In Belfast, Ireland in 1971, a song called Men Behind The Wire was released. The recording was funded by The Andersonstown Civil Resistance Committee to help the families of men who had been interned by the British Army. Revenue from sales of the single were given to families who had, overnight, lost their only source of income. In republican areas, everyone owned a copy of the song and everyone knew the words.

Recording chants, adding music, releasing songs and giving the rights to protesters, is a way to support the resistance. The people of Belfast inspired this idea, because during the Troubles, they made music and art
from the conflict that raged around them to financially support families, raise spirits and tell the story of the struggle. Making art from conflict, is an act of resistance, empowerment and love.



The vocals and percussion on Gidam (All The Way) were performed by Enas and her friends in Khartoum, Sudan in December 2021.
Gidam (All the Way) is a film by Arthur Larie and Bastien Massa. It follows a young woman who, like many other Sudanese
at the time, took to the streets to demand the departure of the military government.
All royalties will go to Enas and her two friends.

The guitar on We Will Stay Here was recorded by 9 year old Muin Abu Amsha
on 28th August 2025, on a beach in Palestine.
All royalties go to his family.

The vocals on We Believe In Revolution were recorded by members of Healthcare Workers 4 Palestine
on 18th January 2025, at the Palestine Solidarity Campaign march in London.
All royalties go to HW4P.

The vocals on Disclose Divest were recorded by Cambridge University students in May 2024
during a visit from the Palestinian Ambassador Husam Zomlot.
All royalties go to the BDS Movement.

Caoimhe B was recorded in August 2007, as a tribute to Irish peace activist Caoimhe Butterly.
All royalties go to the Ireland-Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

Artwork with Rubber Bullet by Briege McKenna (1971)

Artwork with Rubber Bullet is 23.7cm long and 15.8cm wide. A blue edge is painted around the island of Ireland - as well as the four counties - and the border between the north and the Republic, is in red. Belfast is represented by a UVF coin. (These coins from the Republic of Ireland had the loyalist paramilitary organisation’s name stamped onto them. They were distributed in Republican areas to intimidate.)

Acronyms of paramilitary organisations are written on the bullet. On the left, in orange is ‘UDA, Vanguard’ and ‘LAW’ and on the right, ‘UVF, Tartans’ and ‘UFF’. In the centre, written in green is CRA (Civil Rights Association) SDLP, IRA and Fianna. At the top, written in gold is ‘away and rattle your bin’. Three words are written on paper, stuck to the bullet that say, ‘Love from Brian’ (Faulkner, the last 'PM' of the north.)

Briege McKenna: "I hadn’t been living in Belfast for a number of years and then when I came over and the Troubles were in full swing, I would go out when things were quietened down, but there were usually things on fire, buses and cars…
I started to notice these rubber bullets lying on the ground where they had been fired by the army the night before, when there was any sort of street trouble. One day I picked one up and brought it home… and then the idea came to me: I would make this [into something to give as a present] at Christmas, as there wasn’t a lot of money. I didn’t have any!" (27.03.21)
Artwork with Rubber Bullet is one of five sculptures made in 1971 by Briege McKenna, a nun on leave from her job as a nurse in South Africa. They were made to give to her five sisters as Christmas presents. Republican and loyalist acronyms are written on the bullet, because the gifts were not made as political statements, but to represent both sides of the conflict.

In 1998, the sculpture was given to me by my mum Maeve, (the artist's youngest sister) to celebrate the end of the Troubles because twenty-seven years after Artwork with Rubber Bullet was made, peace returned to Ireland.

The Bold Fenian Men by Maeve McKenna, recorded 24th May 2013.
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