See-Through Sectarianism

2015-05-31 SeeThroughGates+

In May 2013 the Executive pledged to remove “peace” lines in ten years – by 2023 (Tele). One step in this process is see-through gates, such as those at Workman Avenue in the image above. There is no change, however, to the fence on the Springfield Road – see the image below. See previously: the new gates in Howard Street.

2015-05-31 SeeThroughGatesWide+

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02641 X02642

Flush With Success

2015-05-28 WaterPoloColour+

A new mural on Colinview Street/Sráıd Radharc Chollan celebrates local sports: first (shown above) is the Clonard water polo club (Fb), second (in the wide shot, below) is Ryan Devine of Anderstonstown Trampoline Club, junior sportsman of the year, 2014 (Fb), and third, Clonard GAA. The mural is on the side wall of The Flush newsagents, near the former location (above ground) of the Farset and Forth rivers, where dams and races were put in to supply a cotton mill and linen mill and, later, a laundry, a hat-makers, and a biscuit factory. The river, flowing south, then became the Blackie in Beechmount. (Information gleaned from the Belfast Forum).

The final image below is the cartoon for the water polo part of mural, which was begun back in February.

2015-05-28 WaterPoloFull+

2015-05-28 WaterPolo+

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02639 X02640 X02638 lucas quigley

SOS

“SOS – Wall St rapes Ireland”. Conor Devine (at EamonnMallie.com) provides context. This message on the mountain (Slıabh Dubh) came and went in a matter of days, if not hours, because the television exposé it was designed to coincide with was not in fact broadcast; also perhaps because parents did not appreciate having to explain rape to their young children – the mountain can be seen from a large portion of west and central Belfast.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02914

Reflecting On The Past

2015-01-08 CIRAStencil+

CIRA stencil outside the offices of the West Belfast Partnership on the Falls Road, with the offices of Sınn Féın Poblachtach and a tricolour reflected in the window.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02469 continuity irish republican army

Belfast’s Bloody Sunday

2015-05-23 RemBmurphShill+

Prince Charles’s last day drew this respond from Gael Force Art on Sliabh Dubh/Black Mountain, “Remember Ballymurphy and Springhill 1971-1972”, a reference to the Ballymurphy Massacre of August 1971, in which 11 people died at the hands of the Prince’s Parachute Regiment (WP) and the Springhill-Westrock Massacre of July 1972, in which five people were killed by British army snipers (WP).

For more Republican reaction to the Prince’s visit last week, see Operation Banner.

2015-05-23 RemBmurphShillWide+

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02632 X02633 Margaret Gargan, 13, John Dougal, 16, David McCafferty, 15, Patrick Butler, 39, Father Noel Fitzpatrick, 40, irish citizens wounded 2 others time for the truth

Operation Banner

2015-05-21 CharlesVisit1+

Charles, Prince Of Wales, Duke Of Rothesay, Duke Of Cornwall, and heir to the British throne, concludes a four-day visit to Ireland north and south today with a tour of Corrymeela peace and reconciliation centre. He is also colonel-in-chief of the Parachute Regiment (the Paras) which served in Northern Ireland from 1969 to 2007. Flyers have appeared protesting the visit (see the two images below), and The Rebels Rest on the Falls road is flying the banner shown above: “Fund communities, not royal visits – éırígí.org”. Éırígí also produced a video in memory of some of those killed by the Regiment during its time in Northern Ireland.

The Sınn Féın board to the left is from their campaign to extend voting in the Irish Presidential election to the north: “Vótaí do gach saoránach Éireannach”, “Paul Maskey supports #pres4all – Uachtarán do chách/President for all”

2015-05-21 CharlesVisit2+

2015-05-21 CharlesVisit3+

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02629 X02630 X02631 votes remember the real victims oppose vigil wed 20th may 2015 7.15 pm

Rest In Peace

The suicide of young people continue to cast a shadow over Belfast and the rest of Northern Ireland. (The suicide rate has almost doubled since the ceasefire; a fifth of those dying are under 25.) Here are three images from west Belfast, two from Black Mountain – “RIP Caomhan” and “RIP Butts” where the lettering from “End Brit/S’Mont Cuts” (see Credit Union Limited) has been repurposed. “RIP Punk” is from the junction of the Whiterock and Springfield Roads.

2015-05-14 RIPPunk+

2015-05-14 RIPButt+

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02578 X02613 X02611

Bound & Determined

2015-02-28 SliabhDubhRap+

Disney’s Rapunzel (from the movie Tangled) strides away from her fairy-tale tower and into the Sliabh Dubh estate.

For more Disney princesses: Look Behind You! | Magic Mountain | If The Shoe Fits

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02538

The Ulster Cycle

2015-04-13 GlenbawnCuchulainn+

“Ar aghaıdh linn [Onward]” Silhouetted figures, one carrying a hurley, take inspiration from a dying Cú Chulaınn and gaze across a body of water, perhaps Carlingford Lough towards the mountains of Mourne – Cú Chulaınn’s traditional place of death is in County Louth, outside Dundalk. Tuan the hawk historian, who has seen all of the conquests of Ireland, flies overhead.

Cú Chulaınn has his own Visual History page.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02580 mo chara gerard kelly