The final large spot on (republican) Northumberland Street wall has been claimed, we know not by whom. A small, bookmark-shaped, span of wall also remains further down the road. See the Visual History page for Northumberland Street for details.
“Watch this space”, as they say. Or, as in the piece (below) on the Cliftonville Road (first seen last year), “new mural loading”.
Four shots of the “Go safe Mandela – RIP” lettering by Gael Force Art on Slıabh Dubh/Black Mountain two weeks ago, commemorating the death of Nelson Mandela on December 5th, 2013. The one above is on the Springfield Road with ‘The Usual Suspects’ in the foreground. (Previously from the same location: G8 War Criminals.) The second, below, is from the Whiterock Road and involves the ‘IRA Final Salute’ mural.
A selection of Republican iconography above the James and Nora Connolly mural in Clondara Street: a tarp to Joe McCann – ‘Soldier of the people, Joe McCann 1947-1972 Official IRA’ (WP) – a board with a Liam McMillen quote – ‘”We stand not on the brink of victory but on the brink of sectarian disaster”, Liam McMillen, Bodenstown June 28th 1973’ (see the post on McMillen at Peter Moloney Collection) – and two circular pieces, one showing the Starry Plough (created in 1914 as the flag of the Irish Citizen Army) and one to co-founder of the ICA ‘James Connolly 1868-1916’ (WP).
Here is the completed Frederick Douglass mural in Northumberland Street. With quotes from …
Douglass himself (“It is easier build strong children than to repair broken adults.”)
Abraham Lincoln (“As I would not be a slave, so I would not be a master. This expresses my idea of democracy.”)
Angela Davis (“We have to talk about liberating minds as well as liberating society.”)
Muhammad Ali (“Why should I drop bombs on brown people in Vietnam while so-called negro people in Louisville are treated like dogs …”)
Steven Biko (“The most potent weapon of the oppressor is the mind of the oppressed.”)
MLK (“I have a dream … black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last, free at last! Thank God Almighty, we are free at last.””)
Bob Marley (“Until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race.”)
Nelson Mandela (“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.”)
Paul Robeson “The artist must elect to fight for freedom or for slavery. I made made [sic] my choice. I had no alternative”, and
(without attribution) James Connolly (“The worker is the slave capitalist society, the woman [female worker] is the slave of that slave.”)
“If you know your history …” – a mural sponsored by the Belfast Celtic Society in St. James’s Crescent celebrates some star players – Charlie Tully (WP), Paddy Bonnar, and Jimmy Jones (WP) – and the old playing ground, Celtic Park or ‘Paradise’, on Donegall Road. Wide shot and close-ups below. (Belfast Telegraph write-up.)
Video from the Belfast Celtic Society of the work in progress and of the unveiling – Jimmy Jones was there in person.
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.
“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)
“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.
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”
Extramural Activity 