
The Covenant and Somme boards originally on the corner of Barrington Gardens before demolition (see July 1st) have been mounted together on a metal frame inside the security gates.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The Covenant and Somme boards originally on the corner of Barrington Gardens before demolition (see July 1st) have been mounted together on a metal frame inside the security gates.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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“Born in Moltke Street, Belfast, on 29 March 1935. A child singer who became one of the most popular stars in the 1950s. Her first single reached the Top 3 in 1954 followed by her No 1 hit ‘Softly, Softly’. In 1955 she had five singles in the Top 20 at the same time, an extraordinary record that lasted until the emergence of Madonna in the 1980s. She had her own television show, starred many times at the London Palladium including a Royal Command Performance. She toured worldwide and was performing up to her death on 17th December, 1996” ‘Softly, softly, come to me/Touch my lips so tenderly/Softly, softly, turn the key/And open up my heart.’ (youtube).
Maldon Street, south Belfast
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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In 2008 and 2009 artist Raymond Henshaw completed a series of cultural murals about the Markets area of Belfast. This one showcases the people of the Markets. The others are: Portraits | Social History | Sport & Culture | Bars | Industry
Two of the images – bottom right and two spots above it – show a street party to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the death of Robert Emmet in 1953. For a mural from that occasion (in Ardoyne) see Visual History 02.
Lower Stanfield St, Markets, south Belfast
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Sport and politics intersect in this mural at the junction of Broadway and Donegall Avenue in south Belfast. Northern Irish flags provide a backdrop for the shields of Linfield football club and the Northern Ireland football association.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00926 proud supporters LFC irish football association

The Union Flag is, how shall we say, “all the rage” these days. (Background from BBC-NI. Here is youtube video of the famous “No Surrender” scream. Gallery of images from protests on Dec 3rd | Dec 8th from U.Tv. Lots of coverage on Slugger O’Toole.) This one is flying over a ‘Give Way’ sign in Donegall Pass.
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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Back in January, Bill Rolston said that there weren’t many murals featuring British royalty. The number has surely seen a large increase in the year of the diamond jubilee and the covenant centenary. This ‘blue queen’ is from the Village area.
Detail below …

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00613 X00612 ER II, this we will maintain

May 2012 mural celebrating workers at Harland & Wolff and the building of the Titanic (and Olympic) 1908-1911. Gable wall of Allen’s Tours (Allen’s Furniture)
The artist is Ed Reynolds, whose site contains images of him at work on the piece (steadyhanded.com).
Somewhat reminiscent of Magritte’s 1959 Le Mois Des Vendages.
Combermere St. (Donegall Rd. just before Sandy Row).
The left-hand “title” and two details follow below …



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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00595 X00600 X00594 X00601 funded by belfast city council titanic workers, this mural was developed under belfast city council’s titanic community engagement project with support from titanic foundation. thanks go to sandy row community forum, local residents and artist Ed Reynolds.

Here is a third panel from the new Stroud St. mural (previous panels one | two). This image is based on a photograph by the celebrated Belfast photographer Bill Kirk whose exhibit ‘Sandy Row 1974’ was at the Red Barn Gallery September-October 2011. At 6:50 in the video below one can see the original photograph of the Elliots.
This mural is an example of the ‘re-imaging’ of local areas that is being commissioned/sponsored by public bodies in NI at present. The stated aim of the project is to replace existing murals with ones that are less violent or, as in this case, to create new ones in order to enhance the appearance of an area. This mural contains no images of flags, political or paramilitary personages or emblems. It is ‘non-political’ in that sense, though you might argue that state sponsorship of ‘neutral’ images is in itself a political act.
Many such murals seem to rely on nostalgia, as is evident in this image.
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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00587 mr & mrs elliot in the back yard of their house boyne sq 1974

Here’s the part of the Stroud Street mural (mentioned a few days ago in Just The Ticket) that incorporates the street-light into the mural.
Ed Reynolds is the artist. The mural was commissioned by the Belfast City Council, in consultation with the Sandy Row Community Forum and the Residents’ Association
There are a few seconds of footage of children swinging on a light pole at the 1:25 mark of this youtube video
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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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