City/Town

An Ní Is Áılle

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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.

The Crawler

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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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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Loyalist Ballymacash

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Ballymacash estate, now part of Lisburn, was once a village around the location of Drayne’s Farm, with a school at the junction of Glenavy, Brokerstown, Ballymacash, and Nettlehill roads. Lisburn.com has a history of the area. Today it is famous for its enormous 11th night bonfire (see Ballymacash Bonfire, as well as Skull & Crossbones | Death & Life).

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Bad Road Transport

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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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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X06021 Falls Road

Ulster First Flute

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This vintage piece is next to Linfield Gardens, off Sandy Row. (For the mural all the way back in 1997, see M01330.) Ulster First Flute (Fb) shares the emblem of the other UFF – the Ulster Freedom Fighters – a red first (with or without the drops of blood). See also: Gareth ‘Big Henry’ Morrison on Loyalist Avenue.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X04856

The Blind Eye Sees All!

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A poetic allusion to the blind prophet Tiresias (from Oedipus Rex) or to security cameras? This graffiti is in the tunnel under the (recently repainted) Harkness Parade shipyard workers.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The Keys To Freedom

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Here is a vintage mural still hanging on in St James’s in west Belfast. It was painted in 1995 (by Andrea Redmond?) and dates back to the peace process and the “Green Ribbon” campaign to secure the release of political prisoners: the dove carries the keys to set them free. The graffiti on the keys, however, reads “IRA” and “FTQ” (“Eff the Queen”), and in the upper wing, “UTP” (“Up the Provos”).

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Wandering Star

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This is a smaller piece by Bristol street artist CHEBA (web | ig | tw), done when he was over for CNB17 (see Hit The Northern Lights).

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Copyright © 2017 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X04635 Kent St, Belfast

We Will Remember Them

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Dozens of boards to local soldiers from the 36th (Ulster) Division (by the 2016 Committee) have been added to the Mount Vernon memorial garden to the soldiers of the Great War (the mural) and contemporary UVF volunteers (the garden). For the mural, memorial stones, and outside plaque, see At Home And On The Mainland.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Almanac Response

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This is one of a number of small pieces done by emic (Tw | Fb) a couple of years ago (2015?) still hanging on in the city centre. This face appeared again in his 420 but adds dive-bombing pigeons.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X04892 North St