A socially-themed mural in east Belfast: On the dark, down, side: (peer-)pressure, crime, consequence, death, illness, breakdown, suicide. On the up, bright, side; education, work, successful, “enable, empower, equip” (the motto of CharterNI)
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Arrayed against the forces of the British Army (which are shown in armoured cars and in sniping positions in the foreground of the mural, along the whole length of the wall) are various symbols of Irish nationalism: Oliver Sheppard‘s 1911 statue of Cú Chulaınn dying; the pikemen of the 1798 Rebellion (featured yesterday: Éırí Amach 1798); the four provinces of Ireland; Érıu the mythological queen of Ireland/Éıre as designed by Richard J King/Rísteard Ó Cíonga; Easter lilies; the emblems of Na Fıanna Évreann and Cumann Na mBan on either side of a quote from (The Mainspring) Sean MacDiarmada “We bleed that the nation may live; I die that the nation may live. Damn your concessions, England: we want our country”; a phoenix rising from the flames of the burning Dublin GPO (inspired by Norman Teeling’s 1998 painting The GPO Burns In Dublin); the GPO flying an ‘Irish Republic’ flag; portraits of signatories and other rebels — (left) Padraig H. Pearse, Thomas J Clarke, Eamonn Ceannt, Thomas MacDonagh, (right) Countess Markievicz, James Connolly, Sean MacDiarmada, Thomas Plunkett; the declaration of independence, placed over the advertising box of AA Accountants – see the in-progress shot below. For more work-in-progess images, see yesterday’s post, Éırí Amach 1798. At the very bottom is a quote from the mother of Gerard ‘Mo Chara’ Kelly, Harriet Kelly: “We want the freedom of our country and your soldiers out.”
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Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03345 X03346 X03136 mcquillan st Cú Chulaınn Cróga who fears to speak
The pikemen of 1798 go into battle under the flag of the United Irishmen in a detail from a new mural on the Falls Road for the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising. Below are work-in-progress images showing artists Gerard ‘Mo Chara’ Kelly and Bill Bradley.
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In 1955, Ruby Murray — who was born and raised on Donegall Road — had a #1 hit with Softly, Softly (youtube) and it stayed at the top for three weeks. She went on to have six other top-ten hits that year and in one week five of her songs were in the top twenty.
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Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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At the corner of the Falls Road and Northumberland Street, consumerism and republicanism collide.
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Immaculata amateur boxing club (Fb) (or simply “The Mac”) in the Lower Falls will celebrate its 70th birthday in May this year. This long mural, painted in 2015 and featuring boxing past and present, is in Servia Street, near the club’s Albert Street home.
Previously: Come On The Mac
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A woman standing in the sea befriends a giant salmon in this mural by Lesley Cherry (web | Fb) behind the Windsor Women’s Centre (Fb) on Broadway in south Belfast. “Trust – Knowledge – Grow – Teach – Play – Love”. Close-up of the left-hand side below.
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Artist emic (Eoin McGinn) left this parting piece on the shutters of LOFT (Belfast Art Studio & Collective web | Fb) which had to leave its 99 North St address in January due to the impending development of the area. Below is the Sonic The Hedgehog piece it replaces (which itself is on top of the re:Store couch.
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Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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“Sell Out” with arrows pointing to three red dots on the wall of the Republican Ex-Prisoners Association (also housing SNAP – Safer Neighbourhood Ardoyne Project – and Glór An Tuaiscirt (Voice Of The North – an Irish-language and cultural organisation)) in Ardyone.
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The red hand of Ulster is not just a symbol of the province from the time of the earls (see Wednesday’s post An Ancient And Powerful Symbol), it is also an emblem of the Ulster Volunteers (and also the modern-day Ulster Volunteer Force/UVF) who were formed in anticipation of Home Rule in Ireland and fought in WWI. “This cross”, which is on the railings outside Pitt Park in east Belfast, “is marked with the blood of our membership in recognition of the sacrifice made for freedom and democracy in the modern world. When you go home tell them of us and say ‘For your tomorrow we gave our today'” – Ballymacarrett Somme And Cultural Society
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Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Extramural Activity 