Belfast

Your Wall, Your Border

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US president Donald Trump followed a three-day state visit to the UK (London and Portsmouth) with a few days in Ireland before briefly stopping in France for D-Day commemorations. In London, protesters gathered in their tens of thousands and the ‘Trump baby’ blimp flew in Parliament Square (gallery of images at CNN) before making its way to Dublin (BBC) for the second leg of the trip. The Trumps were likewise met by protesters when they landed at Shannon Airport (Irish Times) where he met Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and remarked “I think it [Brexit] will all work out very well [for the UK]. And also for you, with your wall, your border. We have a border situation in the United States and you have one over here, but I hear it’s going to work out very well.”

The besieged president would have been welcome, however, in loyalist west Belfast – the Israeli Star Of David and graffiti shown above were added below the Imagine mural between the security gates on Northumberland Street: “President Trump welcome in Belfast. No surrender.”

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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X06626

Hard To Kill

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“Frankie + Andy – Village legends.” UVF hitman Andy “Hard To Kill” Aiken died of a drugs overdose in June 2018, six months after the death of his brother Andy (BelTel) who lived in Roden Street (Funeral Times). The graffiti was previously to Frankie alone (Street View).

Aiken was a suspect in the killing Bobby Moffett on the Shankill in May 2010; Moffett had previously been expelled from the RHC for drug use (BelTel).

The referent of “RIP Lee – one love” is unknown. It is perhaps Lee Rigby (WP).

Roden Street/Donegall Road, Belfast.

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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X06622 [X06624] [X06625]

Burning Issues

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A sticker protester in Bloomfield Avenue is tired of high rates: “UVF bonfire riots are to add £500 to your rates. Thank your morons”, “UVF scum push up rates + selfish bonfire builders”, “High private rentals and lack of council homes = EU open border German plan”.

Policing at two east Belfast bonfires last year cost 188 thousand pounds (BBC-NI), but it’s not clear that had any impact on rates. Commercial rates will increase by £138 this year, due in part to the allocation of half a million pounds for “bonfire diversionary schemes” (up from 400,000 pounds in 2018), resulting in a rates increase of 1.98% compared to a planned increase of 1.67% (Irish News | BBC-NI). The scheme has been called a “carve up” for special interests as the allocation of funds was decided by Sinn Féin and the DUP alone. Last year’s allocation was investigated by the NI Audit Office, and it appears that the office will investigate this year’s too in order to see that the recommendations made were adhered to (Alliance).

The other issue seems to be that immigration into Europe (including Belfast) is forcing up rents. Most immigrants to east Belfast live in privately-owned accommodation (NIHE). Germany ended its open-door migration policy in June 2018 (Vox).

Please get in touch if you can shed light on any of the issues.

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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X06568 X06567 X06566

I’m One, At Least

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The Who, the parka, the scooter with multiple mirrors … Mod life in Belfast.

Please get in touch if you can explain “113”.

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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X06611 Tamar St

Even Protestants Love Marxism

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“Even Protestants love Marxism/Leninism – just ask Wolfe Tone.” Tone, an Anglican, was an Irish republican and famously thought that the “men of no property” would play a part in the revolution, but what he thought their role would be in the new Ireland is much less clear. The graffiti is in loyalist east Belfast.

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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X06564 London Rd

To Plant A Garden Is To Believe In Tomorrow

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Dublin artist ‘K in Mx’ (Kathrina in Mexico/Kathrina Rupit ig | web) brought her flower power to town last month for HTN19.

Replaces Real1 in Kent St.

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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X06602 Kent St

Alternative Transport, Alternative Location

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Pieces of the long Beechmount Avenue wall have moved to different locations due to the construction of new fencing and other improvements. The WBTA Alternative Transport board is now above the longest-surviving mural in Belfast, the Clowney Street phoenix.

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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X06556

Jail Bird

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More pieces are added to the ‘Eastside Urban Gallery’ in east Belfast (see previously Linenopolis | Winter’s End), with two new pieces by Irony (ig) and Artista (ig) along the Comber Greenway (in Tamar Street). Both artists are from London. Sponsored by the Eastside Urban Partnership and Seedhead Arts.

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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X06610 [X06609] X06608

Shankill Brigadistas

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After the Nationalist coup in 1936, the UK and US continued to recognise Spain’s Republican government but did not intervene militarily. Individuals from these counties thus participated in the conflict by joining the British and Lincoln battalions of the XV International Brigade, fighting alongside Balkans, Belgians, and Cubans at Jarama, Brunete, and the Ebro river, among other battles. For background on Belfast socialism of the period see this article by Stevie Downes.

“International Brigades – Spanish Civil War 1936 – 39. Commemorating all those who served and died with the XV International Brigade in the fight against fascism including the following Brigadistas from the Shankill area: William Beattie … Bill Henry … William Laughran … Henry McGrath … James Isaac Hillen … Joseph Lowery … Andrew Molyneaux. No pasarán. Unveiled by Tommy and Freddie McGrath, nephews of Henry McGrath, and Baroness May Blood, trade union & community activist. International Brigade Commemoration Committee. Saturday 1st February 2014.”

Previously: Plaque to (Protestant) Beattie and (Catholic) O’Neill | Belfast Socialists marching at Bodenstown (though possibly those from the Shankill were excluded) | Derry Brigadistas | a bust to the International Brigade in Writers Square, Belfast. Also: Guernica | Derry Guernica.

The plaque is in the Shankill Road Library.

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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X06575 [X10134]

Resolve

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The Bunch Of Grapes in east Belfast was an infamous UDA bar known in particular for the

torture and killing of Georgie Legge in 2001 (Irish Times). The east Belfast Resolve NI (Fb | tw) office – formerly a DUP advice centre – sits across from it at the junction of Beersbridge and Castlereagh roads. The pub has been derelict for 5 years or more and an apartment building is to be developed on the site (BelTel). Demolition would also remove Friz’s Hope, Life.

For a short time (2006-2008?) the pub was called the Ibrox Bar and, when this proved controversial with Rangers FC, the Eye-Brox Bar.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X06327 [X03626] Castle Inn