“Restore our place in the United Kingdom – No EU law, No EU court, No EU checks – End the Irish Sea border; nothing less will do.” Sticker in front of the UVF Regimental Band mural (They Said We’d Never Last) from the East Belfast Coalition (Fb), one of several regional “coalitions” formed to protest the NI Protocol.
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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Three images of fringe opinions on the restrictions put in place during the coronavirus pandemic. Above, “Swann [is a] criminal” in (PUL) Cregagh – a reference to Health minister Robin Swann; a Newtownards man was arrested for making threats against Swann (Belfast Live); middle, “The media is the virus – Agenda 2030” in William Street, Londonderry – Agenda 2030 is a set of UN “sustainable development” goals which, to those in the know, is really a plan to enslave humanity, using the pandemic as a cover; last, “Covid gover[n]ment lies – banks own gov” on the Monagh Bypass in (CNR) west Belfast.
See also: 5G Kills You.
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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
Copyright © 2021 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
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“Taigs” of course are Catholics but targets apparently also include Muslim women and LGBTQ supporters (the skeleton on the right is wearing a “rainbow” gansey).
The images are from Larne (attempting to reach its potential) but the stickers appear to originate in Scotland (e.g. Daily Record).
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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Update: a shot of the sticker in better condition
Copyright © 2022 Grahame Morrison
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“My freedom doesn’t end where your fear begins. Brought to you by: The White Rose.” The White Rose was a Munich resistance group that undertook an anti-Nazi leaflet campaign in 1942-1943, until its leaders were arrested and executed (WP). This White Rose is “a global network [using Telegram] of independent activists, all working in unison to disseminate a much needed counter narrative to the relentless fear mongering, lies and propaganda we’ve all been subjected to since day one of the Covid-19 scamdemic.”
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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X08627 lanark way
On this date twenty years ago (November 11th, 2001 – Remembrance Sunday) sixteen year-old Glen “Spacer” Branagh was killed by the premature blast of a pipe bomb he was carrying during a riot with New Lodge nationalists. He was affiliated with Tiger’s Bay First flute band – which held a memorial parade for him on October 16th (youtube) – and the UDA/UYM – for which see the old “Young Guns” mural on the site of the current Duncairn community garden. Distant relative Kenneth Branagh was also born in Tiger’s Bay (An Phoblacht), before leaving at age nine with his family in 1969 (WP); his film Belfast will be released in the USA tomorrow.
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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X08591 [X08592] X08593 X08589 [X08590] X08642 X08643 N Queen St
This is the new memorial for Glen “Spacer” Branagh, on the 20th anniversary of his death, at the junction of Canning Street and Orchard Street, north Belfast. For information and the earlier plaque on N Queen St, see Forever Young.
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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X08639 [X08638] [X08640] X08636 [X08637] X08641 tiger’s bay first flute 16-11-1984 11-11-2001
“Heroes get remembered, legends never die.” Walter Smith passed away on October 26th, after a managerial career spanning 33 years, including two stints at Rangers – winning 21 titles over 11 years – and the Scottish national squad. A tarp in his honour – with poppies around his portrait – has been added to the Shankill Road celebration of Rangers’ 2020-2021 league title.
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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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“Stop PSNI harassment of the loyalist community” The PSNI were attacked on Wednesday by youths who blocked Lanark Way (site of this sticker), following a small protest against the NI Protocol. Belfast Live ran a live-blog of the events. Police later suggested that the young people were organised by older people in the community in an attempt to increase tension over the Protocol (Belfast Live) and the threatened collapsing of Stormont by the DUP (BelTel). They were also attacked from the Springfield Road side (BelTel).
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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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“I loved it here, and still miss it. The characters that came into the shop … and I miss the craic!” The advertising hoardings at the corner of Ligoniel and Crumlin roads have been replaced with this community alcove with pavers and a space for “sharing positive stories together” at “the turn of the road” from Ballysillan towards Ligoniel village. The plaque to the UDA’s Bill Reynolds, which stood on the building where he was killed until the building was demolished (see the old plaque) and then replaced with a new plaque next to the hoarding, has been included.
“In loving memory [UDA] Lt. Col. Bill Reynolds murdered [by the IRA] 7-7-87. Always remembered by his family, friends and comrades. Quis separabit.”
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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X08578 X08575 [X08576] X08577 Ligoniel Road
An RAF Spitfire sees off a Luftwaffe Ju87 Stukas over the beach at Dunkirk, France, as British troops are evacuated from the Continent. The fighter plane, designed and built by Supermarine Aviation from 1928 to 1948, became iconic during the Battle Of Britain as the faster counterpart to the Hurricane (WP).
The mural, by Glen Molloy, reproduces Mark Postlethwaite’s painting, Spitfires Over Dunkirk. Oddly, the mural is on the wall of the Clarawood substation that is not visible from any of the residences.
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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Extramural Activity 