Fact And Myth Riveted Together

“Overlooked by the iconic Harland and Wolff cranes, Samson and Goliath, The Yardmen is a bronze sculpture depicting three shipyard workers returning home to East Belfast.” “At its peak 30,000 people were employed in the shipbuilding industry in Belfast. A high proportion of them lived in the terraced streets off the Newtownards Road. Not far away is one of the best preserved terraces of workers’ houses in Belfast – McMaster Street, begun in 1898. Most of the workforce was drawn from the countryside around Belfast, though many skilled workers were recruited in Britain. While shipbuilding was harsh and often dangerous work, the standard of living for workers was generally higher than that of shipyard employees in other British cities.”

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John harper baptist pastor glasgow mottpottinger tabernacle gave his life jacket to another man westbourne presbyterian ship of dreams mural dee street titanic mural discover ulster-scots belfast maritime trail 1700 large ships most famous being titanic a great ship now locked into worldwide history and romantic myth, fact and myth riveted together

Build Homes Now

The on-going mural campaign to build more public and affordable housing in Belfast reaches the PUL side of the “peace” line. The old “Lurkers” writing can be seen above.

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Resolve

“Support. Future. Community. Justice.” Resolve NI (Fb) is a community-based restorative justice group, based in east Belfast, focused on non-violent resolution and restoring community relationships (their offices were featured previously). The mural is by Blaze FX (web | Fb) in Lord Street (at Beersbridge Rd), with sponsorship from Greenaway Auto Electrics (Fb) whose side wall the mural is on.

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You Cannot Put A Knee Upon The Neck Of An Idea

“Please, I can’t breathe. My stomach hurts. My neck hurts. Everything hurts. They’re going to kill me.” These were among the last words of George Floyd, killed on May 25th after Minneapolis PD officer Derek Chauvin knelt on his neck for almost nine minutes. The killing has drawn universal condemnation. All four officer were fired immediately and Chauvin was soon charged with third-degree murder, (to which second-degree murder was later added.) The other three officers, J. Alexander Kueng, Thomas Lane, and Tou Thao have been charged with aiding and abetting second-degree murder.

“Black lives matter.” “Fight racism.” Every day since the killing protests have taken place in cities all across the United States and the world demonstrating against police brutality and racism (here is a collection of images from Saturday June 6th, 2020) Murals painted around the world, including the one above on the so-called “International Wall” on Divis Street (here is a Guardian gallery of George Floyd murals which describes the incomplete Belfast mural in rapturous terms).

As the in-progress shots show (below), Chauvin was originally painted with sunglasses on his head but these have been replaced by a MAGA cap. Two members of the Ku Klux Klan appear in the top right. Three officers with shaved heads and Minneapolis PD (“City of lakes”) badges are shown on the left in the poses of the three monkeys Mizaru, Kikazaru, and Iwazaru who hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil.

The title of today’s post is derived from a line in Seán O’Casey’s The Story Of Thomas Ashe (1917, under the name “Seán Ó Cathasaigh”; also later published as The Sacrifice Of Thomas Ashe): “You cannot put a rope around the neck of an idea; you cannot put an idea up against a barrack-square wall and riddle it with bullets; you cannot confine it in the strongest prison cell that your slaves could ever build.” Sometimes erroneously attributed to Bobby Sands, as in this 1981 mural.

Update: the mural was vandalised and black-washed – see No Profit On Pandemic

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divis street marty lyons mickey doherty sponsored by Féıle an Phobaıl Fáılte Feırste

Wash Your Hands

Here are three images from the (upper) blind end of Tower Street, encouraging people to wash their hands (and take other measures) to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus responsible for Covid-19. (“Hallion” is the name of the graffitist.)

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Build Communities

Time to get digging! The FGB (Francois Got Buffed | web | tw | previously on Extramural) sig is behind the clump of weeds. “Build communities” is part of FGB’s support for the campaign to Save The Cathedral Quarter. The wide shot shows the FGB piece plus emic’s In Bloom.

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Justice For Ian Ogle

Ian Ogle (“Big O”) was standing at this spot (Cluan Place and Albertbridge Road) on the night of January 27th, 2019, when he was assaulted and stabbed by a gang of men. Three UVF members have been charged with his death though the UVF say the killing was not sanctioned (Sunday Life). The family continue to campaign for a safer east Belfast (BelTel).

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It’s Over In Europe

“VE Day” in large letters composed of images, portraits of servicemen, and newspaper front pages (“It’s Over In Europe”, “Germany Quits” and so on) from the period at the end of WWII in Europe, installed along the Shore Road, Belfast, for the 75th anniversary of the event.

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Political Police State

“Political police state” graffiti on the abandoned Carnegie Oldpark library.

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Shiner

“Keep the diamond shinning [sic] bright”. The ‘Diamond Project’ is an initiative from Belfast City Council to re-image Lord Street, east Belfast (Belfast Media). Diamonds also feature in Always Keep A Diamond In Your Mind and Shine Bright Diamond Alley

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