In response to the protests at the soccer match between Northern Ireland and Israel (described yesterday) the poster above appeared in the Village: an Ulster Banner with the 6-pointed star (for the six counties) turned into a Star Of David.
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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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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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A crude anatomy of the loyalist brain by TLO, with modules dedicated to Buckfast (tonic wine), flying our flag, The Sash, 1690, killing all taigs, and Saving Ulster From Sodomy. DUP councillor called the poster “a hate crime” (Guardian).
Side-by-side with: Ian Paisley Jr as The Crawler.
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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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Robert Ballagh’s 1916 Proclamation was first painted as a mural by Mo Chara Kelly and Rısteard Ó Mhurchú in 1991 for the 75th anniversary of the Easter Rising (see Cáısc 1916 which also contains the Ballagh piece). That version stood for ten years on the Whiterock Road. It has reproduced again in Ard An Lao above the hunger strikers, after the removal of several plaques (see All Our Dead). “With special thanks to Hugo Óg Wilkinson”.
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X06110 our revenge will be let there be no bitterness
“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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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.
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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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“Níl an ní is áılle – súıl ghléıgheal [sic] an lınbh – slán faoınár gcúram níos mó!” [The most beautiful thing – the sparkling eye of a child/the bright hope of a child – is no longer safe in our care!] This Bóthar Chluanaí/Springfield Road graffiti seems to be a response to the recent vote in the Republic Of Ireland removing the constitutional protection of unborn children (see Yes & No). There has previously been Irish-language graffiti in favour of abortion: Ceart Gınmhıllte Anoıs!
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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X06025 X06026 Buíochas le Mícheál agus Seosamh.
Adolphe Smith accompanied John Thomson as he travelled around Victorian London in the 1870s, interviewing the subjects in order to provide background for Thomson’s photographs, their combined efforts published as Street Life In London (pdf from LSE). The entry accompanying this image (in unmodified form) is entitled “The Crawlers“; Smith describes them as “old women reduced by vice and poverty to that degree of wretchedness which destroys even the energy to beg”. The DUP’s Ian Paisley Jr. was recently seen in the House Of Commons apologising for failing to disclose two all-expenses-paid holidays for him and his family to Sri Lanka (Irish Times). His colleagues suspended him for 30 days and withdrew his salary for a month for this failure and for acting as a paid advocate for Sri Lanka’s human rights record (Colombo Telegraph). If 7,543 of his constituents sign a recall petition, he will face re-election. The election poster combining the two is (presumably) by TLO.
Update: “That’s not funny!” above a vandalised version of the poster at the end of August.
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“Sub-standard BRT discriminates against residents, traders, the disabled and their carers.” The new Belfast Rapid Transport has begun testing (BelfastLive | BelTel) in preparation for the official launch on September 3rd, with routes from the city centre to east and west Belfast and a “Citi” loop. To facilitate the new “Gliders”, a lane of traffic is being dedicated to the service from 7 am to 7 pm (also open to other public transport, cyclists, and taxis). Some are worried about traffic congestion (Talking Retail) and one business in west Belfast has closed because of the loss of street parking (Irish News). Another concern is that the new transport hub is not integrated with BRT – its stops for the West and East routes will be 380 and 500 meters away (BelTel).
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Extramural Activity 