The roots of the Irish language revival were brought back home to Rodney Parade this morning as a new mural celebrating Gaeilge trailblazers Seán, Séamus and Caitlín Mac Seáin was unveiled beside their childhood home.

The Johnson family trio went on to play a pivotal role in the foundation of the Shaws Road Gaeltacht in 1969 and later the opening of Bunscol Phobal Feirste - the first Irish medium school in the North - which proved the catalyst for today's resurgent Gaelscoil movement. 

Addressed by Gaeilgeoir Milene Fagan, now a resident of St James', and St James' Swift coach and Irish language advocate Caoimhín Mac Uilliam, the 'unveiling' of the mural by Aodán Monaghan was attended by local residents and Irish speakers from across the city. 

MOLADH: Milene agus a mac Feilimidh
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MOLADH: Milene agus a mac Feilimidh

Speaking in Irish and English, Milene Fagan said that without the pioneering efforts of the Mac Seáin troika she wouldn't have been able to attend an Irish school or now be raising her own children through the medium of Irish. 

Guest speaker Máirtín Ó Muilleoir said the Mac Seáin siblings, who live side by side in the Shaws Road Gaeltacht, combined the very best traits of The Three Amigos and The Three Musketeers. "Is cinnte gur chreid siad i mana laochra Alexandre Dumas," ar seisean, "an duine amháin againn ar son an uile dhuine, an uile dhuine ar son an dune amháin" ("They certainly lived their lives according to the motto of The Three Musketeers, 'All for One, and One for All.")

He added: "Tá triúr amháin éile ar chóir a luadh inniu: An trionóid naofa. Ar scoil, d'fhoghlaim mé gurb é an tréith a luaítear leis an Spiorad Naomh go síneann sé a lámh anuas is go dtógann sé sinn agus muid thíos le gur féidir linn dul chun bóthair arís. Agus sin rud a rinne Caitlín, Séamus agus Seán rith a saoil: thóg siad daoine eile in am an ghatáir, thóg siad pobal na Gaeilge, thóg siad pobal iarthar Bhéal Feirste. Agus seo an áit inar fhoghlaim siad an fheallsúnacht sin – Centar San Séamus." ("I want to mention one other trio - the Holy Trinity for when I was at school, we were told that the Holy Spirit would bend down and lift us up at our lowest moment. And that's what Seán, Séamus and Caitlín did throughout their lives - they lifted up others especially in tough times. They lifted up the Irish speaking community, they lifted up the community of West Belfast. And this, right here among the indomitable people of St James' is where they learnt that approach to life.")

The mural is the latest initiative of Gaeilge group Gaelstair — led by Seán Mistéil, a son of Caitlín — which is involved in a series of events, including exhibitions at PRONI and, soon, at the Ulster Museum, which tells the story of Belfast's Irish language community.