New graffiti art – artist unknown – at the bottom of loyalist Conway Street, next to the Cupar Way “peace” line.
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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Break Free, Belfast
PUL
Sydenham For Jesus
“This is a neighbourhood watch area”, says the small sign sandwiched between the UVF East Belfast battalion flag and the “Jesus is alive” placard.
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Loyalist Prisoners Of War
This UVF LPOW mural in Inverary Drive, east Belfast, probably dates back to the years after the Agreement, when the release of prisoners from both sides was being implemented between 1998 and 2000. That would make the mural about 20 years old.
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Wall On Wall
The Berlin Wall fell in 1989 but dividing walls all over the world still stand. Kai Wiedenhöfer’s Wall On Wall exhibition comes to Belfast later in the month (the launch is September 27th at 4 pm), placing images of dividing walls on Belfast’s own dividing wall, the Cupar Way “peace” line. Shown above is the image of the wall in Al Bayya (Baiyya) in the Al Rashid district, part of the 700 km of walls in Baghdad, Iraq (Browse Gallery), which was pasted onto the “peace” line as a trial for the forthcoming exhibition. As usual, it has been vandalised by tourists and their patronising slogans (and political statements: “Hong Kong is doesn’t have to be a part of China!”). Wiedenhöfer’s image of the Occupied Territories was on Free Derry Corner in 2013 (see Ramallah, Israeli City Of Culture) and three images of Belfast were pasted onto the Berlin Wall in 2013 (Irish Times).
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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Give Sectarianism The Boot
There have been various ‘give sectarianism the boot’ campaigns over the year. This one is not an appeal to bring players from both sides together using sport but criticism of Belfast City Council’s decision to remove a portacabin from the grounds of East Belfast FC (Fb | tw) due to lack of planning permission, as well as perceived inequality in funding compared to clubs in nationalist communities (Facebook).
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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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First Church
The First Presbyterian church in Rosemary Street dates back to 1783 but the congregation goes back to 1644. There are six stained glass windows around the pews, including this one on the teaching of First Corinthians 13:13: “And now abideth faith, hope and charity, but the greatest of these is charity.” The piece was produced in 1929 by Mayer Of Munich with patronage by Riddel. Two British Legion flags, laid by after forty years of use, are to the left.
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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Bella’s Bench
“In loving memory of Isobel Bamford 18.09.1954 – 03.02.2014 from family and friends in Kirkintillock LOL 206, KRSC [Kirkintillock Rangers Supporters Club], City of Glasgow ABOD and POTNFB [Pride Of The North Flute Band].” Kirkintillock is eight miles outside Glasgow, Scotland. This memorial bench to Bella Bamford is in the pocket park just above the King William III mural on Sandy Row.
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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Kill Your Speed
A message from the students at Glenwood Primary School: “Kill your speed, not a child. Look at the road, not your phone.” With support from the Greater Shankill A[ction for] C[omunity] T[ransformation] Initiative (Fb). Although these are boards, they have been printed to look as though they are on brick. BelfastLive has a gallery of images from the 2016 launch. Shankill Road at the top of Lanark Way.
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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Make Israel Great Again
US president Donald Trump, yesterday quoted (approvingly, in a tweet) a conservative radio host claiming that Israelis think of him “like he’s the King of Israel” and “the second coming of God”. He went on, later in the afternoon, to describe himself to reporters as ‘the chosen one’ (video at BBC) for imposing tariffs on Chinese goods. He said that American Jews who vote for Democrats are “disloyal” (BBC) to Israel; he later clarified (NYTimes). 80% of Jewish Americans voted for Democrats.
The Trump flag flies over Sandy Row, next to the other ‘Prince Of Orange’.
Previously: Your Wall, Your Border | Imagine There’s No Countries
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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The Loyal 36th
“Off to France our boys were sent. All gave some, some gave all – In memory of the loyal 36th.” The first phrase might come from the Rangers’ song ‘We’re Coming Down The Road‘. The second phrase dates not to WWI but the Korean War in the 1950s (Reference). Kitchener Drive, the Village.
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Copyright © 2019 Extramural Activity
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Extramural Activity 