Active Communities Network (web) is a non-profit in Belfast, Manchester, and London, focused on youth and community development: “Tackle inequality; create opportunities; inspire change”. Passers-by are invited to stand in the middle of the mural and “spread their wings”.
Replaces: Embrace Change Together.
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“There is no lie big enough to cover the shame of jailing two innocent men #JFTC2”, in this case Brendan McConville and John Paul Wooton. Their portraits have been appearing on RNU (Fb) walls (and on Sliabh Dubh) since 2013. They are in prison, for 25-year and 18-year minimums, respectively, for the 2009 killing of PSNI Constable Stephen Carroll (BBC).
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Over the course of a long career as a Fian, IRA volunteer, and Northern Command adjudtant, Jimmy Steele saw action in the S-Plan (see Joe Malone’s gravestone in Far Dearer The Grave Or The Prison) and the border campaign, went on hunger strike and “strip strike” (blanket), escaped from Crumlin Road gaol, and was the first editor of Republican News. (Treason Felony | WP) This poster (from the Irish Republican Martyrs’ Commemorative Committee – Fb)calls people to a commemoration of Steele on the anniversary of his death, August 9th, 1970.
“Óglach Jimmy Steele Commemoration. Assemble at Milltown Cemetery gates 3:00pm Wednesday 9th August. Irish Republican Martyrs Commemorative Committee wreath laying ceremony 53rd anniversary. All welcome/fáılte roımh chách.” “Jimmy Steele will lead us … Éıre abú. An Phoblacht abú.”
Northumberland Street, Belfast.
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“Fáılte go dtí Marrowbone youth club [club óıge Mhachaıre Bothaın (Fb)] – better our community by working together.” The verbiage is a mix of Irish and English and the imagery is a mix of youth activities and … a minion.
The previous mural – which included Cliftonville (soccer) and Antrim (GAA) emblems – was seen previously in 2013 and in 2021.
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The number is arrived at by aggregating the days served by republican prisoners in Maghaberry, Hydebank, and Portlaoise (IRPWA – page contains images of all the locations in which this board was mounted).
Braemar Street, west Belfast.
“End internment by remand! 11000 days and counting. Bail denied. Seán Farrell, Davy Jordan, Kevin Murphy, Nick Donnelly, Charlie Love, Shea Reynolds, Ciaran Maguire, Gary Hayden, Sean Walsh, Damien McLaughlin, Sharon Jordan, Mandy Duffy.”
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Ireland’s most famous export is not its music – including Fontaines D.C. (web) – or its stout – including Guinness – but its people, about 10 million of them since 1800 (WP). The youngster in this new mural by Dublin artist ACHES (ig) is torn in different directions.
Queen’s Quay, Derry.
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Copyright © 2023 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
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What is now Coláıste Feırste began life as Meánscoıl Feırste in 1991, teaching a group of nine students a curriculum inspired by Patrick Pearse (discussed previously in An Tusa An Chéad Laoch Eıle?) and based in Cultúrlann MacAdam-Ó Fıaıch (Cultúrlann). It moved to Beechmount in 1998 and in 2018 expanded into new buildings that were meant to accommodate 600 pupils (Doherty Architects), which it has now exceeded (BBC) as it enters its thirty-third year in existence.
The theme of preserving and promoting the Irish language occurs in several places in the mural: next to Pearse we see his saying, “Máırtín Ó Chadháın ” [a land without a language [is] a land without a soul], in the classroom scene we have “Labhaır í agus maırfıdh sí” [speak it and it will endure], and finally we see the Dream Dearg protesting for an Irish-Language Act (see previously #AchtAnoıs).
The in-progress images included below among completed detailed shots date from May 6th and 20th.
Giant’s Foot/Beechview Park. Replaces the short-lived mural of Olympians, seen in Sporting Giants.
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London social-worker Paddy McCarthy took a job at the Ballymurphy Tenants’ Association in west Belfast in 1970. On August 11th, 1971, he tried to broker a ceasefire and evacuation of children from Ballymurphy, where a curfew had been imposed after the introduction of internment. He carried a Red Cross flag but was shot in the hand. He regrouped and then tried to distribute milk to families, but was stopped by two soldiers who either fired over his head or put an unloaded gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger. He died of a heart attack. (Belfast Media | WP | Ballymurphy Massacre | Ballymurphy And The Irish War, written by one of McCarthy’s successors, Ciarán De Baróid, who came to work for the BTA in 1972 – Belfast Media)
The memorial plaque is in Ballymurphy Road, as is the graffiti below: “OIRA [-] Beware hoods.”
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“Population of the Six Counties: 1,800,000. Living in poverty: 313,000. Children in poverty: 100,000.”
The source for the statistics presented might be the Department Of Communites, which gives statistics for 2021-2022; the Rowntree foundation has a report on 2022 poverty levels. No source is given here or on the campaign’s web page at Lasaır Dhearg (web | tw).
Glenveagh Drive; with a bonus image of on old Marian Price stencil in nearby Carrigart Avenue.
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“Solidarity with the French riots against racism & police – justice for Nahel!” 17 year-old Nahel Merzouk was shot and killed on June 27th by a motor-cycle policeman in Nanterre, France. The scope of use of firearms by police was expanded in 2017 to include dangerous drivers who refused to stop; Merzouk was at the wheel of a Mercedes that had twice failed to stop and (according to police) was putting others in danger. Police specifically alleged that the car, after the second stop, was driving towards the officer; video evidence later disproved this. This cover-up, combined with long-running discontent over the use of deadly force by police, led to six nights of rioting in which two people were killed, more than 3,000 people arrested, and 800 police injured. (BBC includes video | Independent | WP)
Divis Street, Belfast
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Extramural Activity 