“In loving memory of our most gracious sovereign – Queen Elizabeth II 1926-2022. God save the Queen.” The platinum (70th) jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, celebrated in June, 2022, was followed a short time later by her death, on September 8th. These two boards in Maldon Street, mark the two events.
Replaces a Ruby Murray board and the info board that went with the John Darren Sutton painting of King Billy in Tavanagh St.
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Art by Danny Rumbl (ig), HMConstance (ig), KMG (ig), Zippy (ig), Codo (ig), and various writers on the Cupar Way “peace” line, on top of pieces from last year by Bust, Lobster, and others – New Levels, Same Devils.
For a history of the wall, see State Art Vs Graffiti On The West Belfast “Peace” Line.
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Long-time Palestinian activist and former spokesperson for Islamic Jihad Khader Adnan died on May 2nd, at the age of 45, after 87 days on hunger strike in Ramla prison, in central Israel (Al Jazeera).
This was Adnan’s fifth time on hunger strike. In 2017, he spent 58 days on hunger strike and in 2015, 56 days. The strike in 2011-2012 lasted 66 days, during which time a mural was painted just to left of the mural shown here, featuring Adnan and Hanna Shalabi; they, along with many other prisoners, were on hunger strike to protest the “administrative detention” (imprisonment without trial) of more than 300 Palestinians – see Administrative Detention. Earlier, shorter, strikes took place in 2002 and in 2000, when he was imprisoned by the Palestinian National Authority for directing a protest against Lionel Jospin, then French Prime Minister (Gulf News).
According to Amnesty International, there are currently more than 1,000 Palestinians being held on ‘administrative detention’ (Amnesty).
As can be seen from the in-progress shots below, Rısteard Ó Murchú painted Latuff’s cartoon, with Latuff looking on.
Cartoons by Latuff himself, in Belfast: Pacifying The Six Counties and in Derry: Killing With Impunity.
Latuff-based murals: The Butcher’s Apron | Do Not Disturb | Hand Across The Yard. Poster: End Impunity
This mural takes the place of the No To PII mural on the “International Wall”, Divis Street – see the Visual History page for the wall.
Also included is a “March for Palestine – 75 Years Of Nakba” poster on the Saber Al-Ashkar mural.
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“I measc laochra na nGael go raıbh sıad.” Profiles of Patricia Black, Frankie Ryan, Michael Ferguson, and Sean Keenan were added in late 2021 (video of launch) to the pair of existing monuments that memorialise them in Colin/Poleglass (for which see The Undauntable Thought on Peter’s site).
Black and Ryan were IRA volunteers killed by in a premature bomb explosion near London (An Phoblacht).
Michael Ferguson and Seán Keenan were activists and Sınn Féın councillors. Both died in 2006 of cancer (Irish Times | Bel Tel).
On Pantridge Road, which runs down to Michael Ferguson roundabout (An Phoblacht).
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Work by emic (ig) in Castle Lane, Belfast, perhaps picking up a theme from Friz’s Under The Cherry Blossoms in Castle Arcade which focused on the castle and grounds in the era of Arthur Chichester. Chichester’s castle burned down in 1708 and by 1800 the castle and its grounds were vanishing under buildings akin to the nearby corn market and Belfast entries (WP).
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Voters go to the polls tomorrow in the loca government elections. Of the parties standing, the TUV, DUP, and – presumably this west Belfast household’s preference – Aontú are against the legal status of abortion in NI.
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“FNGG” stands for “Féıle Na gCloıgíní Gorma” [Festival Of The Bluebells]. Bluebells – cloıgíní gorma – typically grow in woodlands rather than on open hillsides (Belfast Hills Partnership) but Slıabh Dubh/Black Mountain (site of this latest message on the mountain in support of the festival) is also a blooming ground – images can be seen in the festival’s full programme (at Glór Na Móna). The festival includes plenty of outdoor activities, including a bluebell walk on Friday morning; Damien Dempsey headlines the concert at St Comgall’s on Thursday night.
The title of today’s post [The Magic/Spell/Charm Of Black Mountain] comes from a piece by Feargal Mac Ionnrachtaıgh, writing about his childhood experiences of the upper Springfield area, including the bluebells on the mountain, his father Terry’s love for the hill, and the killing of brother Terry Óg by the LVF.
See previously (at Peter Moloney’s site) Save The Black Mountain, and No Such Thing As Failure | Páırc Mhıc Ionnrachtaıgh.
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Here is a Leo Boyd (ig) print of an x-wing police land rover – one in a series of land rovers: see previously: ice-cream-van land rover | wind-up land rover | surveillance land rover.
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Here are two more responses to the coronation of King Charles last weekend: (above and last) a Lasaır Dhearg (web) tarp in north Belfast reading “Fuck King Charles”; immediately below, an Éıstıgí (web) sheet/flag reading “Ní Mo Rí [Ní hé mo rí é/[he is] not my king]. Not our king.” in Strand Road, Derry.
Compare previously: England’s Bloody Empire and Not Our King with May The King Live Forever and The Settlement Of The True Protestant Religion.
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This is a gallery of the new Hit The North pieces on Union Street south of Kent Street. There is a separate post for the new pieces on Union Street north of Kent Street.
From north to south (top to bottom in this post) the works are by:
Conor McClure (ig)
All The Doodz (ig)
Wee Nuls (ig)
Glen Molloy x2 (ig)
Hixxy (ig)
Ed Hicks (ig) – on the Sunflower side of the street
Danny Rumbl (ig)
NOL (ig)
Andrey Palval (ig)
[Nol faces] see the Paddy Duffy collection
[Owl] see the Paddy Duffy collection
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Extramural Activity 