Belfast – west – Extramural Activity

Let Ambition Fire Thy Mind

2022-09-302022-09-30Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This new Shankill Road installation makes mention of “William and Mary”, Mary being co-monarch with her cousin William from 1689 to 1694, when she died of smallpox. She was raised Anglican, though her parents (including father James II, whom William defeated at the Boyne) had converted to Catholicism in the 1660s. Although the fifteen year-old Mary wept when the marriage was announced, she remained loyal to William and to “Church and State” when James was deposed (WP).

“King William III Prince of Orange 1650-1702. In God is my trust.” “This artwork celebrates the victory of William III over James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 “The battle of the two Kings”. The williamite ranks were filled with Irish protestants and international troops, William encouraged the hearts of his troops on the morning of the battle when he called to them “LET AMBITION FIRE THY MIND” on seeing the opposing army of James II, William exclaimed with delight “Ah I am glad to see you gentlemen; if you escape me now, the fault will be mine” they followed him to victory.”

In the background can be seen SMUG’s Mussen Cortège.

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Helping Keep Our Communities Safe!

2022-09-292022-09-29Extramural Activity1 Comment

The Gold Rush mural in the lower Shankill estate is gone an in it we have another mural for the Community Rescue Service (web) making a pair with the mural on Northumberland Street (see Hill Or High Water).

“Sponsored by Cab Tours Belfast www.cabtoursbelfast[.com]. Additional sponsors Olympus Gym (Fb), OK Windows (Fb)”

Gairdín Na hÉireann

2022-09-212022-09-21Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Plants provide symbols of, and metaphors for, rebellion. In America, 1775, Paine wrote of the Liberty Tree which Americans must rise to defend against “Kings, Commons and Lords” and Jefferson would later write (in a 1787 letter) that “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” In Ireland, the tree of liberty was borrowed for the 1798 rebellion (see Where Did The Seeds Fall?“) and although t more familiar symbol of the 1798 Rebellion is the pike, the shamrock is thought to be included as one of the objects in the Wearing Of The Green: Boucicault’s version begins “Oh, Paddy, dear, an’ did you hear the news thats goin round?/The shamrock is forbid by law to grow on Irish ground.” The lily, of course, is a symbol of the 1916 Rising, though it is shown here growing between sunflowers and a rose.

These painted electrical boxes are in Westrock and Ballymurphy (“Fáilte chuig Baile Uí Mhurchú”).

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The People’s Queen Is Dead

2022-09-202022-09-20Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Upon news of Queen Elizabeth’s death, the platinum jubilee mural at the bottom of Crimea Street became a memorial, with hundreds of bouquets being laid before it and a “wall of condolences” set up. (For the mural itself, see The People’s Monarch.) In addition, to the right-hand side has been added a small commemoration of her passing, with a quote from her son, the newly acceded King Charles:

“We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world”; “Long live the king!”

The fifteen commonwealth “realms” (previously called “dominions”) share a monarch – formerly Elizabeth II and now Charles III – while the commonwealth comprises 41 additional nations, including some which are now republics: Barbados, for example, became a republic on November 30th last year (2021) but is still in the Commonwealth (WP). Additional countries might take the passing of Elizabeth as a suitable juncture at which to sever ties (Edinburgh News has a round-up | for the Bahamas see Caribbean National Weekly | for Canada see Toronto Star).

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Republican Prisoners Still Exist!

2022-09-132022-09-11Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Foremost in my tortured mind is the thought that there can never be peace in Ireland until the foreign, oppressive British presence is removed, leaving all the Irish people as a unit to control their own affairs and determine their own destinies as a sovereign people, free in mind and body, separate and distinct physically, culturally and economically.” The quote is from day one of Bobby Sands’s hunger strike diary (March 1st, 1981) and the photograph is a 2007 image of a cell in the H-4 (Irish Times).

“Maghaberry – Portlaoise – Hydebank. Republican prisoners still exist!” IRPWA (web) board on Divis St, Belfast, replacing the Sands & Hughes mural – see Cairde Agus Comr á daithe.

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Defund The Police

2022-09-092022-09-09Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

These are new IRSP (web) boards along the Falls Road, opposite the leisure centre and below the IRA memorial garden, highlighting two of the organisation’s most pressing concerns: the PSNI and housing.

