Belfast west – Page 55 – Extramural Activity

Belfast Taxis Community Interest Company

2018-10-012024-12-27Extramural Activity1 Comment

“Serving the community for over fifty years.” BTCIC is the current name for what was previously the West Belfast Taxi Association. Black taxis have been running up and down the Falls since 1970, providing an alternative form of transportation to local people during the Troubles when buses were cancelled or, as in this picture, burnt out and used as barricades. They now, in addition, provide tours of the murals (such as the Bobby Sands mural in Sevastopol Street) and Belfast city. Taxi Trax has a web site but here provides a phone number for those already at the International Wall, where there has been a black taxi mural since 2003. There are other WBTA murals in Beechmount and Ardoyne. The painters have signed the mural: Doherty’s Coal Merchant and Lyons Tea.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Ireland Stands With Palestine

2018-09-302024-12-27Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Republican political party Saoradh (tw | Fb) ignores the hospital stencil and pastes up a poster expressing solidarity with Palestine.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions

2018-09-122024-12-27Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Northern Ireland last night beat Israel 3-nil in a soccer “friendly” at Windsor Park. Gael Force Art took to Sliabh Dubh (Black Mountain) to support Palestinians and the BDS Movement, saying there’s “nothing friendly” about Israel’s human rights record (the full GFA statement is here). Other protests – and counter-protests – took place elsewhere in the city (BelTel).

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Ruling By Fooling

2018-09-072024-12-27Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The line “Yes, ruling by fooling, is a great British art – with great Irish fools to practice on” comes from a piece by a James Connolly article in The Irish Worker in 1914. It is used here in the context of what the “Good Friday [Agreement] has delivered: the copper fastened partition through the consent principle & triple locking border poll provision; gerrymandering using peace walls for population control; 70% Protestant, 100% unionist police force; internment by remand; revoking of licences; and miscarriages of justice; sectarianism; total polarisation of mindset; 18 peace walls in 1998 59 peace walls in 2018; sectarian allocation of social housing; almost 500 lives lost to suicide.” In contrast, 32CSM declares that the Declaration Of Independence (in English | as Gaeilge | it was also translated into French) by the Dáil in 1919 is “the only mandate the Irish people need”.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The Ghosts Of The Martyrs

2018-08-282024-12-27Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“In proud and loving memory of all local volunteers, prisoners of war, republican activists and the unsung heroes who died of natural causes having served the cause of Irish republicanism [“sean óglach” on the individual plaques]. Together in unity you formed a bond which gave true meaning to the undefeated risen people. Your deeds of bravery and resistance will never be forgotten by the people of greater St. James’s. In your honour the quest for Irish freedom continues.” With the famous “our steps will be onward” quote from Máire Drumm at an anti-internment rally in Dunville Park on 10th August, 1975 (RN). Coıste Cuımhneacháın Lár Na bhFál/Ard Na bhFeá [Memorial committee of mid-Falls/Beechmount]. For some more of the plaques, see The Unsung Heroes.

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Copyright © 2011 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Join Republican Sınn Féın

2018-08-272024-12-27Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This vintage nail-up is in Thames Street, next to the Red Devil urges people to join Sınn Féın Poblachtach, which split from (Provisional) Sınn Féın in 1986 over the decision to take seats in the Dáıl.

The Keys To Freedom

2018-07-312024-12-27Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Here is a vintage mural still hanging on in St James’s in west Belfast. It was painted in 1995 (by Andrea Redmond?) and dates back to the peace process and the “Green Ribbon” campaign to secure the release of political prisoners: the dove carries the keys to set them free. The graffiti on the keys, however, reads “IRA” and “FTQ” (“Eff the Queen”), and in the upper wing, “UTP” (“Up the Provos”).