Tomorrow (August 30th, at 12:30) there will be a family fun-day and the launch of a new mural of a colourful drummer boy. The mural is on Peter’s Hill; it takes the place of the “Original Belfast” murals (2009 and 2020) and before that a UDA emblem (M02480).
Painted by Glen Molloy (ig) with support from SAFE Shankill (see Woodvale OK), Alternatives (web), Executive Office, Communities In Transition.
The first “peace” line along Alliance Avenue was a temporary barried constructed by the British Army in 1971 (Heatley at CAIN); parts of it today are nine metrers high (Belfast Interface Project). The central road in Ardoyne, Berwick Road/Paráıd An Ardghleanna was cut off by the line but in the recent redevelopment no house was built in front of the spot where the road ran through. Instead there are now support beams and a small cross in memory of WWI dead.
The final image is of the same spot on the Ardoyne side of the line.
Red and then green and then back to red, at least in part. This “Royal mail” post-box is at the entrance to Glencolin, west Belfast. With bonus “Join RSF – Éıre Nua” stencil on the electrical box across the street.
The “Pilgrims” mural on the Newtownards Road has been replaced with an almost-identical representation on boards. As far as we know, this is the fourth instance of this design. Other instances of this mural are: Mersey St c. 1997-2007 (T00240); Tamar St (c. 2002-2005) (M02337); a small version above Cheepers c . 2006 (M02920); and the previous version in this spot on Newtownards Road, 2011-2022 (X00905). The existing mural was significantly faded; the companion “Elementary Right” mural on the other side of the Newtownards Road is less faded but (as can be seen in the final image, below) the paint is peeling away in places.
The last major weekend of marching season occurs this weekend with marches by the Royal Black (web) lodges. These signs from earlier in the season — “Single drumbeat only beyond this point”, “Single drumbeat ends” — were posted along Shore Road at the stretch in front ot St Mary’s Star Of The Sea Catholic church. “Respect – Heritage – Culture” signs are then posted down as far as the Whitehouse Workingmen’s Club. You can check the Parades Commission for times and routes of parades.
A celebration and exploration of Belfast’s most famous textile, the “linen biennale”, runs until October (web). The Linen Hall library also runs a tour of the “linen quarter” on Thursdays.
Visual Waste’s (ig) Great Victoria Street mural includes various linen quarter buildings: the Grand Opera House, the Europa hotel, and Inst., alongside the H&W cranes and the Titanic museum.
Commentary on the performance of “leaders” during Covid and in the fact of economic inequality, in Lenadoon, west Belfast: “While we couldn’t bury our dead, our “leaders” drank wine.” (perhaps a reference to the images from the “leaving do” party in Downing St showing Boris Johnson with a glass of wine (iTV) “Today’s society is unequal. We are expected to pay higher bills for the same wage?”
The graffiti on the bottom part of the New Life City Church (web) mural on the west Belfast “peace” line has been painted out and this mild wild-style “repent” added.
New Life murals in the area go back to at least 1997 and one on this stretch of the wall goes back to 2004 – see The Dividing Line Of Hostility.
Update, July 2014: “Show kindness” illustrated with a handshake has been added
Áras Uí Chonghaile has a “James Connolly Heritage Trail”, with a series of plaques and panels that interested parties can walk as members of a guided tour, or by themselves with the aid of an app (Android | Apple). One of the stops is in Corporation Street, site of the Belfast offices of the ITGWU from 1911-1941.
The nearby ITGWU board gives Connolly’s report from 1911: “The Branch has rented extensive premises at 122 Corporation Street and intend having a smoking and reading room in connection therewith; we are considering the organisation of a band and have in contemplation also the launching of many other schemes for the moral, social, and financial uplifting of the members. The Irish Transpost and General Workers’ Union is in the vanguard of that Irish branch of the Army of Labour, and we are honoured when we carry its banner.”
It then goes on to describe the arrest of Winnie Carney and the raiding of the Corporation Street offices in 1922.
Extramural Activity 