Belfast west – Page 27 – Extramural Activity

Justice Denied

2022-01-052025-01-06Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The “Craigavon 2” are Brendan McConville and John-Paul Wootton; they were convicted of the 2009 murder of PSNI constable Stephen Carroll. The “set up by MI5” and/or “appeals sabotaged” on the RNU board shown above is a reference to the claim that MI5 agent Dennis McFadden had infiltrated the campaign for justice for Brendan McConville (Irish News). Also at this site are graffiti about Noah Donohoe and an anti-drug-dealer board from Saoradh.

The earliest JFTC2 post on Extramural Activity is from 2013.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X08842 X08843 [X08474] X08841 [X08839] Springfield Rd

Unsung Heroes

2021-12-302025-01-06Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“The young and the old rallied around/To help fight the forces of the British crown/Unsung heroes too many to name/Defended Unity flats and never sought fame”. Unity flats were built in 1968 to replace the old Carrick Hill but immediately came under repeated attack by loyalists from the nearby Peter’s Hill and Shankill; by 1987 their demolition had been approved but because of difficulty in rehousing residents (Hansard), the new Carrick Hill was not completed until 2009 (BelTel). The flats have a Facebook page, Growing Up In Unity Flats. The plaques shown today are on the side of the newsagents in the new Carrick Hill.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X08819 X08820 X08817 X08818

Do The Bouncy

2021-12-272025-01-06Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The “S”s are “5”s in the Union Bears sticker in the top right corner, to give “5uper Ranger5”, in celebration of Glasgow Rangers’ 55th Scottish League title (see e.g. 55). At home stadium Ibrox, fans “do the bouncy” – which means jumping up and down (youtube) – much like “pogo” dancing or as children do on a “bouncy castle”; hire firm ‘Bouncy Castle Madness’ (Fb) has been advertising heavily in Belfast and their sticker is on the left. The final sticker celebrates the centenary of Northern Ireland, 1921-2021 (see e.g. The Centenary Of Oppression or We Will Take Nothing Less).

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X08752 [X08751]

Whiterock FB

2021-12-212025-01-06Extramural Activity1 Comment

The Whiterock flute band (Fb | spotify) was founded in 1962 and the band’s display in Brookmount Street (originally mounted in 2014 – see M10195) contains a ‘brief history’ and photographs from different decades, to which was added (on the right) an updated history and a list of members past and present. The most recent addition to the wall was a memorial – shown below – to band-member Alex Thompson, who died in May 2019 after 56 years in the band – he is mentioned in both the ‘brief history’ of the band and the updated history.

(Also, the advertising hoarding above the mural has come off.)

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X08788 X08787

The Gaffer

2021-12-162025-01-06Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This is an update to the post Legends Never Die, which showed the original tribute to Rangers manager Walter Smith in the form of a tarp below the celebration of Rangers’ 2020-2021 league title. Since then, fans have left wreaths and attached their tops to the railings, with messages written on them in marker: “True Blue”, “Our knight”, “Legend like no other”, “Mr Rangers”.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X08792 X08793 [X08789] [X08791] X08794 X08795 X08790 Lawnbrook Ave

We’re All Mad Here

2021-12-152025-01-06Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This mural of characters from Alice’s Adventures In Wonderland – including the Mad Hatter, shown above – was painted back in August (or late July) with about twenty feet of purple-painted wall to the right but there has been no advance made on it since then. Also included are the White Rabbit (or possibly the March Hare), the Cheshire Cat – speaker of our title quote – and Alice herself.