Alex McGuigan with a piece slamming what a growing number of republicans see as the ongoing attempt to airbrush activists from the republican socialist movement out of the cultural memory. It featured in The Plough and Stars.
No doubt the anti-revisionist message of the iconic Vol Miriam Daly memorial mural now painted over on Oakman Street, West Belfast today was lost on Provisional Sinn Fein on the very day they publicly eulogised arch-bigot Paisley, yet appear to be attempting to revise out the the role and memory of British death-squad victim, Irish Republican Socialist activist, Miriam Daly. A local IRSP member approached those responsible asking why they were painting over the mural and was given the rather spurious excuse that there was ‘graffiti’ at the street level area of the mural. The IRSP member stated that this hardly warranted the total erasing of the entire mural!
Miriam Daly, a respected academic, a leading co-founder of the then nascent RACs/H-Block/Armagh Committees was slain by an undercover British death-squad on the 26th June 1980, in the most horrific of circumstances. The death-squad gunmen who callously murdered Miriam Daly, bound the mother of 3 and then waited at her home in Andersonstown, hoping to also murder her fellow IRSP and H-Blocks’ activist husband, Jim, who they were expecting to return from work. However, on that tragic day, June 26th 1980, Jim was in Dublin attending a German language course and it is assumed that when the British death-squad realised that he would not be returning, they shot Miriam dead before making good their escape. The Daly children discovered their murdered mother when they returned from school and it can only be imagined how traumatic and heartbreaking an experience that was for the young Dalys. It should also be mentioned that Miriam’s son was one of the original artists involved in painting the memorial mural that was one of the first and most iconic murals in West Belfast.
Doubly ironic is the fact that the Miriam Daly mural that is now painted over, is situated just a few hundred yards from the ‘Collusion Wall’ that lists British state collusion in the murders of Irish Republican Activists and Catholic civilians. Jim Daly, grieving husband of Miriam Daly stated in the aftermath of the state-sponsored murder of his wife:
In foul contrast, Fascist arch-bigot Ian Paisley whose concerted hate-mongering and rabble rousing undoubtedly contributed to the normalisation and promotion of British state-sponsored murders, is being publicly eulogised by Provisonal Sinn Fein, most prominently by his fellow Chuckle Brother, McGuinness:
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What remain of the Miriam Daly Memorial Mural at Oakman St, West Belfast 13/09/14
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The Iconic Vol Miriam Daly Memorial Mural prior to 13/09/2014
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Doubly ironic is the fact that the Miriam Daly mural that is now painted over, is situated just a few hundred yards from the ‘Collusion Wall’ that lists British state collusion in the murders of Irish Republican Activists and Catholic civilians. Jim Daly, grieving husband of Miriam Daly stated in the aftermath of the state-sponsored murder of his wife:
She came very much to the notice of agencies that were poking their noses in here, for sure. That’s why she was targeted. She had a tremendous energy and never stopped. People called her in the middle of the night to come to an RUC station to help out, while relatives would phone her to find out where their loved ones were. She never stopped. It was amazing how much dedication she had. She was always upbeat and confident and optimistic. If there is an opposite to demoralise, she moralised people.
In foul contrast, Fascist arch-bigot Ian Paisley whose concerted hate-mongering and rabble rousing undoubtedly contributed to the normalisation and promotion of British state-sponsored murders, is being publicly eulogised by Provisonal Sinn Fein, most prominently by his fellow Chuckle Brother, McGuinness:
“Their bonhomie was evident at the many public functions which they attended together, leading to them being dubbed the “chuckle brothers” by some. Mr McGuinness added: “I learned with deep regret and sadness of the death of former First Minister the Rev. Dr Ian Paisley.” (Source: Belfast Telegraph)
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Words of praise for dead bigot Paisley from McGuinness
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Unfortunately, there appears to be no tears for, or ‘rising above’ enmities, where Miriam Daly is concerned by those intent in airbrushing out the prominent role Irish Republican Socialists played in the campaign against criminalisation in the H-Blocks, the struggle against British imperialism and the fight for a Workers’ Republic.
Saoirse go deo!
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| Republican Socialist activist, Miriam Daly |
Seen them, 3 of them sitting out in their deck chairs. They'd a blue high lifter to stand on to reach high places..a guy with a hat and shoulder length hair, an oul lad and two younger ones.
ReplyDeleteAlex,
ReplyDeletethis is a continuation of the theme argued by Martin Dino McGarrigle that Republican Socialist Movement activists are being written out (painted out in this case) of the narrative. These things don't happen by chance.
I think republicans who hailed from the Provo camp are obligated to oppose this hierarchy of heroes that SF is pushing, where only those who are approved by the processors are heroes while the rest are cast to the side.
Miriam Daly should be restored to her rightful spot before they manage to put Paisley in it.
This is the replacement.
ReplyDeleteNothing surprising in this as back in the day the Provos failed to send INLA/IRSP the way of the sticks but today they can push them further of the page.
ReplyDeleteGerard,
ReplyDeletegawking at that I think the new age message is clear try some hardcore hallucinogenic that way if you look at it there might be some sense until the high wears off.
I am sure the youngsters will be confused with the transistor radio, caveman technology compared to mobile phones and computers.
The North Pole and South Pole shifted I wonder if that is a projection that SF are going to be a force in world politics.
Granted the weird modern art makes a wee bit more sense than Adam’s dodging questions though both are equally confusing.
P & S,
ReplyDeleteask the Bogside Artists would they put Miriam back up. That would be a powerful political statement against censorship if they agree and have the time to do it. These people must never be allowed to write others out of history.
I asked Ciaran Beattie today why the mural was changed and he said it was because a film was to be made and then a new mural of 1916 would go up. I told him I liked it how it was but he said that was as much as he knew about it..
ReplyDeleteIt doesn't look like Miriam Daly is going back up. Like you said.. written out..
Gerard,
ReplyDeletea cover story.
The 1916 mural will be put up to massage into Stormont Sinn Fein's image a historic link as part of the SF play in the South. SF knows it is firmly in the tradition of the Treatyites who shafted the men of 1916 but wants that blurred.
But it does not have to be this way. It is not that the only good artists are all yes men. Miriam can be restored if the resolve exists to do it. The ability is there.
again sinn fein rewriting our history, is it ever gonna end with these people im disgusted .
ReplyDelete