“Frankie + Andy – Village legends.” UVF hitman Andy “Hard To Kill” Aiken died of a drugs overdose in June 2018, six months after the death of his brother Andy (BelTel) who lived in Roden Street (Funeral Times). The graffiti was previously to Frankie alone (Street View).
Aiken was a suspect in the killing Bobby Moffett on the Shankill in May 2010; Moffett had previously been expelled from the RHC for drug use (BelTel).
The referent of “RIP Lee – one love” is unknown. It is perhaps Lee Rigby (WP).
A sticker protester in Bloomfield Avenue is tired of high rates: “UVF bonfire riots are to add £500 to your rates. Thank your morons”, “UVF scum push up rates + selfish bonfire builders”, “High private rentals and lack of council homes = EU open border German plan”.
Policing at two east Belfast bonfires last year cost 188 thousand pounds (BBC-NI), but it’s not clear that had any impact on rates. Commercial rates will increase by £138 this year, due in part to the allocation of half a million pounds for “bonfire diversionary schemes” (up from 400,000 pounds in 2018), resulting in a rates increase of 1.98% compared to a planned increase of 1.67% (Irish News | BBC-NI). The scheme has been called a “carve up” for special interests as the allocation of funds was decided by Sinn Féin and the DUP alone. Last year’s allocation was investigated by the NI Audit Office, and it appears that the office will investigate this year’s too in order to see that the recommendations made were adhered to (Alliance).
The other issue seems to be that immigration into Europe (including Belfast) is forcing up rents. Most immigrants to east Belfast live in privately-owned accommodation (NIHE). Germany ended its open-door migration policy in June 2018 (Vox).
Please get in touch if you can shed light on any of the issues.
“Even Protestants love Marxism/Leninism – just ask Wolfe Tone.” Tone, an Anglican, was an Irish republican and famously thought that the “men of no property” would play a part in the revolution, but what he thought their role would be in the new Ireland is much less clear. The graffiti is in loyalist east Belfast.
More pieces are added to the ‘Eastside Urban Gallery’ in east Belfast (see previously Linenopolis | Winter’s End), with two new pieces by Irony (ig) and Artista (ig) along the Comber Greenway (in Tamar Street). Both artists are from London. Sponsored by the Eastside Urban Partnership and Seedhead Arts.
After the Nationalist coup in 1936, the UK and US continued to recognise Spain’s Republican government but did not intervene militarily. Individuals from these counties thus participated in the conflict by joining the British and Lincoln battalions of the XV International Brigade, fighting alongside Balkans, Belgians, and Cubans at Jarama, Brunete, and the Ebro river, among other battles. For background on Belfast socialism of the period see this article by Stevie Downes.
“International Brigades – Spanish Civil War 1936 – 39. Commemorating all those who served and died with the XV International Brigade in the fight against fascism including the following Brigadistas from the Shankill area: William Beattie … Bill Henry … William Laughran … Henry McGrath … James Isaac Hillen … Joseph Lowery … Andrew Molyneaux. No pasarán. Unveiled by Tommy and Freddie McGrath, nephews of Henry McGrath, and Baroness May Blood, trade union & community activist. International Brigade Commemoration Committee. Saturday 1st February 2014.”
The Bunch Of Grapes in east Belfast was an infamous UDA bar known in particular for the
torture and killing of Georgie Legge in 2001 (Irish Times). The east Belfast Resolve NI (Fb | tw) office – formerly a DUP advice centre – sits across from it at the junction of Beersbridge and Castlereagh roads. The pub has been derelict for 5 years or more and an apartment building is to be developed on the site (BelTel). Demolition would also remove Friz’s Hope, Life.
For a short time (2006-2008?) the pub was called the Ibrox Bar and, when this proved controversial with Rangers FC, the Eye-Brox Bar.
Ronnie’s hardware shop in east Belfast, vacant for many years and the site of Our Brave Defenders, was finally torn down last year and a pocket park created with murals commemorating east Belfast volunteers who died in the Great War and the UVF Regimental Band (tw), this year celebrating its 50 anniversary (video of the launch). See previously: 40th anniversary banner at the same spot (Belvoir Bar).
By the end of today counting in the local council elections should be completed. Candidates in Belfast are vying for one of 60 seats on the city council, including former TUV but now independent candidate Jolene Bunting in the Court district. Will voters identify with her message of conservative values and feelings of persecution? This is the second selection of Bunting’s posters – see previously Not Politically Correct. (For ‘Soldier F’ see Stop The Witch-Hunt; for ‘IRA terrorists’ on the council, see Vote All Unionist.)
Sınn Féın leader Mary Lou McDonald drew criticism for appearing behind an “England get out of Ireland” banner at the St Patrick’s day parade in New York city (BBC-NI). This Shankill Road graffiti reverses the sentiment (replacing “Britain” with “England”), commenting perhaps on the difficulty the Northern Ireland border poses for the UK’s attempt to exit the European Union.
Extramural Activity 