Cliftonville FC are 2013-2014 NI Premiership and League Cup champions thanks in part to player of the year Joe Gormley who scored 37 goals during the season – a club record. He is shown here breaking an LP record.
Previously: The Red Army | Just Can’t Get Enough (Cliftonville – Celtic) | Welcome To Our Park
Unveiled 2014-05-17. Replaces a “Say No 2 Drug Dealers” board
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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“Weavers To Winners” – Linfield Football And Athletic Club was founded in 1886 by workers at the Ulster Spinning Company’s Linfield mill and they became Irish League champions in the 1890-1891 season. The names of the players in the photograph are given in the shot of the information plaque, below. The work was designed by Ross Wilson.
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03004 X03005 Audaces fortuna juvat 50 league titles trevor whip whittley 7-7-1960 24.2.2011 missed by all his friends in sandy row william gordon tom gordon n. mckeown dr. dunn robert gibson esq (president) bob milne rab torrans william arnott david foy treasurer billy dalton george gaffikin robert hill sam torrans john pedan john torrans secretary john rab and sam torrans were three brothers who shared a dream they were ulster weavers who with others practiced their football skills on the meadow and linen field within the local mill in 1886 their dreams became a reality and the first linfield team was born within four short years they had become irish league and cup champions and had now woven themselves into history 125 years later players still dream and press on towards the goal they still make the hearts and mind of fans everywhere beat louder when they take to the field still sharing the aspirations of the brothers and countless others who have worn the true blue colours today we must still encourage the dreams of young people within sandy row and other communities to help awaken inspire and engage young minds and hearts in the reality of every day life to help create new and better goals to move forward in the hope of great things to come field of dreams
“There’s a nice wee place in Belfast, they call it Sandy Row. On a Saturday night, that’s where we used to go. A bucket on the stove, boiling all the whites, the big tin bath on Saturday nights.”
Here are the first two (of four) boards at the blind end of Blythe Street which together illustrate a short poem about Sandy Row in days gone by. The first, above, shows dancing and bingo (which took place in the Sandy Row Orange Lodge? – The Row You Know: Memories Of Old Sandy Row (ISBN 0953053504) by Donna McCann and published by Nicholson & Bass contains an image with the caption “Saturday night dance at the Orange Hall – Hector McMillan about to break into song”.)
The second, below, shows scenes from home: clothes in front of the fire, a child in a tin bath, a wireless radio, and a grandmother dandling a child.
Sponsored by the Sandy Row Womans Group
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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“What greater thing is there for human souls than to feel that they are joined for life. To be with each other in silent unspeakable memories. This is the true harvest of love.” Here are two boards from the Donegall Road bridge celebrating family and long-lasting relationships. The one above includes photographs of local people from years gone by; the one below features the post-mistress Marlene Leslie and her husband George.
“Marlene & George Leslie’s retirement 2013. In 1976 Marlene started work in the Post Office at 421 Donegall Road. She became sub-post mistress in 1985. Marlene moved to the present location at 309-311 Donegall Road in April 2000. George joined her in 2001. While at 421 Donegall Road they were robbed nine times, fired at once, tied up once and experienced two attempted tiger robberies. Each Christmas the P1 classes of Donegall Road Primary School come to post their letters to Santa – Marlene fowards on a return letter from Santa. Famous people who have visited the premises include: Barry McGuigan, Rose Neill and Lynda Bryans.”
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Target practice in south Belfast. A bullseye gets 100 points.
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The North Street Arcade burned down in April 2004 and has remained boarded up ever since (NewsLetter). Bristol artist Andy Council has painted a ‘Belfast Phoenix’, on the North Street end of the arcade, comprised of buildings from the Cathedral Quarter and central Belfast. The buildings include Crumlin Road courthouse, the MAC, the Waterfront, the Bank Of Ireland building, the Albert Clock, the Ulster Hall, Belfast City Hall.
“Up In Smoke” is a 12 min montage of images related to the fire on youtube.
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The images below (taken in January 2014) show part of the old Kevin Lynch mural revealed by the removal of the board that was part of the Marian Price mural (featured previously). The new version of the Lynch mural – shown above – is almost identical to the previous one. It shows Lynch’s likeness framed by the red star and yellow background of the IRSP (Irish Republican Socialist Party) – see also the Mickey Devine mural in Mount Pottinger.
For background information on Lynch – INLA member and hunger-striker – see this post featuring a Lynch mural in Dún Geımhın/Dungiven.
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Two fake vintage shopfronts in Ballyclare town centre: one showing a “village blacksmith” pausing for a moment, the other a cobbler behind the counter.
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Two images from the “Rally Against Racism” this past weekend in Belfast, both featuring home-made signs. Above “My Belfast is for everyone!” on cardboard with an image of the Belfast Islamic Centre in Wellington Park. Below, “Seasann pobal na Gaeılge in éadan an chıníochaıs” (The Irish-language community stands against racism.) For background, see yesterday’s post, The Inaccessible Present.
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A new mural on the International Wall combines two current events. One is the furore surrounding the recent description of Islam as “satanic” by Belfast pastor James McConnell (Tele) and a ‘Rally Against Racism’ that took place on Saturday (31st) (Tele). The middle of the mural reads “Respect and defend our Muslim brothers + sisters – kardeslik azadi”.
The other is the death of Maya Angelou (WP), who died this past Wednesday (May 28th). Angelou is pictured in the top half of the mural with Muhammad Ali along with a quote: “Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the past inaccessible.”
In the bottom half appear Padraıg Pearse and James Connolly and a line from the Proclamation of the Irish Republic: “Cherish all the children of the nation equally.”
Takes the place of the Miami Five.
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Extramural Activity 