Belfast

Forgotten In Life, Remembered In Death

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2013-12-14 QuinnStone+

Trade unionist John Quinn, who helped found the ITGWU, died in 1935 and was buried in an unmarked grave in Milltown. Last weekend (December 14th, 2013) a new headstone was unveiled. As can be seen in the image above, Quinn was fortunate to escape the sinking of the Titanic – he boarded as a fireman in the Belfast crew, but a team of firemen had already been hired in Southampton.

There is a detailed account of Quinn’s life and the process that brought about the new headstone  at the Belfast Telegraph.

Previously on ExtramuralActivity: ITGWU mural – Till Labour Knows No Master | Larkin – We Only Want The Earth | Winifred Carney & Nora Connolly | Lockout

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01480 1876-1935 beloved husband of margaret pollard native of sailortown seaman docker  a participant in the 1907 dockers and carters strike and one of the founder members friend and colleague of james larkin, winifred carney, james connolly, 4 april 1912 Forgotten in life, remembered in death daughter bridget son robert nephew gerard

These Stones

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Sandy Row Ulster Volunteers/WWI memorial: “For God and Ulster 1912, Ulster Volunteer Force, South Belfast Battalion, trained in the adjoining brewery yard. These stones are kept in remembrance, “lest we forget”.”

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The Very System That Drove Us To Our Deaths

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“After we are gone what will you say you were doing? Will you say you were with us in our struggle, or were you with the very system that drove us to our deaths?”

The mural to hunger striker Patsy O’Hara on Shaws Road has been repainted and is now only one half of a long wall, due to impending renovations of the Spar shop whose side it is on. Launched November 17th, 2013 (source: irsp.ie)

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01478 IRSP INLA in proud memory of the ten h-block martyrs who died on hunger strike in long kesh during the struggle for political status

Make Art Not Bombs

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2013-12-19 MakeArt+

London-based Greek street artist ‘The Krah’ is in Belfast at the moment and has just (December 15th and 16th) produced these two new pieces in Garfield Street. Above is ‘Make art not bombs’ and below is a yellow head. ‘Make art not bombs’ was perhaps inspired by witnessing a bomb scare in the city centre this week (Fb | Web).

Replaces Not criminals. Just … Thugz

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The first piece replaces this “Be excellent to each other/tynee bear” piece, below.

2013-10-01 BeExcellent+

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Tile Refinery

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Coloured squares, representing tiles, on the exterior of the David Scott Tile Refinery (web) in Blythe Street (off Sandy Row).

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The Village People

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Two masked gunmen point straight at the viewer in this UVF mural in south Belfast’s Village area. Straight-on shot, below.

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X01465 X01464 2nd battalion B Coy. for god and ulster

We Too Are Strong

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“We too are strong. We too are a threat to the oppressive enemy. We are revolutionaries. We are the other half of our revolutionary men. We are their equal halves.” Earth is contained within the symbol for woman. The IRA’s Maıréad Farrell is in the top left.

Next to Mac Bradaıgh.

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Bleeding Poppy

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2013-11-12 BleedingPoppy+

Above is a new (November 9th, 2013) piece by Damian Walker/Rebel Rebel of the Gael Force Art group (Fb) showing a bleeding poppy with a skull at its centre, under the words “Symbol of British imperialism around the world”. Palestine, Libya, Malvinas, Ireland, Iraq, and Afghanistan are listed as areas under British influence or occupation. At the bottom, in red streaking paint, we have “Britain out of Ireland”

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X01450 Hugo Street

Na hÉıreannaıgh Aontaıthe

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“Liberté, égalité, fraternité”. The United Irishmen of 1798 had been inspired by the revolutions in both the United States and France, and France attempted without success to send troops to Ireland in 1796 and 1798 (Irish History). “It is new strung and shall be heard” – this style of harp is called a Maid Of Erin harp.

Painted by Andrea Redmond in South Link, Andersonstown, Belfast, for the 200th anniversary of the rebellion. Also new for the 200th anniversary is the stone below in the nearby memorial garden outside the PD. “Who fears to speak of 98? This plaque was erected to the memory of the United Irishmen who gave their lives for Irish freedom; also all those who died as a result of the Great Hunger. ‘These are the times that try men’s souls’ [Thomas Paine] ‘The rich always betray the poor’ – Henry Joy McCracken.”

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Every Street Tells A Story

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2013-11-23 BridgeWestClose+

Above is the centre portion of the board on the west side of the underpass on Donegall Avenue and Tates Avenue. It shows ‘John catching spricks + tadpoles’, ‘men playing pitch ‘n toss’, ‘gypsies who collected our potato peelings’ and ‘Nancy + Josie swinging from the lamppost‘. The wide show, below, also includes Mickey Marley’s Roundabout (the Townsend Street image of which was featured previously one | two) on the left and ‘me and Dad going to the football’ past Jamesons shop, on the right. The companion board on the east side of the underpass was featured a few days ago. The title of today’s post is the official title of the project, by david creative.

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