CNR

Centuries Of Resistance

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The United Kingdom Of Great Britain And Ireland was created in 1801, a reaction to the 1798 Rebellion, led by (amongst others) Wolfe Tone and Henry Joy McCracken, the pair also being founding members of the Society Of United Irishmen in 1791 in Belfast.

In this mural, Tone and McCracken on the left gaze across the “centuries of resistance” from 1798 to 1916 Rising revolutionaries Countess Markievicz and James Connolly, and beyond to Troubles-era figures Maıréad Farrell, Bobby Sands, and Máıre Drumm.

Around the same time as this mural was painted, a Féıle exhibition called ‘Vibrant Colours, Violent Past’ included A Panorama Of Republicanism which contains dozens of figures but again chooses 1798/Tone, 1916/Connolly, and the Troubles/Martin McGuinness as the pivotal moments and figures.

“Comóradh Éırí Amach Na Cásca Bhéal Feırste/Belfast Easter Commemoration. This is the traditional place where on Easter Sunday Belfast republicans gather to honour Ireland’s patriot dead on their way to Milltown Cemetery.” “Honour Ireland’s patriot dead – wear an Easter lily.” “Unbowed, unbroken.”

The Beeechmount-Falls Corner has its own Visual History page, as the most-often painted wall in Belfast.

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Defend The Sperrins

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The “defend the Sperrins” “day of resistance” on Saturday August 23rd will include a “family fun day – walk through the land – creative protest – education – eating together – céılí – music – camping on occupied land overnight”.

At issue is a plan to mine for gold from US-backed company Dalradian Mining (web) in an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. In response to local pressure (see the “No toxic goldmining” placard in the poster), the company has already ditched its plan to use cyanide during the extraction process (BBC | The Planner).

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Free Palestine

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“Victory to Kneecap” and “Free Palestine” on the shutters of the former West Belfast Partnership building on the Falls Road. For background see Seasaımıd Le Lıam Óg.

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Maıreann An Grá Go Deo

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This mural celebrates the Irish-language institutions in west Belfast. From left to right, the buildings by the loch are: Gaeltacht Bhóthar Seoıghe, Bunscoıl Phobal Feırste, Raıdıó Fáılte, An Chultúrlann, Teach Ard Na bhFeá, Coláıste Feırste, and Áras Na bhFál. In a sense they are all ripples from the initial drop that was the Shaw’s Road Gaeltacht, established in 1969 and which led quickly to the bunscoıl in 1971 (WP). The NVTv documentary about the Shaw’s Road gaeltacht borrows its title from the slogan motivating the early efforts, “Ná habaır é, déan é” [Don’t say it, do it] – the bunscoıl was not officially recognised until 1985.

Among the pioneers (“ceannródaıthe”) of those early ventures were the Mac Seáın family, who grew up in a house adjacent to the wall on which the new mural is painted: “Tógadh Séamus Mac Seáın, Seán Mac Seáın, agus Caıtlín Mıstéıl (née Mhıc Sheáın) sa teach seo. Bhí an trıúr seo ı measc na gceannródaıthe a bhunaıgh Gaeltacht Bhóthar Seoıghe.”

The mural was commissioned by Spórtlann Na hÉıreann’s Irish-language heritage project “Gael Staır” (Meon Eıle | Belfast Media), with support from Mary’s Gift (Belfast Media), and painted by Aodán Ó Manacháın (Fb). It was unveiled Sunday 10th.

Rodney Drive, St James’s, west Belfast

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Hope Lives Here

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“In our community no one walks in the darkness alone.” West Wellbeing (web) offers counselling and suicide-prevention services from its offices in the Dairyfarm centre on the Stewartstown Road. This new mural – by Glen Molly (ig) – is a little further along the road, just past Bell Steel Road.

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Bua Don Phalaıstín

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The RNU mural supporting Palestine has been cleaned up to remove graffiti calling Sınn Féın “traitors and touts” (RNU Belfast Fb).

Pantridge Road, replacing the boards seen in Conscience. The poster below, criticising RNU leadership, is on the Cogús board to the left.

Update: the mural was (for a second time) vandalised and repaired (RNU Belfast Fb) and then was (a third time) vandalised with “SF traitors & touts REM Oct 07” – see below

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A Working-Class Boy From A Ghetto

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“I was only a working-class boy from a [nationalist] ghetto, but it is repression that creates the revolutionary spirit of freedom.” This is a widely-quoted line from Bobby Sands, from an article in Republican News, 16 December, 1978 (page 7 pdf).

The mosaic has been in place since 2012; the quote was perhaps added for the launch of the Bobby Sands statue.

Twinbrook Road, Dunmurry

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Nurture Your Child’s Mental Health

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Play and physical activity are promoted as aiding with mental health among Twinbrook children.

“Nurture your child’s mental health through play” at Scoıl Na Fuıseoıge and Sands Youth Centre – “play builds friendships, health & wellbeing, resilience, communities.

“How physical activity – at St Luke’s/Brookville/Almond Star FC (Fb) and Gaeıl Chollaınn CLG – helps mental health” by producing increasing self-esteem, improved mood, reduced depression, anxiety, and stress.

On the wall behind the Bobby Sands info boards and next to the Sands mural in Twinbrook.

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Óglach Bobby Sands

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“Óglach Bobby Sands 9th March 1954 – 5th May 1981”. Sands was the first of the ten IRA and INLA prisoners to die in the second hunger strike. For the 44th anniversary of his death, a statue was unveiled in Twinbrook, near the Sands family home and next to the memorial garden in Gardenmore Road (Peter Moloney Collection).

The statue was created by Packy Adams (Belfast Media | Irish News) and appears to be based on the photographs by Gérard Harlay – discovered in 2019 – of Sands carrying a United Irishmen flag in a march that took place a few months before his (final) arrest in 1976 (Bobby Sands Trust). The hair is also reminiscent of Wolfe Tone. The new statue (which does not have planning permission) has a built-in flag-pole, to which an Irish Tricolour was added for the launch on May 4th.

There is also a free-standing information board about Sands at the other end of Jasmine Corner, part of the Colin Heritage Trail.

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Hands Off Palestine

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Germany, the United States, and the United Kingdom are the stripes on an Israeli-flag-coloured snake that has Earth in its coils.

This is an RNU Belfast (Fb) mural in opposition to the Israeli invasion of Gaza.

Glen Road at Ramoan Gardens, west Belfast

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