Insignia

2013-10-14 Insignia+

This mural and its accompanying plaques, at the mouth of Canada Street, commemorate WWI and celebrate the Victoria Crosses won by members of the 36th (Ulster) Division “For valour”: Cather, McFadzean, Bell, Quigg, Emerson, De Wind, Seaman, Knox, and Harvey. The main mural features insignia of more than thirty units of types ranging from machine gunners to vets. Repainted version of East Belfast Volunteers.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01390 X01391 east belfast volunteers 8th. batt. r.i.rifles 36th ulster division 1914 1918 cap badge transport brigade staff officers 9th w. vols 10th s. 107th m.g.c. machine gun coy. 110th field ambulance r.a.m.c. 15th  167th t.m.b. trench mortar batt. 121st royal engineers 233rd divisional employment c’batt 173rd artillery 153rd train 9th inniskilling fus. 10th tyrone derry ammunition donegall fermanagh y.c.v 48th mobile vets 16th co. down pioneers 109th 150th 108th 22nd armagh monaghan cavan central antrim 108th signal royal irish rifles fusiliers john mccrae In Flanders fields the poppies blow between the crosses, row on row, that mark our place; and in the sky the larks, still bravely singing, fly scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago we lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, loved and were loved, and now we lie in Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw the torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die we shall not sleep, though poppies grow in Flanders fields. moina michael Oh! you who sleep in Flanders Fields, Sleep sweet – to rise anew! We caught the torch you threw And holding high, we keep the Faith With All who died. We cherish, too, the poppy red That grows on fields where valor led; It seems to signal to the skies That blood of heroes never dies, But lends a lustre to the red Of the flower that blooms above the dead In Flanders Fields. And now the Torch and Poppy Red We wear in honor of our dead. Fear not that ye have died for naught; We’ll teach the lesson that ye wrought In Flanders Fields. July 1st, 1916 5553 officers and men had been killed mournful praise glorious meaning in which no shade of contention can enter the lost generation freedom east belfast historical and cultural society

Apocalypse Mime

2013-10-07 ExchangePlaceNoAlibis+

Here are two of the panels (and a wide shot) done by davidcreative (web site | Fb) in Exchange Place for Apocalypse Mime – a play that was readied for Culture Night Belfast (20th Sept.)

The first features the ‘no alibis’ book store, which is on Botanic Avenue and specialises in crime fiction, and a piece of ‘not for $hale’ graffiti (see previously). Here are some pictures of the work in progress.

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Copyright © 2013 Extramural Activity
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I See You But I Promise I Won’t Look

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Here are two more stencils about the Obama regime’s espionage programme, complementing the ‘Don’t Drone Me, Bro’ piece. Both are in Fountain Street. The first says “I see you” and the second “I promise I won’t look”.

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Connswater Commemorates

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These three painted boards, in frames, on the exterior of the Connswater Community Centre, were unveiled this past December (2012). The first commemorates Titanic, the second the Somme, and the third the WWII Blitz.

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X01412 X01409 X01410 X01411 union castle dunvegan southern cross ulster prince white star olympic britanic eagle dunotter seaquest canberra harland and wolff ships men iron steel this mural commemorating the centenary launch of the rms titanic was unveiled by the rt. hon. lord mayor of belfast alderman gavin robinson on 21st december 2012 36th 16th 10th 1914 1918 glorious dead dear mother by the time you receive this i will probably be dead and god was with them as they passed over and the trumpets all sounded for them on the other side battle of the somme ranger andrew allen 1st batt. royal irish regiment ballymacarrett 1941 many killed in night of terror arp sgt. edward donnan irish guards 1940-1956

The Walls, Unbroken

2013-10-24 SpidermanWide+

Here are two context shots for the gallery of superheroes featured on Friday. The first shows the Springfield Road police station opposite the Slıabh Dubh estate, while the second, taken while the murals were being painted, shows the Springhill/Westrock massacre mural rising on the Springfield Road behind the gallery of heroes, Thor in this case.

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Lost Soul

2013-09-30 Inkie+

Here is another piece of Culture Night Belfast 2013 artwork, produced by Inkie on the shutters – suitably enough – of a tattoo parlour in North Street.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Wallbusters

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If there’s one thing superheroes like doing, it’s breaking down brick walls. At least, Spider Man, Iron Man, Hulk, Captain America and Wonder Woman do. Cat Woman crawls in via a tunnel painted on a buttress to the wall at the entrance to the Slıabh Dubh estate. The murals were painted by a local artist and local children. For images from the launch, see Black Mountain Shared Space.

A wide shot was included in Yes Yes Catalonia.

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Don’t Drone Me, Bro

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Stencil and graffiti in College Street (in the city centre; the Fountain Centre is visible in the background): “Don’t drone me, bro.” over a stencil of U.S. president Barack Obama. This image was taken the day the leader of the Pakistani Taliban was killed by a U.S. drone (Guardian). The Obama administration has launched six times more drone strikes in Pakistan than the Bush administration (WP). For the original phrase ‘Don’t tase me, bro’, see knowyourmeme.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Tamery Pass

2013-10-21 TameryPassWide+

Graffiti next to a mural commemorating various battles of WWI reads “Prejudice is all in your head!” The Young Citizen Volunteers (YCV) were formed in 1912 and in 1914 became a battalion of the UVF.

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X01407 X01406 somme, ypres, arras, thiepval, st. quentin, grandcourt, messines, fricourt, young citizen volunteers

Boxing Through The Generations

2013-10-13 Boxing+

Above is a new mural in Templemore Street, at the eastern edge of the residential part of the Albertbridge Road. The mural features seven boxers: John Lowey, Billy Birch (’47-’54), Herbie Young, James Gorman, Ray Close (who fought Chris Eubanks to a draw for a World belt in 1993), Luke Wilton (’08-present), and Stephan Keenan. Information on-line is sparse, so please comment or e-mail.

Update: 2013-12-24 Two plaques have been added to the piece above, one showing the photographs upon which the portraits in the mural were based (except Keenan’s), and the other describing the process by which the Ulster-Scots mural was replaced as part of a project by Charter NI (along with the city council and the housing executive). It reads: “Communities Moving Forward Re-Imaging Programme Phase One. The concept of renewal, change and respect lies at the heart of the ‘Communities moving forward’ programme, which recognises the importance of creativity in all its manifestations and in all our lives, reflecting the heritage of our communities in a positive manner. Boxing through the generations showcases the positive images of this proud small community.” (Also: NIHE press release)

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