“The deadly web of corruption: Funding Scams, Sectarianism, MI5 Special Branch, Internment by Remand, Diplock Non-Jury Courts, Political Policing, Public Interest Immunity Certificates, Collusion/Coverups”,” “Defund – disarm – disband”

“Drop the rents – west Belfast demands affordable housing and an end to landlord exploitation.”

“96% of Divis residents do no support the PSNI” was seen previously – see For A Socialist Republic – and “Divis ’81” replaces the 40th anniversary hunger strike board.

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We Can’t Afford

2022-09-012022-09-09Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“We can’t afford … heating … electricity … a home.” “Costs are rising and so must we!” “Cost of living crisis? You mean capitalism.” Lasair Dhearg (web) seizes the means of propaganda to push for socialism as an alternative to capitalism’s current difficulties.

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Hello Future

2022-08-282022-08-28Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Pat Sheehan had been on hunger strike for 55 days when the strike was ended on October 3rd, 1981. He became MLA for Belfast West in 2010. He was the main speaker at the 41st anniversary commemoration in Belfast this past Sunday (video). The boards shown here are in Pim Street, north Belfast, the former Andersonstown RUC station in west Belfast, lower Falls Road, west Belfast.

“Comóradh Náisiúnta in ómós na stailceoirí ocrais. Béal Feirste 21 Lúnasa, 2:00 i.n. Aoichainteoir: Pat Sheehan. Páirc Dunville a fhad le hUaigheannaí na Poblachta, Reilig Bhaile an Mhuileann. (Ag cruinniú ag 1:30 i.n., ag fágáil ar bhuile 2:00 i.n.”

Upward

2022-08-242022-10-03Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The new arch at Denmark Street and Carlisle Circus, next to the Clifton Street Orange Hall, was a year in the planning, both technical and financial (News Letter). There are seven windows and four flag-holders built into the arch. On the Denmark Street side, we see the emblem of the Association Of Loyal Orangewomen Of Ireland, the breaking of the boom (to end the Siege Of Derry), National Memorial (in the arboretum in Staffordshire), Elizabeth’s platinum jubilee (crown and Bible over rose, thistle, shamrock, daffodil, New Zealand silver fern, and Canadian maple leaf), City Of Belfast Loyal Orange Widows Fund, Orange Order symbols. On the Carlisle Circus side, we see the shutting of the gates (to start the Siege Of Derry), ?Calvin?, the stained-glass window in Schomberg House to murdered OO members, Pietro Annigonni’s 1995 portrait of Queen Elizabeth on garter day (WP), Martin Luther, and the 36th Division going over the top.

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Incendiary Device

2022-08-172022-08-17Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Irish-language rap group Kneecap (web) played in Falls Park on Friday night, sharing the stage with Imelda May and Damien Dempsey in a concert that Féile entitled “Irish Voices“, but before that they revealed a mural in Hawthorn Street showing a PSNI land-rover on fire next to the phrase “Níl fáilte roimh an RUC [The RUC is not welcome]”. Outraged responses to the mural have come from all quarters. The line comes from their song C.E.A.R.T.A. (youtube), about making sure the police don’t find the satirically enormous array of drugs – “cóc, speed, Es, agus moll marijuana” to name only a few – they hope to take at a party: “Seans ar bith go bhfaighidh siad mo mhála MD/Mar tá cóisir ann anocht ‘s níl fáilte roimh an RUC”. The Kneecap party and the middle Falls are the latest in a long line of places where the PSNI is not welcome, not just Ardoyne, Divis, and the Bogside (Derry) but also the Village, the Shankill, Carrickfergus, Millbrook (Larne), the Caw (Londonderry), and Tullyally (Londonderry).

The sticker shows a vintage republican image: see e.g. England Get Out Of Ireland and Stad Maggie Anois.

Irish-language rap group Kneecap played in Falls Park on Friday night but before that they revealed a mural in Hawthorn Street, Belfast.

	Extramural Activity on Faces Of Death
	Shasti Walsh on Faces Of Death
	Sam Leikind on Helping Keep Our Communities…
	Extramural Activity on Simply The Best
	Sam Leikind on Simply The Best

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