European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 29, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Ireland Kugge. X colourful mural in a Catholic cemetery makes a political statement about the s4s Deborah Kabahar plucky tourists can find Tours tokens amid "troubles7. By Deborah Absher staff writer taxi Driver Danny o Donnell obligingly stopped in front of sinn fein Headquarters in Belfast As we scrambled out to photograph the colourful mural on the Side of its building he asked us would you like to go inside o Donnell who was giving us a taxi tour of the Catholic Side of Belfast talked us through three sets of Security doors and into the front room of the Headquarters of sinn fein the political Arm of the Irish Republican army. Inside the building was a sinn fein souvenir shop or Media Center As sinn fein Calls incomplete with to shirts postcards key chains song books and literature about the troubles the 25 years since British troops were deployed in Northern Ireland As would be peacekeepers. Photographs were forbidden inside the Headquarters because the film could get into the wrong hands o Donnell explained. And we were watched closely. Closed circuit cameras hang both inside and outside the building which recently was the target of a protestant bomb. Sinn fein s Leader Gerry Adams also makes his official statements outside this building. But that last Stop on our taxi tour of Sites that have played an important part during the rebellion provided a peek into an armed conflict that is incomprehensible to those not involved in it. Touring the troubled areas of Belfast by a Black taxi similar to those in London is Safe informative and As cheap As bus Tours in most big cities. The Cost for a private one hour tour is 10 pounds about $15. Drivers of Black taxis Are reputed to be once imprisoned Ira members but o Donnell volunteered that no Drivers  the organization. It s important to know that the City s taxis like its residents Are separated into Catholic and protestant Camps. One group of taxis goes Only into the Catholic enclaves and the other goes Only into protestant areas. The Falls Black cab rank for the Catholic areas is located at Castle and King streets in downtown Belfast the Shankill Black cab rank for the protestant areas is on North Street Between Millfield and wine tavern Street. For a tour of Catholic West Belfast ask any Driver among the scores of Black taxi ibs waiting for fares to assist you a finding a Driver knowledgeable about important events in the fight against British Rule of Northern Ireland and willing to take you on a tour. Our taxi Driver o Donnell who was Well versed in Ira history and current events gave us a 90-minute tour for the 10 pounds and refused to accept additional pay or tip insisting he had enjoyed the diversion and the Opportunity to impart the Ira s Point of View. Cab drive Danny o Donnell walks past Graves of Republican victims in the Milltown cemetery. Belfast is separated essentially by Falls Road a Catholic stronghold and Shankill Road in protestant territory. In fact parts of the City resemble East Berlin before the fall of the Wall. The Falls and Shankill communities Long ago were walled off like the former East and West Berlin into separate Catholic and protestant enclaves. This Wall called the peace line Between Falls and Shankill is the most dramatic of 19 peace lines in the protestant Catholic Patchwork. Throughout the area Are heavily defended British Barracks with watch overs and surveillance cameras All Cathedral full Black cab rank cathode taws City Hau. Twain station s ruler  a designed to deter car bomb mortar and rocket attacks. As our taxi Driver headed away from the Center of the City and toward Falls Road the first landmark he pointed out was Divis Flats a group of apartment buildings resembling High Rise slums in Chicago or new York. In one building called Divis Tower British troops occupy the top floor a military fortress dubbed the Penthouse from  the two floors directly below it Are empty and sealed off Ever since Ira terrorists managed to take Over the apartments beneath and shoot into the ceiling. British troops and supplies now Are dropped off at the. Penthouse by helicopter. Another landmark Down Falls Road is Royal Victoria Hospital which has an International reputation for its ability to Cope with crises and emergency victims. We drove through housing areas in Andersontown the heart of the Falls area that display colourful prominent Republican murals painted on the sides of Homes and Ira Honor Rolls memorials to neighbourhood residents killed in the name of freeing Northern Ireland from British Rule. On Beachmont Avenue off Falls Road Are Brilliant political murals and Graffiti with slogans such As the people arose in 69 they will do it again at  farther up Falls Road off to the right Are the Bally Murphy estate murals where each House has its own mural. In the twin Rook neighbourhood at Jasmine Way and Garden More Road Are a memorial to and a Large mural of Bobby Sands the first of 10 Ira and Irish National liberation army prisoners who died in a 1981 hunger strike in a Campaign to have their status As political prisoners restored. During the strike Sands was elected to parliament but died 66 Days into his fast the mural features Sands As the Lark his nickname because you can Stop a Lark from flying but not from  Sands is also known for a popular song he penned Back Home in Derry a Standard on the Irish music scene. Another main Stop on the tour was Milltown cemetery on Glen Road the main Republican burial ground in Belfast the plots of victims of the troubles Are located at the Edge of the cemetery near a steel shed. They re easy to spot because a Low wooden Fence painted Green encloses them and most of the headstones contain fiery epitaphs about executions and being murdered in the fight to free Ireland. As we headed out of Andersonville and Back toward the town Center our Driver pointed out a simple memorial to an 11 year old girl accidentally killed by British troops plastic bullets As she crossed the Street on her Way to buy Candy in a shop. When he concluded the tour o Donnell ask a with the lilting Northern Irish accent and a big Grin so now Are you going on the other protestant Side stripes Magazine september 29, 1994