BRITS OUT H-BLOCK on Benbulben

blackiebest

Hello all and I hope somone can help me on this one! I am looking for an image of Benbulben from the late 70's early 80's when Republican activists on seperate occasions emblazened the mountainside with the very offensive "BRITS OUT" and to a less offensive degree "H-Block". Amazingly I am unable to source a single image despite seriously searching the net, contacting local Libraries, Sligo Champion, Weekender, Sinn Fein etc etc.

I need this image for a proiject I am working on and would really appreciate anyone pointing me in the right direction. I do not need very good resolution and would be happy even being able to camera phone a pic of an original pic! Ideally somone could email an image to me. This request is in no way politically motivated it is just for a project I am working on.

Many thanks in advance,

BB

GG66

you could just get a photo as it is and photshop in the text if it doesn't have to be that good quality

blackiebest

Thanks but I know that. I am a bit of a stickler for detail and am trying to get the perspective/font/style correct, really trying to find an image.

BB

cloneslad

I know you said you contacted the library but I don't know if you went in and searched yourself.

Best thing to do would be to go to the county library, (i'd imagine they have the entire back catalogue of the champion) and search through them around the dates it occured personally, and then print it out from there if you find it.

I can't tell you were you could find it, but that would be your best shot i would think!

blackiebest

cloneslad wrote: »

I know you said you contacted the library but I don't know if you went in and searched yourself.

Best thing to do would be to go to the county library, (i'd imagine they have the entire back catalogue of the champion) and search through them around the dates it occured personally, and then print it out from there if you find it.

I can't tell you were you could find it, but that would be your best shot i would think!

Thanks Cloneslad,

I was speaking to a great young guy in there and understood all the archived papers in hard copy format. Having spoken to the ed at the champion he is sure there would be pictures but clueless on dates, it would make a big difference in searching if they are available in a scanned format. Will head in today and see. Was also speaking to some photographers of the time and two have the image and fingers crossed they will be able to put their hands on it, Mad though that I can find ZERO image of such a notable act on one of the most beautiful mountains in the country. I have ended up speaking to some notable characters in my search and it certainly is an enthralling search

il gatto

Could you find out who has the great Jim Eccles collection since he died?

blackiebest

The Great Jim Eccles collection is, I think, held by the Sligo Champion! Not sure this is a good thing as INM own them, I may be wrong but I certainly think this is the case

trad

Try the national photographic archive in Temple Bar.

MrShadow

You could try contacting Joe McGowan about it. He is a local historian that has gathered alot of sligo history. He has a website at www.sligoheritage.com. If he doesnt have what you need he might be able to point you in the right direction.

Shadow

blackiebest

Thanks Mr.Shadow,

Indeed I was on to Joe and as yet no luck:(. I know Ken Kane has it but he is not sure where it is so as to put his hands on it!

I am shocked as I have been on to National Photo Archive, Libraries, newspapers, Sinn Fein, An Phoblacht, RTE, etc etc etc... and as yet no luck. RTE have it from a 1983 TV programme 'Lie of the Land' but want 100e to realese it to me and frankly it is not worth it for that and it is shot from the air whereas I really would love a ground shot.

Is anyone else amazed that this image so hard to locate......]

MrShadow wrote: »

You could try contacting Joe McGowan about it. He is a local historian that has gathered alot of sligo history. He has a website at www.sligoheritage.com. If he doesnt have what you need he might be able to point you in the right direction.

Shadow

Culchie

I think 'The Irish Post' newspaper in the UK could be worth a shot.

Jabby

blackiebest wrote: »

Hello all and I hope somone can help me on this one! I am looking for an image of Benbulben from the late 70's early 80's when Republican activists on seperate occasions emblazened the mountainside with the very offensive "BRITS OUT"

What was so 'very' offensive about it? You are obviously a young person born well after the Civil Rights demonstrations in the late 1960's who would have no idea whatsoever what would motivate someone to do this in those dreadful times. You probably don't even have any idea whatsoever what some of these people suffered under a sectarian state such as it was at the time.

This request is in no way politically motivated it is just for a project I am working on.

BB

Try to be a little more objective maybe. Good luck with the project.

trad

There was also a H Block slogan on a wall above the N11 at the Glen of the Downs for years.

I also have a photo somewhere of a wall in Blackrock Co, Dublin where Superquin is now with the slogan "Free Nicky Kelly" beside it some wag had written "with every box of Kellogs Cornflakes". I'll see if I can dig it up, scan it and post it.

blackiebest

Jabby wrote: »

Try to be a little more objective maybe. Good luck with the project. What was so 'very' offensive about it? You are obviously a young person born well after the Civil Rights demonstrations in the late 1960's who would have no idea whatsoever what would motivate someone to do this in those dreadful times. You probably don't even have any idea whatsoever what some of these people suffered under a sectarian state such as it was at the time.

