Belfast

Neither King Nor Kaiser

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03361 2016-04-04 Connolly House 2016+

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
X03361 andersonstown rd

neither-king-nor-kaiser

Hold Your Head Up High

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03417 2016-04-27 96 Hillsborough+

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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In The Cause Of Irish Freedom

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03395 2016-04-12 Ardoyne 2016 Salute+

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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For Freedom Alone

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03358 2016-04-02 Freedom Corner 2016 l+

Here’s the left-hand end of the repainted ‘Freedom Corner’ on the Newtownards Road. It celebrates the Ulster Freedom Fighters (UFF), formed in 1973 as a cover-name for the UDA’s paramilitary activities. The mural features the red fist on a six-pointed star, a balaclava’ed volunteer with an assault rifle and (on the right) a pistol above a scroll which reads: “For as long as one hundred of us remain alive we shall never in anyway consent to submit to the Irish for it’s not for glory, honour or riches we fight but for freedom alone which no man loses but with his life – U.D.A./U.F.F”

From left to right: For Freedom Alone | As Long As 100 Of Us Remain Alive | Loyalist East Belfast | The Strangest Victory In All History | Ulster’s Past Defenders | Nationality is included in Loyalist East Belfast | Ulster’s Present Defenders | Freedom Corner

04871 2018-04-13 Freedom Corner 1+.jpg

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Loose-Talk Costs Lives

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03387 2016-04-26 Loose Talk+

After a larger version of the poster on boards (Belfast Live | Belfast Telegraph) was taken down, the wall beneath  — a mural to (now-released) Basque activist Arnaldo Otegi, featured previously in Free Otegi — has been plastered with these flyer-sized versions of an old (possibly 1970s) Provisional IRA poster warning the republican community about information-gathering by the security forces: “Loose-talk costs lives. In taxis, on the phone, at footbal[l] matches, at home with friends, anywhere! Whatever you say – say nothing.”

For a link to the 1975 Seamus Heaney poem “Whatever you say, say nothing” and a video of Colum Sands singing his song of the same name, see You Know Where.

Update: the flyers were removed on Wednesday 27th around lunchtime.

03386 2016-04-26 Loose Talk Wall+

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X03387 X03386 divis st Thompson submachine-gun balaclava IRA the pathway to peace pake bidean spanish french jails

Multiculturalism Is Genocide

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03365 2016-04-05 Multiculturism Is Genocide+

The flyers above (on an electrical box in east Belfast) have been damaged not by time and the weather but by deliberate human efforts to remove them, one by scoring and the other by peeling. The sentiment expressed – that adapting oneself and the community to the influx of foreign nationals — or at least its public expression, is thus controversial in the area.

03366 2016-04-05 Multiculturism Is Genocide w+

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X03365 X03366 skull and crossbones

The Artist Formerly Known As Prince

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03385 2016-04-24 Prince Symbol+

Prince Rogers Nelson, better to the world as “Prince” and from 1993 to 2000 as the “love symbol” shown above, died last Thursday (April 21) in his home town of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Previously: Belfast street artists pay tribute to David Bowie, who died in January: Stardust | Oh You Pretty Thing

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X03385 garfield st purple rain

I Could Hardly Wait To Keep Our Date

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03384 2016-04-23 People's Parade+

Two competing posters for two competing dates for two (competing?) Easter Rising parades: the People’s Parade (above) was held today, April 24th, the date of the Rising in 1916; the other was held on this year’s Easter Sunday, March 27th, as the parade is annually held on Easter Sunday.

03383 2016-04-08 Easter Parade+

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X03384 X03385 beechmount ave glen rd easter parade 1916 2016 assemble divis tower 11.30 am parade leaves 12.00 pm sharp speaker gerry adams TD honour ireland’s patriot dead wear an easter lily cumann uaigheann na laochra gael national graves assocition easter commemoration committee belfast leaving barrack street for milltown at 12 noon

McAuley’s

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03348 2016-03-18 McAuley's Diner+

The shutters are down on the Mill Diner on the upper Crumlin Road. Proprietor Tommy McAuley was shot by the UVF in 1987 in retaliation for the Enniskillen bombing. His case was examined by the Historical Enquiries Team (HET) who reported (in 2011) that the police did not question suspects identified by witnesses and the family lobbied the ombudsman to reopen the case (U.tv). In 2014 they did not have any success (North Belfast News) but the case was reopened in 2015 (BMG).

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X03348 luncheon club lost lives 2895

UK – Scotland

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A Union Flag and St Andrew’s Saltire tucked away in Montrose Street, Belfast, cul-de-sac.

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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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