast.
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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
The Liam MacCarthy cup is awarded each year to the All-Ireland hurling champions. It was commissioned by and is named after London Irish-speaker Liam MacCarthy. He was elected a councillor for Peckham North and chaired the London GAA board, of which Michael Collins and Sam Maguire were also members (WP) – the All-Ireland champion footballers are awarded the Sam Maguire Cup. “Gael, patriot – Ireland’s forgotten son.”
Divis Street, Belfast
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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
Ruairí Óg’s is a hurling club in Cushendall, County Antrim (web | Fb). The club is named after is named after Ruairí Óg Ó Mórdha who led the Catholic side in the Irish Rebellion of 1641 (WP). They were Ulster senior champions in 2006. The tower on the left is the Curfew Tower.
On the side wall is an illustration of the myth of the Children Of Lir, who spent some of their time as swans on the nearby Sea Of Moyle. Chapel Road, Cushendall
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Copyright © 2006 Peter Moloney
This “Fáilte go dtí Ard Eoin” (Welcome to Ardoyne) mural celebrates the local Cumann Luthcleas Gael (Gaelic Athletic Club) (Tw) “founded 1902”, with images of a footballer and a camogie player. At the bottom is a standing eagle in Celtic style.
Havana Way, Belfast.
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Copyright © 1993 Peter Moloney
