New Ardoyne IRA mural criticised
Unionist politicians have condemned the appearance of a new republican mural depicting former north Belfast IRA leader Martin Meehan.
Meehan was the first person to be convicted of membership of the Provisional IRA, and was jailed for 12 years on kidnapping charges.
Following his release from prison, the IRA volunteer became a Sinn Féin councillor for Antrim in 2001.
He is depicted in the mural in paramilitary-style uniform aiming a machine gun.
The mural is a replica of a well-known photograph of Meehan taken in the early 1970s.
Unionist representatives have expressed outrage at the artwork, which was unveiled by Meehan’s children Kevin, Mary and Martin Óg on Sunday – the sixth anniversary of his death.
Martin Óg Meehan said the mural showed an image of his father alongside burning houses in Ardoyne, and was created “to honour him in some way and honour his contribution to the defence of Ardoyne against the 1969 and 1971 pogroms that were launched against the Ardyone community.”
He said the mural contain images of defence, not offence.
Mr Meehan said that the people of Ardoyne had paid for the mural, and that it would not be removed.
North Belfast DUP MLA Nelson McCausland described the move as “abhorrent and regressive”.
“It is an attempt to intimidate the local community and is the work of people who would seek to drag society backwards into bloodshed and violence,” he stated.
“Martin Meehan is widely believed to have been one of the IRA gunmen responsible for the callous murder of the three young Scottish soldiers lured to their deaths at Ligoniel in 1971, along with many other acts of IRA terrorism.”
Mr McCausland added: “The unveiling of this mural, following on from the unveiling of a plaque commemorating Shankill bomber Thomas Begley which was attended by Sinn Féin, is evidence of the internal power-struggle within republicanism – with both factions indulging in the shameful glorification of past terrorism while trampling all over the sensitivities of the victims of that violence.
“The vast majority of society wants no part in this internal struggle, nor in the eulogising of terrorism. Images of terrorist gunmen on gable walls is something which belongs only to history books and has no place in modern society.”
Alliance North Belfast councillor John Blair urged those behind the mural to remove it.
“This move is not representative of the local community, which does not want to see the image of a paramilitary gunman displayed on their doorsteps,” he said.
“It is difficult to see how the depiction of gunmen can inspire people to play a constructive role in the community and it memorialises the darkest parts of our past, rather than the changes people have made or the more positive aspects of our heritage.”
There was also huge public outcry in September, when a mural of a UVF gunman replaced one of local football icon George Best in east Belfast.
