Belfast

Wear Your Easter Lily With Pride

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16 republicans, the seven signatories of the Proclamation among them, were executed in the wake of the Easter Rising, 14 of them in Dublin in a 10-day period from May 3rd to 12th. They are depicted in this Saoradh  (web | tw) poster blindfolded and wearing suits: (from left to right) Patrick Pearse, Thomas Clarke, Thomas MacDonagh, Joseph Plunkett, Edward Daly, William Pearse, Michael O’Hanrahan, John MacBride, Éamonn Ceannt, Michael Mallin, Seán Heuston, Con Colbert, James Connolly, Seán MacDiarmada, Thomas Kent, and Roger Casement. Their deaths and the Rising are commemorated in Belfast each Easter with a parade

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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Cross Of Crosses

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“The Cross Of Crosses – marking 45 years of conflict in Northern Ireland 1969-2014. Let this be the year the conflict ends. [sponsored by] George McIlroy IGNITE 2014.” “Forget me not – remembering those who lost their lives to suicide.” The sculpture, which contains 45 small crosses, was designed by Ross Wilson.

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Vote For Me, Then Butt Out

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Local elections take place two weeks from today, on Thursday May 2nd. Some are fed up with the political status quo: “Tired of the same old self-serving rubbish? Maybe it’s time for a chance. Politicians are elected by you to serve you. Demand honesty, demand transparency, demand better.” The “blue” (unionist) candidate is described as having “superficial charm, egocentricity, untruthfulness & insincerity, lack of remorse & shame, poor judgement, failure to plan & learn from experience” and voters are counselled “when electing a candidate, always seek the advice of a qualified psychologist.” The placards are posted on Ormeau bridge, between nationalist lower Ormeau and unionist Annadale. At the top of the light-pole, actual candidate Paul Loughran is standing from People Before Profit, which we have seen before advertising in both loyalist and republican areas: see Pick And Mix.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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100 Years In Northern Ireland

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“Commemorating 100 years of the Royal Air Force in Northern Ireland.” This Donegall Road mural highlights six locations in the north and their connection to the RAF in WWI, including Bentra, near Whitehead, home to the Sea Scout airships that guarded Larne-Stranraer ferries against U-boats.

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Stop The Witch Hunt

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21 soldiers of the Parachute Regiment opened fire on marchers in Derry on January 30th, 1972, killing thirteen people (on the day; one more died later). One of them – codenamed “Soldier F” – was charged last month by the Public Prosecution Service in the deaths of James Wray and William McKinney and wounding of four others. Family members of the deceased reacted with disappointment (e.g. BBC-NI | Kate Nash on Twitter) while others, such as pressure group Justice For NI Veterans decried the PPS decision. The poster above in support of Soldier F is being pasted in north and west Belfast and perhaps beyond. The poster shows protesters facing off against British soldiers in William Street shortly before they opened fire. (See also And The Next Moment …) Posters on the Shankill, however, are being torn down (see second image, below) perhaps (confirmation: BelTel) in sympathy with two locals killed by the Army in 1972 (Irish News | AP video). The Paratroop flag is shown flying on the Ballysillan Road.

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Not Politically Correct

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Former TUV but now independent Councillor Jolene Bunting (web) was elected from the Court district in west Belfast in 2014. Her 2019 campaign posters (seen here around Lanark Way and Shankill Road) have drawn criticism (NewsLetter) – in addition to those shown here are “Put veterans before immigrants” and “Local homes for local people”. Her appeal against a 4-month suspension for anti-Islamic remarks was rejected last week, despite her claim that elected representatives have enhanced freedom of speech (Irish Times).

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Springhill-Westrock Massacre

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The Department For Communities (web) is “re-imaging” the brick wall at the back of St Mary’s University College (along Ascaıll Ard Na bhFeá/Beechmount Avenue) into a fence. It’s not clear what, if anything, was wrong with the wall in physical terms. One possible “community” reason for the wall’s removal is to thereby remove the roughly 20 murals and 18 panels of CNR victims (original 15 + 3 more) on the wall. Whatever the reason, these will no longer have a home and some are being moved to other locations, including the Springhill-Westrock Massacre mural. For more information about the massacre, see the post about the board when it was in Ascaıll Ard Na bhFeá – The Truth Costs Nothing.

See also: the WBTA mural was moved from Beechmount Ave (Alternative Transport) to Clowney Street (Alternative Transport, Alternative Location).

Update: the conversion (from wall to fence) was completed in September (St Mary’s).

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Freedom For The Basque Country

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“Freedom for t[he] Basque country! Fucking bastards from Iruña.” Iruña is the Basque name for Pamplona, capital of Navarre, the district neighbouring the Basque Country and part of the greater Basque region but which has a majority pro-Spanish government.

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Future Belfast

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Planning permission has been granted for a 16-storey residential building at the junction of Academy Street and Exchange Street, currently the site of street art by Dan Kitchener (The Dream), Friz (Thy Fearful Symmetry), Visual Waste (Harley Quinn), and Marca Mix (Keyboard Wizard). Work begins in “early 2019”.

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100% Less Hate

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With 100% less hate (and no artificial ingredients), there’s nothing to spread but love. Belfast paste-up by FGB (Francois Got Buffed) (web | tw).

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