A history of nationalism/republicanism from left to right: a pair of Easter lilies, four generations of rifles, and then a switch to a ballot paper with a check in favour of “unity” and a road named “Unity Way”: “From bullet to ballot: the evolution of our revolution. 1916 – 2016”
This mural is on the north side of Hugo Street – the south side remains exclusively éırígí.
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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Charles, Prince Of Wales, and Camilla, Duchess Of Cornwall, will visit Ireland north and south this week (beginning in Belfast on Monday 23rd). The éırígí stencil and flyer shown above are from last year’s visit to the north, at the start of which he shook hands with Gerry Adams (BBC-NI). Charles is the titular head of the parachute regiment, which served in Northern Ireland from the late sixties to the nineties, including in Derry during Bloody Sunday.
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Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Three more images from the recent electoral season. Political parties were putting up hoardings and posters everywhere, such as Sınn Féın’s “Vote” ad (next to one for the rock-band Busted on their ‘Pigs Can Fly’ tour) and the DUP’s use of the spectre of a nationalist first minister as a reason to “keep” Arlene Foster and colleagues. Above, however, the watch-word is “stop”: “Want change? Stop vot[i]ng”.
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03442 X03441 X03440 railway br nothumberland st ? keep arlene f1rst minister vote for her DUP candidates it takes a4-letter word to be heard níos fear better with 5 point pledge
Above is a pro-Gaelic (Irish-language) mural on the Whiterock Road, with signs in Irish being held by young people protesting cuts to social services (on the left) and (on the right) a short poem: “Tá Fraıncıs ag na Francaıgh/Tá Gréıgıs ann sa Ghréıg/Tá Iodáıl[ı]s ag na hIodálaıgh/Bíodh Gaeılge ag na Gaeıl.” That is: the French have French, the Greeks Greek, the Italians Italian; let there be Irish for the Irish.
The mural has been in this (unfinished?) state since October, 2015. Loading? The third line in fact has initial “L”s rather than “I”, which suggests — if a fada is added over the “o”s and the final “s” removed from “Lodáıls” — “the loaders have loading”
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03403 irish language we love our services is grá lınn ár seırbhısí ní neart go cur le chéıle
A 1916 centenary mural on Divis Street with the red star of socialism and the Easter lily of Irish nationalism: “Republican Socialist movement — IRSP INLA — remembers and salutes all those who gave their lives and liberty in the struggle for national liberation and socialism in Ireland.”
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Voters went to the polls today in elections for the Northern Ireland Assembly. The ‘People Before’ candidate (and a current Belfast city councillor), Gerry Carroll, hopes to pick up some transfers from strategic voters on the Shankill.
Also from the current election season: Slippery Road.
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03809 ulster unionist progressive unionist hutchinson nesbitt your choice your first minister
Connolly House – Belfast headquarters of Sınn Féın – for the centenary of the Easter Rising bears the same banner as flew on the ITGWU’s Liberty Hall (in Dublin) during the first world war (see image below) until the building was destroyed during the Rising: We serve neither king nor kaiser, but Ireland! The house was purchased by Sınn Féın in 1983 and brought to its current condition in 2007 (Irish Times).
For a previous appearance of the slogan, on the shirts of a Glasgow flute band, see Business As Usual.
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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On April 15th, 1989, 96 Liverpool football fans were crushed to death against steel fencing around the pitch at Hillsborough stadium in Sheffield. On Tuesday (April 26th), an inquest found the police “grossly negligent” and that the fans were “unlawfully killed”. It also refuted allegations that fans had entered the ground illegally, and were drunk and unruly, and a variety of other claims made in The Sun and The Times about bad behaviour during the event. (Guardian | WP)
According to the Irish News, the simple tribute on Black Mountain of the number 96 is a collaboration by West Against Racism Network (WARN) and the West Belfast Liverpool Supporters Club. The materials were borrowed from Gael Force Art.
See also the Slıabh Dubh Visual History page.
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Two competing posters for two competing dates for two (competing?) Easter Rising parades: the People’s Parade (above) was held today, April 24th, the date of the Rising in 1916; the other was held on this year’s Easter Sunday, March 27th, as the parade is annually held on Easter Sunday.
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03384 X03385 beechmount ave glen rd easter parade 1916 2016 assemble divis tower 11.30 am parade leaves 12.00 pm sharp speaker gerry adams TD honour ireland’s patriot dead wear an easter lily cumann uaigheann na laochra gael national graves assocition easter commemoration committee belfast leaving barrack street for milltown at 12 noon
Vote with caution, regardless of party! Sınn Féın and People Before Profit posters for NI Assembly elections which take place on May 5th.
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Extramural Activity 