The Freedom Of Our Country

The mural at the corner of McQuillan Street and Falls Road in West Belfast commemorates the 1916 Easter Rising and its significance for the Irish independence movement. Combining historical figures, national symbols and key documents, the work presents a visual history of Irish republicanism.

A republican phoenix rises above the burning General Post Office (GPO) in Dublin, which served as the rebels’ headquarters during the uprising. The phoenix evokes rebirth and national renewal. Elsewhere in the composition, Ériu personifies Ireland, while portraits of leading figures in the independence movement include Pádraig Pearse, James Connolly and Constance Markievicz. The Proclamation of the Irish Republic, read in Dublin on Easter Monday, 24 April 1916, occupies a prominent position on the right.

The mural was created in 2016 to mark the centenary of the Easter Rising, which lasted from 24 to 29 April. British forces suppressed the rebellion, and several of its leaders were subsequently executed. These events had a lasting impact on the development of Irish nationalism.