The Gloves Are On

All three of these murals in support of NHS staff and key workers – from the Waterside, Irish Street, and Caw areas of Londonderry – are the work of  brothers Dee, Mark, and Peter Logan (Derry Now).

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Copyright © 2020 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
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The Landing Of SARS-CoV-2 At Carrickfergus, March 2020

As he begins his trek around Ireland to vanquish the forces of James II, King William III wears a mask to protect himself from the novel coronavirus.

The title of today’s post is based on the old Bobby Jackson mural The Landing Of William III At Carrickfergus June 1690, itself based on a popular postcard.

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Copyright © 2020 Sabine Troendle
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Inspiring Belfast

“Wash your hands – we’re in this together”. Coronavirus-related graffiti on the Newtownards Road next to the construction-site hoardings at Templemore Avenue, which have been in place for over a decade since Edenoak collapsed.

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Copyright © 2020 Sabine Troendle
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Our NHS

“No surrender to Covid-19”. Two banners from Donegall Road in support of “our brave NHS”: above, the 1st South Belfast Linfield Supporters Club (Fb)  and below, the Rangers Supporters Club in Barrington Gardens (Barrington Street).

For the Covenant and Somme boards, see Out Of The Rubble.

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Copyright © 2020 Sabine Troendle
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Prince Of Peace Line

Artist Glen Molloy (Fb) has painted a portrait of Jesus Of Nazareth next to the Cupar Way “peace line” in the style of Shepard Fairey’s Obama ‘Hope’ poster (also the inspiration for De Craig’s Achieve! in east Belfast). Irish News report on the mural.

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Copyright © 2020 Sabine Troendle
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Belfast 1941

During the blitz, more than 900 people died, 1,500 people were injured, and half of the houses in Belfast were destroyed (WP).

This is only one of about 20 similar plaques erected in 2016 by Belfast City council to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the blitz of Belfast in 1941. (For images of others, see Wartime NI.)

This is the one in Ohio Street, on the side of the Woodvale Community Centre. Another one, on the Falls, can be seen in Suíomh Marbhlaınne.

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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Murdered By Cowards

The “cowards” in this case are the members of the UDA who killed Rockett in front of his girlfriend and 18 month old child in an attack on her house in the lower Oldpark, during the feud between the UVF and UDA, sparked by Johnny Adair’s “loyalist day of culture” and removal of the UVF from the lower Shankill.

In response to the purge (and attacks on the Rex bar), the UVF killed Jackie Coulter (UDA) and Bobby Mahood (formerly of the UVF). Rockett was killed by the UDA in retaliation for Coulter’s death; 1,000 people attended Rockett’s funeral (Irish Times). The feud continued until mid-December (Mirror).

“In proud and loving memory of Vol. Samuel Rockett, ‘B’ Coy. 1st Belfast battalion, Young Citizens Volunteers. Murdered by cowards 23rd August 2000. ‘At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember him.'”

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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Highfield Festival

Plans for the Highfield estate were drawn up and approved in 1945, converting a green-field site in the foothills of Black Mountain between the Ballygomartin, West Circular and Springfield roads. The first houses were completed in 1948 (Belfast Forum.) The community hall sits at the centre of the estate. UDA bomb-maker Michael Wright died there in a premature explosion in 1980 (Sutton) and there used to be a UFF mural on the side. This was replaced in 2000 (C01505) and again in 2006(?) (M04512) with the current mural (entitled “Whiterock Festival” after the cross-community event sponsored by the City Council’s ‘Good Relations’ fund (one | two) showing Highfield kids having fun with music provided by a DJ, band, and the Whiterock Flute Band (Fb) drum.

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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The Dead Cannot Cry Out For Justice

Photographs of a dozen atrocities are included on the right of this Derwent Street mural, ranging in time from the 1970 gun-battle around the nearby St Matthew’s church in 1970, in which Jimmy McCurrie and Bobby Neill were killed, to the October 1993 IRA bombing of Frizzell’s fish shop on the Shankill Road, in which Leanne Murray (shown on the left) was one of ten people, two of them children, to die. The others incidents portrayed are Bloody Friday, Darkley, Coleraine, Abercorn, Balmoral, Claudy, La Mon, Kingsmill, and Teebane. 

This new computer-generated mural replaces the painted East Belfast Remembers, which had peeled away to a great extent.

“The slaughter of the innocent by the blood soaked hands of Sinn Fein/IRA never to be forgotten. The dead cannot cry out for justice. It is a duty of the living to do so for them. Is this the equality Sinn Fein/IRA asks for? No economic targets, no legitimate targets, no enquiries, no truth, no justice. Hold dear the memory of all the innocents murdered in our country in support of the Sinn Fein electorate. This memory extends to those not mentioned here who were murdered going about their daily lives at work, at prayer and in remembrance. Nothing was sacred in the futile question for a united Ireland.”

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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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A Cat May Look At A King

… while a dog may look away from a queen, and she from it. Ornaments to a Woodvale back garden, where giant poppies grow.

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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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