Apart To Play

2013-04-23 PartToPlay1+
Two side of the same peace line, with new, near-identical street-art on each side. Above, the view from the Protestant (Woodvale/Shankill) side; below, the view from the Ardoyne side.
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2013-04-24 PartToPlay2+
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Not Working

2013-04-09 DivisNotWorking+
A broken-down car at the top of the westlink in the shadow of Divis flats, beside a poster reading “Poverty capital of the six counties. Nearly half of all kids here live in poverty. Stormont isn’t working for them! Equal rights and equal opportunities … cherishing all the children of the nation equally – Proclamation of 1916″. (Previously: Isn’t Working)
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White Line, Black Flag

2013-05-05 HungerstrikersAbu+
The anti-Thatcher slogan on the mountain above Ballymurphy was replaced with “Hunger Strikers Abú”. May 5th was the anniversary of Bobby Sands’ death in 1981 and a “white line” protest took place – marchers walk down the white line in the middle of road – with participants bearing Sands’ image and carrying a black flag.
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2013-05-05 WhiteLineBlackFlag+

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For What??

2013-05-05 RememberLaMon+
Graffiti on Carrington Street, in east Belfast: “Remember The La Mon bombing. 13 Protestants killed. For what?? Sinn Fein vote!” The La Mon hotel and restaurant, outside Belfast, was filled with civilians enjoying dinner-dances at the time it was bombed by the IRA in February 1978 (WP).
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Bone Memorial

2013-04-23 ArdAnLao3+
Two memorial boards in Clós Ard An Lao/Ardilea Close, one to volunteers and the other to victims of violence, from the surrounding areas, the Bone, Ballybone and Cliftonville.
The text on the first read, “In proud and loving memory of the brave volunteers of Óglaigh na hÉireann who unselfishly gave their lives for the cause of Irish freedom. Thug siad gach rub, ní bheanfar dearmad orthu go beo.”
The second read, “In memory of our families, friends and neighbours murdered in the troubles. Dedicated to all the people from the Bone, Ballybone and greater Cliftonville area who lost their lives to the armed forces of Britain and Loyalism. They tried but failed to break their spirits and deny them their rights as equals. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a n-anam.”
Involves wrought iron pieces as borders.
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Belfast Lock-Up

2013-04-18 NewGates+
A small sign of progress, perhaps: these new gates at the bottom of Howard Street are see-through and reveal the hills in the distance. For comparison, see the solid yellow gates on the Cupar Way (Shankill) side.
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Break The Connection With Capitalism

2013-05-01 Anti-Fascist+

“In Memory of the Belfast men who fought against fascism with the international brigade, Spanish civil war 1936 – 1939.” The colours of the international brigade (red, yellow and purple – here a lighter violet colour) serve as a background.

The board shows Belfast socialists walking at Bodenstown, 1934 as part of the annual Wolfe Tone commemoration, held each year in June. Tone, an Anglican and the founder of the United Irishmen, is buried in the Bodenstown graveyard. Sources report, however, that there was an attempt to exclude these marchers, from “Shankill Rd Belfast Branch”, from part of the 1934 commemoration. The reasons given vary: they were carrying a non-standard banner, they had communist leanings, and, they were Protestants. (See Paddy ByrneWP1 - though a different banner is mentioned | WP2 - see “legacy” section | WP3 - see fn. 1). Below: unattributed photo of the marchers.

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The board was erected by Teach na Fáilte Republican Ex-Prisoners Support Group and Belfast City Council. Signed “Maher 2013″. Northumberland St.
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Mixed Messages

2013-04-01 NoGodsNoMasters+
Not Catholics versus Protestants but atheists versus believers. Contradictory pieces from the towpath running along the Bann, out of Portadown and towards Newry. The first says “No Gods. No Masters”. The second says “The fool hath said there is no God.”
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2013-04-01 TheFoolHathSaid+
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