Belfast

Fáılte Feırste Thıar

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A bilingual board encouraging tourism in CNR west Belfast. The attractions listed are múrphıctúrí [sic], títhe [sic] phobaıl agus reılıgí, ceol agus damhsa, ıarsmalaınn poblachtach, nádúr, ealaín agus cultúr, gaırdíní chuımhneacháın, spóırt Gaelach, ár staır le blıanta beaga [murals, churches and cemeteries, music and dance, republican museums, nature, arts and culture, memorial gardens, Gaelic games, recent history].

By Rısteard Ó Murchú in Nansen Street/Sráıd Nansen, Belfast/Béal Feırste.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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BVM Supports POWs

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2013-03-14 GrottoPOWs+

With God on our side … The BVM (Blessed Virgin Mary) standing shoulder to shoulder, or at least corner to corner, with republican POWs in the New Lodge.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
new lodge grotto ave maria support the pows immaculate conception
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Those Who Can Endure The Most

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A tarp has been added to the Ardoyne memorial garden (seen previously in 2008) putting the 12 deceased hunger strikers from the modern Troubles alongside those who were executed for their part in the Easter Rising.

Berwick Road, Ardoyne, Belfast

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Easter Re-Union

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“Ardoyne, Bone & Ligoniel Easter Re-Union, on Tuesday 2nd April, Crumlin Star social club, 8 til late, with prominent guest speaker, traditional Irish night, followed by disco. Taıle [entrance fee] £5.00”.

In CNR north Belfast.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Proud, Defiant, Welcoming

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2013-03-19 WelcomeShankill+

“Welcome To The Shankill Road. We are Proud, Defiant, Welcoming” with images of Belfast in the blitz, the Orange Order and bonfires on July 12th, boxing and soccer, and contemporary murals in the local area. The mural is above the security gates on Northumberland Street.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Stevie McCrea

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Red Hand Commando volunteer Stevie McCrea was sentenced to 16 years for the murder of James Kerr in 1972 (Behind The Mask) and was subsequently “murdered by the enemies of Ulster” on February 18th, 1989 in an IPLO attack on the Orange Cross (see M00560 | WP).

“For he shall not grow old as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary him nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember him.”

McCrea is included on murals in south Belfast’s Frenchpark Street and Broadway (dating back to at least 1993).

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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A Man’s Home Is His Stadium

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2013-02-24 IbroxHouse+

A house in Shankill Parade sports an “Ibrox Stadium G51 – Rangers Football Club” plate over the door. (G51 is the postcode for Glasgow and the surrounding area.)

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Where Youth And Laughter Go

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2013-03-13 TrevorKing+

Mural in Disraeli Street to Trevor King, to the left of the old Brian Robinson mural and two gables to the right of the new Brian Robinson mural. Having been shot by the INLA and paralysed from the neck down, King took the decision to remove his own life-support (WP).

The words on the left are from Suicide In The Trenches by WWI poet Siegfried Sassoon:

You smug-faced crowds with kindling eye
Who cheer when soldier lads pass by
Sneak home and pray you’ll never know
The hell where youth and laughter go

The poem refers to a soldier whose naturally cheerful disposition has been overwhelmed by the horrors of war.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01014 lt. col. trevor king y.c.v. for gold and ulster u.v.f. 1912 1st belfast battaltion ‘b’ company; in proud and loving memory of james ulster volunteer force died 9th july 1994 at the going down of the sun and in the morning we shall remember 14th battalion royal irish rifles somme ypres arras thiepval young citizen volunteers st, quentin grandcourt messines fricourt

Parallel Worlds

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2013-02-19 ParallelWorlds+

Following on from the crannóg excavations, we might say that we walk around on top of the past, layer upon layer. Here, however, the living people walk around below those that are frozen in time.

North Street, Belfast/Béal Feırste.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00969 though newly christened smithfield and union has existed for generations its identity and its existence has never been in question giving it a name gives it a heart celebrates the individual the different the separate the idiosyncratic and the eclectic old belfast new vision

For All Time

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2013-03-12 RobinsonOld+

This is the second mural to Brian Robinson in Disraeli Street. This is a much older one than the one featured on Extramural Activity a few days ago; versions of this mural on this gable go back to at least 1993. Note that the artist has included a transmitter or surveillance tower on the skyline

See the previous post for more details of his death.

A close-up of the plaque is below. As the plaque notes, his mother died at the same time –she reportedly had a heart-attack when she heard of his death.

2013-03-12 RobinsonOldDetail+

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01012 X01013 In proud and loving memory of Vol. brian robinson “b” coy. 1st belfast battalion ulster volunteer force killed in action 2nd september 1989 also his loving mother margaret robinson died 3rd september 1989, for god and ulster p.a.f.  protestant action U.v.f. for his country and people he took up the gun a volunteer to the end and a true ulster son robbed of his life’s-blood sept. ’89 but his name will live for all time, y.c.v. royal irish rifles st. quentin grand court messines