Jabby, I assume you wrote the above? (In Bold)

If so; First off if a married father in his 40's constitutes "obviously a young person " then you are correct. However although my actual 60's experiences were all while wearing terry nappies I feel I am very aware of our troubled history. I am staggered by your ability to assume I "don't even have any idea whatsoever" what went down. If you knew me at all I think you would be embarassed at these assertions. The fact that you suggest the "BRITS OUT" statement should not be viewed as "very" offensive speaks for itself.

For your information, I am a proud educated Irish nationalist, husband of a british citizen, father of a beautiful daughter and remember clearly my emotions both being assulted by a RUC officer for refusing to refer to Derry as LondonDerry and how I felt when Paul Maxwell (15) was blown to bits in Mullaghmore.

Regardless of the circumstances, "BRITS OUT" was/is as ignorant/offensive a statement as "**** OUT" would be. That you can not see why is unfortunate. The "H-BLOCK" print on the same mountain in the same era was, IMO, understandable.

Now back OT. Still unable to source this image so think I will have to work from memory. I will post an image of my design here to see if anyone thinks my memory of the font and location on the mountain is accurate. Thanks for the suggestions and if anyone can locate this image in the future I would be obliged if you could let me know.

BB

bobcar61

blackiebest wrote: »

Jabby, I assume you wrote the above? (In Bold)

Where did you quote the bit in the bold writing from, I can't see it anywhere on this thread and it doesn't look like Jabby or anyone else has edited a post.

The Big Red Button

Post number 12, he included in in the quoted bit

bobcar61

Ok don't mind me, it's still early in the morning and I'm still in bed so I'm still half asleep, just goes to show maybe I should open my eyes.

Xiney

Jabby, this isn't the politics forum. BB is just looking for a photo.

Don't turn this into a debate.

daveboy01

I remember the graffiti clearly and it is kinda strange that few if any images exist.
<snip>Best of luck with the search.

blackiebest

Ok credit where it is due, some gentleman, Mark, who works for 'An Phoblacht' and who I contacted well over a week ago mailed me this morning. He started to do some digging and came up trumps. I have been PM asking to send on the image if I got it and thought I should just post it for the curious.

Political opinions aside here is how Ben Bulben looked in 1977! The lettering is smaller than I remember but quiet spectular nonetheless. Now for all you music lovers, keep your eyes peeled during Sligo Live and see what this search was all about.

Many thanks for the inputs etc,

Support Sligo Live, www.sligolive.ie

BB

tuppence

blackiebest wrote: »

Ok credit where it is due, some young lad, Mark (22), who works for 'An Phoblacht' and who I contacted well over a week ago mailed me this morning. Apparently he was intrigued he had not heard about it before and started to do some digging and came up trumps. I have been PM asking to send on the image if I got it and thought I should just post it for the curious.

Political opinions aside here is how Ben Bulben looked in 1977! The lettering is smaller than I remember but quiet spectular nonetheless. Now for all you music lovers, keep your eyes peeled during Sligo Live and see what this search was all about.

Many thanks for the inputs etc,

Support Sligo Live, www.sligolive.ie

BB

Wierd I always thought it was much bigger than that too. Still impressive.
Shame about the political opinions. I get excited when I think a debate might be happening !! (Perhaps a separate thread generated for some of these particular to Sligo?)
Good luck with Sligo Live. (I'd love to see Wallis Bird amongst others but am kinda grounded)

bobcar61

Well done on getting the picture, who would have thought it would have been so hard to get a copy of the image.
I was expecting to see something much bigger, almost covering the whole of the mountain, slightly disappointed but as tuppence said, it's still impressive.

Sin scéal eile

Thanks for posting the images.

I have a slight off topic question (well not so off topic it has to do with writings/drawings on benbulben too) wasn't there a drawing of a horse on the mountain too at one stage, I have some recollection of it (either that or i must have been dreaming )

blackiebest

Might have been a dream??? I certainly have no recollection of a horse on the mountain! Could be wrong but have never heard of it before.

AllGunsBlazing

Well done on sourcing this picture BB. I had completely forgotten about this myself until I read this post.

But now it's all coming back - memories of going to Bundoran from Sligo one Sunday of every month with my family as a young child and staring out the window at it as we passed by.

Obviously at that age I had no concept of what it meant but my dad would always tell us that it had been written in chalk by a huge giant or that it was actually a bunch of sheep standing together spelling out messages.

Again, well done.

il gatto

AllGunsBlazing wrote: »

Well done on sourcing this picture BB. I had completely forgotten about this myself until I read this post.

But now it's all coming back - memories of going to Bundoran from Sligo one Sunday of every month with my family as a young child and staring out the window at it as we passed by.

Obviously at that age I had no concept of what it meant but my dad would always tell us that it had been written in chalk by a huge giant or that it was actually a bunch of sheep standing together spelling out messages.

Again, well done.

Your Dad was a b@stard then, but I like his style:D Sheep spelling out messages. Genius.:D

fmcc

Sin scéal eile wrote: »

Thanks for posting the images.

