Launch of Robert Balagh Mural

At 1:30 pm on Wednesday 22nd January 2014 Eamonn McCann introduced Robert Ballagh to unveil and launch a new mural in Glenfada Park. Painted by local artist-activists it is based on Ballagh’s painting ‘The Third of May After Goya, 1970’ the mural image has been tweaked to adapt it to its local context. In this rendition it includes a cityscape of Derry and on the arm of one of the soldiers there are now Para insignia.

The setting is poignant, the corner of Glenfada Park just feet from where Jim Wray, William McKinney, Gerard McKinney and Gerard Donaghy were shot and fatally wounded on Bloody Sunday.

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A video record of the launch of a new mural for the Bloody Sunday 2014 programme of events.
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Robert Ballagh’s Third of May after Goya, 1970

In this painting,  that he made in  1970 Ballagh was making direct reference to one of the anti-war paintings of Francisco Goya called:  “The Third of May 1808 in Madrid” (El tres de mayo de 1808 en Madrid).

In 1970 Ballagh was responding to events the previous summer after the  redeployment of British Troops on to the streets of Derry and Belfast in August 1969.

Goya’s – The Third of May 1808

Goya sought to commemorate Spanish resistance to Napoleon’s armies during the occupation of 1808 in the Peninsular War.

His paintings have inspired anti-war works by many artists, the most famous of which is Picasso’s “Geurnica”.

Robert Ballagh gave his permission for his 1970 work to be adapted for this years events surrounding the on-going campaign for justice and will launch the new version adapted by local artists. The Bloody Sunday March Committee was delighted that he agreed to launch the mural based on his painting.