Planet Earths form the corner-pieces for the Celtic knot-work on this multi-cultural mural in Ascaıll Ard Na bhFeá, Béal Feırste.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X05280
One Community, One World
Belfast west
Jesus, Friend To All
Religious mural somewhere in the ?lower? Shankill. Please get in touch if you know the precise location.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X05278
Apart To Play
Two side of the same peace line, with new, near-identical street-art on each side. Above, the view from the Protestant (Woodvale/Shankill) side; below, the view from the Ardoyne side.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Not Working
A broken-down car at the top of the Westlink in the shadow of Divis flats, beside a poster reading “Poverty capital of the six counties. Nearly half of all kids here live in poverty. Stormont isn’t working for them! Equal rights and equal opportunities … cherishing all the children of the nation equally – Proclamation of 1916”.
(Previously: Isn’t Working)
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01046
White Line, Black Flag
The anti-Thatcher slogan on Black Mountain above Ballymurphy was replaced with “Hunger Strikers Abú”. May 5th was the anniversary of Bobby Sands’ death in 1981 and a “white line” protest took place – marchers walk down the white line in the middle of road – with participants bearing Sands’ image and carrying a black flag.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Belfast Lock-Up
A small sign of progress, perhaps: these new gates at the bottom of Howard Street are see-through and reveal the hills in the distance. For comparison, see the solid yellow gates on the Cupar Way (Shankill) side.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01053
The Courage And Sacrifice Of The Hunger Strikers
The Clowney Street phoenix, which dates back to 1981 (see The Oldest Murals), has been repainted, and above, the blanketmen painting (see 1981-2011) has been replaced with a montage of photographs from the period, including prisoners on the blanket and dirty protest, the funeral of Sands and of McDonnell, and three pieces of graffiti: “Thirty thousands can’t be wrong” (Sands’s election to Westminster), “Bobby Sands murdered 1.17 am 5th May 1981”, and “My position is in total contrast to that of an ordinary prisoner. I am a political prisoner.”
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X05274
Break The Connection With Capitalism
“In Memory of the Belfast men who fought against fascism with the international brigade, Spanish civil war 1936 – 1939.” The colours of the international brigade (red, yellow and purple – here a lighter violet colour) serve as a background.
The board shows Belfast socialists walking at Bodenstown, 1934 as part of the annual Wolfe Tone commemoration, held each year in June. Tone, an Anglican and the founder of the United Irishmen, is buried in the Bodenstown graveyard. Sources report, however, that there was an attempt to exclude these marchers, from “Shankill Rd Belfast Branch”, from part of the 1934 commemoration. The reasons given vary: they were carrying a non-standard banner, they had communist leanings, and, they were Protestants. (See Paddy Byrne | WP1 – though a different banner is mentioned | WP2 – see “legacy” section | WP3 – see fn. 1).
The plaque to the right reads: “In memory of all those who fought in Spain against Fascism 1936-1939. This mural was erected by Teach Na Fáılte Republican Ex-Prisoners Support Group and Belfast City Council. It was unveiled on April 20th, 2013 (irsp.ie). Signed “[Fra] Maher 2013”.
Northumberland Street, west Belfast.
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Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01079 X00828 Original photo of the marchers, at An Phoblacht.
Ding Dong The Witch Is Gone
Black-and-white and colour versions (see below) of graffiti on Divis Street celebrating the death of Margaret Thatcher. The power of the state lives on, however, in the surveillance camera atop the pole. (Previously: Rot In Hell | Living Like Animals | Thatcher The Real Criminal | Thatcherism)
“Ding-dong! The witch is dead” (from The Wizard Of Oz) (youtube) went to #2 in the singles charts in the aftermath of Thatcher’s death.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Thatcher The Real Criminal
“Thatcher The Real Criminal” on Black Mountain, overlooking the Springfield Road, with a Mo Chara Kelly mural in the foreground, commemorating the deaths of five people shot by British army snipers in 1972.
This picture was taken on April 18th; on April 19th the lettering on the hillside had been removed.
Recent posts related to the death of Margaret Thatcher: Rot In Hell | Rust In Peace | Living Like Animals.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01054 springhill westrock massacre, paddy butler 39, david mccafferty 15, margaret gargan 13, john dougal 16, fr. noel fitzpatrick 40, belfast’s bloody sunday on the 9th july 1972 the british army murdered 5 irish citizens and severely wounded 2 others; it’s time for the truth
Extramural Activity 