I have a slight off topic question (well not so off topic it has to do with writings/drawings on benbulben too) wasn't there a drawing of a horse on the mountain too at one stage, I have some recollection of it (either that or i must have been dreaming )

I think that was a story we read in national school based in Greece or somewhere like that. The horse bolted in the end looking for another horse or something memory very vague but remember it being a white horse.

tuppence

Sin scéal eile wrote: »

Thanks for posting the images.

I have a slight off topic question (well not so off topic it has to do with writings/drawings on benbulben too) wasn't there a drawing of a horse on the mountain too at one stage, I have some recollection of it (either that or i must have been dreaming )

Are you thinking of this in England perhaps?
http://www.nationaltrust.org.uk/main/w-chl/w-countryside_environment/w-archaeology/w-archaeology-places_to_visit/w-archaeology-uffington_white_horse.htm

irish1967

Did anyone ever figure out ( or admit ) as to actually how it was done?

I mean.. its on quite a steep slope, a fair bit up a mountain, it was probably done at night, it appears perfectly straight and its 185 foot long by 25 high.

Must have been planned out in detail in advance. Was it dug into the soil? Is in actually still there but just cant be seen?

Aside from its subject matter its an impressive piece of work.

blackiebest

irish1967 wrote: »

Did anyone ever figure out ( or admit ) as to actually how it was done?

I mean.. its on quite a steep slope, a fair bit up a mountain, it was probably done at night, it appears perfectly straight and its 185 foot long by 25 high.

Must have been planned out in detail in advance. Was it dug into the soil? Is in actually still there but just cant be seen?

Aside from its subject matter its an impressive piece of work.

I have been told that indeed it was dug into the mountain and bags of white lime used for the fill. Many months were spent doing it but kept hidden untill all complete. I am sure it is well gone by now but it certainly was an amazing piece of work by some seriously hardy, committed people

dardevle

irish1967 wrote: »

Did anyone ever figure out ( or admit ) as to actually how it was done?.

.


back in the day my dad used to tell me that it was a sheep pen in the shape of the letters and when it was filled with sheep it became visible:rolleyes:


he was a baaaad man;).



.

Richard

Would it have been in the Irish Times? You can search that online, can't you? I think there's a charge, though.

irish1967

dardevle wrote: »

.


back in the day my dad used to tell me that it was a sheep pen in the shape of the letters and when it was filled with sheep it became visible:rolleyes:


he was a baaaad man;).



.

I think I has just found the video of how it was done with the sheep !!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2FX9rviEhw

irish1967

Jeeez.. I guess you spend weeks looking for a picture online and then when you find one another just appears:rolleyes:

blackiebest

irish1967 wrote: »

Jeeez.. I guess you spend weeks looking for a picture online and then when you find one another just appears:rolleyes:

Hah, Deadly! Really thought it was a hi res gem that would be much better to work from and I am so glad that it is

duncaolog

irish1967 wrote: »

Did anyone ever figure out ( or admit ) as to actually how it was done?

I mean.. its on quite a steep slope, a fair bit up a mountain, it was probably done at night, it appears perfectly straight and its 185 foot long by 25 high.

Must have been planned out in detail in advance. Was it dug into the soil? Is in actually still there but just cant be seen?

Aside from its subject matter its an impressive piece of work.

The ‘Brits out’ sign was placed on Benbulben c1975 and renewed regularly until the H Block campaign started in 1981 when ‘BRITS OUT’ was replaced by ‘H BLOCK’. The signs were erected in daylight. It took 3 hours to climb the mountain and took about one ton of lime. The work was accomplished by local people and the slogans completed in one trip. The Gardai confronted the men on each occasion on their descent from the mountain but as no law was broken and the sign on private property no charges could be made. Because of the fertilising effect of the lime a ghost image of the signs can still be seen with new growth in the springtime.
Note: Why should this sign be considered to be any more ‘offensive’ than a ‘Germans Out’ in Vichy France?

Apanachi

Ah, I remember that on the mountain.

My dad knew the guys that did it, he told me their names once but I forget who they were, unfortunately he passed away 2 1/2 years back, so I can't ask him about it anymore, I'm sure there's a few people around who know who did it, must try to find out

duncaolog

Yes, there is. Anyone for an FF OUT sign?

Pete M.

I'd say there'd be a few who help out on that one duncaolog

Shur isn't it only up the road....

red sean

duncaolog wrote: »

The ‘Brits out’ sign was placed on Benbulben c1975 and renewed regularly until the H Block campaign started in 1981 when ‘BRITS OUT’ was replaced by ‘H BLOCK’. The signs were erected in daylight. It took 3 hours to climb the mountain and took about one ton of lime. The work was accomplished by local people and the slogans completed in one trip. The Gardai confronted the men on each occasion on their descent from the mountain but as no law was broken and the sign on private property no charges could be made. Because of the fertilising effect of the lime a ghost image of the signs can still be seen with new growth in the springtime.
Note: Why should this sign be considered to be any more ‘offensive’ than a ‘Germans Out’ in Vichy France?

Understood it was done in moonlight and the Gardai only became aware next morning.