An Glór recently caught up with former INLA Prisoner turned artist Gerard Foster to discuss the striking murals that have appeared over the past two years in Belfast and Derry. The murals, sporting communist inspired red stars against a yellow backdrop have been unprecedented and have broken the traditional mould of what a Republican mural should constitute.

The idea originally came to fruition as the 25^th Anniversary of the 1981 Hunger Strike was approaching. Gerard said “People everywhere referred to this event as an IRA hunger strike, with the three INLA members who died effectively being airbrushed out of history.” It was against this backdrop that a group of former prisoners and current IRSP members came together and decided to erect a series of murals to reclaim what appeared to be a forgotten piece of history.

Gerard and a group of others initially set about erecting a mural to Derry born Hunger Striker Patsy O’Hara in Belfast. Gerard commented “We knew so little about painting murals we started in February.”

Debate raged around the composition of the mural – distain was expressed from some quarters at the red star, a communist symbol, finding itself on a Republican mural. Those painting the mural were not sure themselves at first but Gerard says “There is also another forgotten piece of history, many have forgotten the reasons for the IRSP splitting from the Officials and why we exist today.”

The idea for the stylised red star was inspired by political art from Cuba and has now become the hallmark of IRSP commemorative murals throughout the country.

The first mural of Patsy O’Hara had such an impact that debate raged in the local press, people were traveling from afar to see and photograph it and people were discussing it – for the first time in many years the IRSP now had a mural it could call its own.

It wasn’t long before the group found themselves invited to Derry to paint another mural commemorating Patsy O’Hara shortly before the unveiling of a newly erected monument to coincide with the 25^th anniversary of Patsy’s death. The Derry mural was completed in similar style to its Belfast counterpart but just as Gerard and the others were placing the final touches a car pulled up.

One of Patsy’s nieces came over and said her aunt was here to see the mural. Gerard recalls the nervousness felt as Peggy stood there gazing at the mural and he stood looking at her, trying to read her face for any sign of disapproval. She said nothing and continued to look at the mural. Her first words to the group were “I am glad you put INLA on it, Patsy died for more than the five demands he died for the INLA also”.

Speaking on plans for the future Gerard said a few ideas were currently being worked on, including a mural emphasising the anti-sectarian nature of Republicanism and the fact that many Republicans have came from the Protestant community.