A phoenix rises from a red star of socialism with a white lily in its beak – Republican Network For Unity (RNU) stencil/mural in Ardoyne on the centenary of the Easter Rising 1916-2016.
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Partially torn-off ‘Smash Internment’ sticker in Derry.
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Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Three more images from the recent electoral season. Political parties were putting up hoardings and posters everywhere, such as Sınn Féın’s “Vote” ad (next to one for the rock-band Busted on their ‘Pigs Can Fly’ tour) and the DUP’s use of the spectre of a nationalist first minister as a reason to “keep” Arlene Foster and colleagues. Above, however, the watch-word is “stop”: “Want change? Stop vot[i]ng”.
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03442 X03441 X03440 railway br nothumberland st ? keep arlene f1rst minister vote for her DUP candidates it takes a4-letter word to be heard níos fear better with 5 point pledge
Above is a pro-Gaelic (Irish-language) mural on the Whiterock Road, with signs in Irish being held by young people protesting cuts to social services (on the left) and (on the right) a short poem: “Tá Fraıncıs ag na Francaıgh/Tá Gréıgıs ann sa Ghréıg/Tá Iodáıl[ı]s ag na hIodálaıgh/Bíodh Gaeılge ag na Gaeıl.” That is: the French have French, the Greeks Greek, the Italians Italian; let there be Irish for the Irish.
The mural has been in this (unfinished?) state since October, 2015. Loading? The third line in fact has initial “L”s rather than “I”, which suggests — if a fada is added over the “o”s and the final “s” removed from “Lodáıls” — “the loaders have loading”
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03403 irish language we love our services is grá lınn ár seırbhısí ní neart go cur le chéıle
A 1916 centenary mural on Divis Street with the red star of socialism and the Easter lily of Irish nationalism: “Republican Socialist movement — IRSP INLA — remembers and salutes all those who gave their lives and liberty in the struggle for national liberation and socialism in Ireland.”
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Sinn Féin have been over-run by money and lost touch with the community, according to this Ardoyne banner: a boot arrayed with Euro and Sterling signs tramples on the Sinn Féin symbol. “Say No to budget cuts! Say No to welfare reform. Community.”
Replaces: Resistance
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Nell (l) and Elizabeth (r) Corr from 107 Ormeau Road joined Cumann Na mBan in 1915 and travelled to Dublin in 1916 (with Nora Connolly, Ina Connolly, Bridie Farrell, Lizie Allen, Kathleen Murphy, and another girl called O’Neill (Treason Felony)) to serve as messengers in the preparations for April’s Easter Rising. They were in Liberty Hall (shown in the detail above) on the morning of the rising before heading north. Brother George, on the other hand, died at the Somme as a soldier in the Australian infantry, while another brother, Charles, fought in WWI with the Canadian Expeditionary Force. They are pictured on the left-hand side of the mural. (BBC | BBC video) There are two images of the work in-progress at the bottom of the post.
Elizabeth’s account of Easter Sunday and Monday is available at the Bureau Of Military History.
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03424 X03468 X03469 X03422 X03423 X03425 Essex Grove Mickey Doherty the irishwomen’s council 206 great brunswick st. join the volunteer movement and become members of the above organisation first aid and ambulance classes reserve corps of trained nurses drill and rifle practices contribute to our equipment fund which has already bought rifles for the volunteers oglaigh na heireann public meeting large concert hall we serve neither king nor kaiser but ireland canadian armed forces
Connolly House – Belfast headquarters of Sınn Féın – for the centenary of the Easter Rising bears the same banner as flew on the ITGWU’s Liberty Hall (in Dublin) during the first world war (see image below) until the building was destroyed during the Rising: We serve neither king nor kaiser, but Ireland! The house was purchased by Sınn Féın in 1983 and brought to its current condition in 2007 (Irish Times).
For a previous appearance of the slogan, on the shirts of a Glasgow flute band, see Business As Usual.
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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On April 15th, 1989, 96 Liverpool football fans were crushed to death against steel fencing around the pitch at Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield. On Tuesday (April 26th), an inquest found the police “grossly negligent” and that the fans were “unlawfully killed”. It also refuted allegations that fans had entered the ground illegally, and were drunk and unruly, and a variety of other claims made in The Sun and The Times about bad behaviour during the event. (Guardian | WP)
According to the Irish News, the simple tribute on Black Mountain of the number 96 is a collaboration by West Against Racism Network (WARN) and the West Belfast Liverpool Supporters Club. The materials were borrowed from Gael Force Art.
See also the Slıabh Dubh Visual History page.
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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A lily and written ‘salute’ have been added to the Fıanna Éıreann wall at the top of Berwick Road/Paráıd An Ardghleanna for the centenary of the Easter Rising: “1916 – 2016 – We salute the memory of those who have given their lives in the cause of Irish freedom.”
For the plaque and the tarp to the right (both of which commemorate four local teenagers), see Purity In Our Hearts.
In the left-hand corner is an RNU sunburst in green, white, and orange.
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Extramural Activity 