Belfast west

You’re Never Alone

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“Be smart, don’t start” – taking drugs, that is. This is a recent mural on the Falls Road, Belfast, with nine panels that discourage youth from taking drugs, alternately by reminding them of their dangers (including death – “Drugs can thrill but they also kill.” “I’m dying to meet you.” “If you dance with the devil you remain in hell.” “Don’t let drugs ruin something beautiful.” “Don’t get trapped by drugs.”) and providing support in persevering through dark times (“There is always light beyond the darkness.”
“We all have a choice in life.” “Hugs not drugs.” “Always remember you’re never alone.” “Try to be leader not a follower.”)

With support from Belfast City Council, Divis Youth Project, Greater Falls Neighbourhood Partnership, Falls Partnership Initiative (Falls Residents).

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Get Me Back To The Green Hill

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“Don’t let me body lie here – get me back to the green hill by Murlough, by the McCarry’s house, looking down on the Moyle. That’s where I’d like to be now, that’s where I’d like to lie. … Death is not dark but only deeper blue.” [Letter to Elizabeth “Eilis” Bannister, July 25th, 1916] Roger Casement was executed in Pentonville prison, in England, in 1916, for his role in gunrunning for the Rising, and his corpse was buried in the prison cemetery. Despite repeated requests for repatriation, it wasn’t until 1965 that the corpse was returned to Ireland – but to his home town of Dublin rather than to his beloved Murlough, where his cousins Eilis and Gertrude lived (in what was by then Northern Ireland): the corpse was released on condition that it not enter Northern Ireland, for fear of stoking political tensions between the sects (WP).

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X09004 X09011 erected by casement commemoration committee Andersonstown Rd

Those Who Endure The Most

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Kieran Doherty’s memorial stone (below) is recreated at the back of the mural of his funeral cortège. “I gcuımhne ar Vol. Kieran Doherty T.D. Brıogáıd Bhéal Feırste [Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann], of 54 Commedagh Drive. Rugadh 16ú Deıreadh Fómhaır 1955, elected T.D. for Cavan/Monaghan 11th June 1981, a fuaır bás 2ú Lúnasa 1981, after 73 days on hunger strike in the H-Blocks of Long Kesh. ‘It is not those who can inflict the most, but those who endure the most, who will conquer in the end’.” (The Terence MacSwiney quote is not included on the painted stone.)

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X08910 X08907 X08908 [X08909] Slemish Dr, Commedagh Dr

Solidarity

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Solidarity between CNR west Belfast (specifically, Andersonstown) and Cuba and Palestine.

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X08905 [X08906] Commedagh Dr

If Wars Can Be Started By Lies, Peace Can Be Started By Truth

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“Ná heıseachadtar Assange – Don’t extradite Assange” – in December of last year (2021) the British court of appeal ruled (NYTimes) that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange could be extradited to the USA to face charges relating to the publication of the Chelsea Manning leaks of US operations in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2010. His fate is now in the hands of UK Home Secretary Priti Patel (Al Jazeera). The Sınn Féın board shown above is at the Falls Road-Glen Road roundabout.

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End The Occupation

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“20,000+ security personnel maintain Britain’s occupation of Ireland.” ‘End imperialism, End the occupation’ is a Lasair Dhearg (web | tw) campaign; the 20,000 includes the PSNI as well as troops in “multiple permanent British Army bases”; the stencil in the image below (from affiliated organisation, Red Section (tw)), from the Monagh Bypass, suggests that there are “700+ MI5 agents in Ireland”. The tarp shown above is on the railings at the Falls Road/Glen Road junction, site of the former RUC barracks; the stencil is on the Andersonstown Road.

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Tsuru

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“Tsuru” is the Japanese for “crane”, which a symbol for peace, and it appears here on the Cupar Way “peace” line in west Belfast. The QR code is for an iPhone and Android app about peace building in Belfast and Hiroshima. You can learn how to make an origami crane here.

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Sacred Heart

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Antrim Ladies (web) play in the county’s traditional saffron but also have a pink strip supporting the current organ donation campaign (featuring Dáithí Mac Gabhann – see previously Yes I Do).

Below: “We are in this together” on the shutters of the Upper Springfield Resource Centre.

From the same wall of the Ballymurphy “bullring”, in 2014: Padre Pio and the BVM At The Centre Of Health & Well-Being

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Jock Davison

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Gerard ‘Jock’ Davison (here spelled “Gerarrd ‘Jock’ Davidson, 3rd Batt”) was an IRA volunteer who became a community worker in the Markets after the peace. He was shot dead in 2015 (BBC), probably by republicans, and the murder case is still open (Bel Tel | Irish Examiner). It drew publicity in 2021 because a date for the inquest into his alleged killer’s death (which occurred three months later, possibly at the hands of IRA members still holding weapons) has been set (Irish News), the arrest in Spain of a criminal wanted for questioning in connection with the gun used (Bel Tel), and because it was revealed that the PSNI warned him his life might be in danger a month before he was shot (Irish News).

This graffiti tribute is in Carrick Hill.

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Eternally Loved

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In 2009-2010-2011 the giant rock in Tír Na nÓg (Springhill Park) bore a celtic spiral pattern – see the final image, below. As these images show, it has now been repurposed as a memorial site to two local children.

This is, we believe, the first appearance of TikTok as a social media reference.

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