Coming Of Age In The Lower Shankill

03076 2015-10-01 Never Doubt+

The quote on this new board in the Lower Shankill estate – “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, concerned citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has” – is attributed to “Margaret Mead, American Author 1901-1978”. Mead in fact was best known as an anthropologist and in particular for her study of adolescent coming-of-age in the islands of Samoa which concluded that adolescence there was not at all the stressful and confused period that it was Western teens.

03077 2015-10-01 Never Doubt info+

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Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03076 X03077 [X12019] The campaign against social exclusion group CASE created this artwork using themes of social justice to highlight how a group of residents by standing together can create real change within their area for the benefit of all residents the quote was written by the american author margaret mead and reflects what the residents aspire to within their community artist lesley cherry worked with case during this project drawing out their concerns hopes and fears for the future and how this statement can relate to similar communities not only in northern ireland but at an international level funded by the housing executive working in partnership with the lower shankill community association replaces several contentious paramilitary murals removed during the redevelopment of the shankill estate

The City May Bring About Its Own Utter Downfall

03065 2015-09-28 Jackalope CNB15 Godzilla+

Here are three pessimistic panels from CNB15. The first (The City May Bring About Its Own Utter Downfall by Ailie O’Hagan) shows an apocalyptic scene: Belfast city hall in flames while Godzilla rampages. The second shows artists in hoodies and face-masks stealing through the city with brushes and a camera. (Yesterday (Nov. 3rd) saw a march on Stormont to protest cuts in arts funding. See TwitterBBC-NI) The third has a giraffe in a fishbowl helmet ‘reaching for the stars’ but beneath it is written “Politics is the art of the possible, except in Northern Ireland”.

For pictures of the folks they got to draw panels in September, see the Jackalope Twitter feed.

03067 2015-09-28 Jackalope CNB15 Gang+

03068 2015-09-28 Jackalope CNB15 Giraffe+

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Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Stop Wars Not People

03143 2015-10-19 Capitalism Imperialism Created Refugees+

The bombs of the US, NATO, and the EU drive fleeing refugees into a circle of barbed wire in this new mural on Beechmount Avenue: “Capitalism & imperialism created refugees! Syria • Iraq • Afghanistan • Libya … Stop wars not people!!!” A report in Saturday’s New York Times on the migrant crisis cites a June UN report when it asserts that “There are more displaced people and refugees now than at any other time in recorded history — 60 million in all”.

Previously: Refugees Welcome

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Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03143 ascaill ard na bhfeá antifa international

The Monster Mash

03146 2015-10-19 Halloween d left+

More Halloween-themed art today, this time by Rich T and 45RPM (ig), two artists from Bristol who were over in Belfast for CNB15. They have mashed together a wide variety of spooky and frightening imagery, from bats, chains, and a bloody axe to webs, skeletons, and claws! Two close-ups are included and a full shot, below.

03147 2015-10-19 Halloween d right+

03145 2015-10-19 Halloween w+

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Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03146 X03147 X03145 lamp lantern rosary beads newt toad eye tree brain in a vat rope brainz fist television gothic arch

The Darker Half Of The Year

03080 2015-10-03 Faigy CNB15 Witch d+

For the day that’s in it, spooky work by Faigy showing a skull-faced spider on the brim of a fedora-like hat on a witchy woman with an unhappy cat for a familiar. See Andrew Stewart’s tumblr for a work-in-progress image.

03079 2015-10-03 Faigy CNB15 Witch+

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Orange Crossing

03120 2015-10-11 School+

In this modified ‘School’ safety sign in the lower Shankill estate, a mother and child with collarettes go to school, under the watchful eye of UFF, UYM, and UDA boards on the gable wall behind it. (In 2000, a board reading “Drumcree” was placed over “School”. See J0585)

03119 2015-10-11 UFF UDA UYM+

03118 2015-10-11 UYM School+

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X03120 X03119 X03118 terrae filius quis separabit UFF 73 ulster defence force young militants freedom fighters

We Borrow The Earth From Our Children

03096 2015-10-04 Emic CNB15 Bee+

The environmentalist saying “We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children” is used by emic as the title of his work for CNB15/Belfast Almanac Environment conference. Here are two details, of a bee and (below) a hummingbird, and finally a full shot which shows a tree growing from the mind of a boy. The origins of the phrase are – fittingly – unknown. (QuoteInvestigator)

03097 2015-10-04 Emic CNB15 Boy Bird+

03095 2015-10-04 Emic CNB15 Boy Bird Bee+

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X03095 X03096 X03097 almanac

At Home And On The Mainland

03109 2015-10-11 The Great War+

The memorial garden in Mount Vernon, which previously had and Ulster Volunteers mural and UVF stone has undergone a major redevelopment this year with a new “cut-out” mural to the 36th (Ulster) Division and memorial plaques to six UVF members who died between 1974 and 2000, including (in the second image) Joe Shaw, who was shot by the UDA during the 1974-1975 feud. (For details of the killings and its aftermath, see this Balaclava Street article.) See the final image, below, for the plaque on the outside wall of the garden listing all six members.

03110 2015-10-11 Shaw plaque+

03108 2015-10-11 Joe Shaw+

X09892 2022-03-31 Memorial Garden 4+

X09893 2022-03-31 Memorial Garden 5+

X09898 2022-03-31 Memorial Garden 10+

X09897 2022-03-31 Memorial Garden 9+

X09896 2022-03-31 Memorial Garden 8+

X09895 2022-03-31 Memorial Garden 7+

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Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03109 X03108 X03110 [X09891] X09892 X09893 X09898 X09897 X09896 X09895 Joe Shaw 18-5-1974 Samuel Frame 13-3-1976 Jackie Irvine 16-3-1989 Colin Caldwell 28-11-1991 Bertie Rice 31-10-2000 Mark Quail 1-11-2000 murdered in the service of ulster we salute also all volunteers at home and on the mainland who served with dignity and pride 3rd battalion north belfast ulster volunteer force lest we forget ulster defence association the great war soldiers marching profile we will remember them 1914-1918

Pandora’s Jar

03033 2015-09-22 Starfighter CNB15 Pandora jar+

L.A. artist StarFighterA (Chirstina Angelina) was in Belfast for CNB15 and painted this three-headed, four-storey, piece of street art on the side-wall of the Irish News’s offices in Donegall St. A full shot and another close-up are below.

03032 2015-09-22 Starfighter CNB15 Pandora+

03034 2015-09-22 Starfighter CNB15 Pandora faces+

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Dove Hunting

03107 2015-10-09 Doves Haven't Gone Away d+

Sınn Féın leader Gerry Adams said of the (Provisional) IRA in 1995 “They haven’t gone away, you know” (youtube). The dove of peace is shot down (presumably by IRA weapons) at the junction of Northumberland and Beverly Streets in PUL west Belfast.

03106 2015-10-09 Doves Haven't Gone Away+

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