CNR

Hill Or High Water

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The Community Rescue Service (web | Fb | tw) respond to calls about missing persons on both land and water. They were involved in the search for Noah Donohoe and in distributing PPE during the pandemic.

The mural was painted by Mickey Doherty – see the ‘in-progress’ images below – and reproduces a Philip Magowan photograph and a photo of founder Sean McCarry (Belfast Live) from the CRS web site. It is sponsored by Cab Tours Belfast (web). It was launched on November 27th. It replaces the Fidel Castro memorial mural.

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Unionists Protected

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“Federal Ireland – unionists protected – RSF – Éıre Nua”. The “Éıre Nua” plan of the 70s and 80s (which remains policy of Republican Sinn Féin/Sınn Féın Poblachtach (web | tw), which split from Sınn Féın in 1986) calls for four parliaments, one in each of the four provinces, with a capital in Athlone. At the time of creation, this plan would have given Ulster Protestants a slim majority; in the present day, however, only 43% of the Ulster population is Protestant (WP).

The graffiti is at the bottom of St James’s.

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Chemical Warfare In Ireland

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This is the third mural (see 2014 The Maze Ablaze and 2018 The Battle Of Long Kesh) on the International Wall on Divis Street about the ‘Battle Of Long Kesh’, when republican prisoners tried to burn down the cages in protest at living conditions in the camp. CR gas had recently been developed by the British MoD at a lab in Porton Down and is alleged to have been “used against Irish POWs”.

Brady & Faul wrote an 80-page report on the conditions at the camp following the event, entitled The Flames Of Long Kesh. “Telegram to International Red Cross: ‘ … Visited Long Kesh today with others … request immediate investigation into use of “CR gas” … sub-human conditions … SOS … come immed[i]ately’ – 20 Oct 1974, Brian Brady & Fr. Denis Faul”.

The photograph which the central part of the mural reproduces is HU 70205 from the Imperial War Museum’s collection.

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For Noah

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Four files to be presented in the inquest into the death of teenager Noah Donohoe are being assessed for redaction under the principle of ‘Public-interest immunity’ (BelTel | RN), which has added fuel to the speculation that the PSNI is “hiding Noah’s killer”. Noah would have turned 16 today, November 25th. The campaign for answers in his case continues, with a “carcade” tonight down the Antrim Road from the zoo to Carlisle Circus (NBN), and continued graffiti and stencilling, as shown here. The stone (above) is near the Ballysillan end of the Hightown Road; the graffiti is in Turf Lodge; the stencil (bottom) is in the middle Falls.

Previously: This is now our 14th post on Noah.

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The Modern Order Of Hibernians

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A Penal law of 1695 forbade the practice of Catholicism and “dissenter” forms of Protestantism –anything other than Anglicism, forcing people and priests to worship in secret. Although the precise date of the founding of the Ancient Order Of Hibernians is shrouded by the existence of various other Catholic fraternal and defensive organisations such as St Patrick’s Fraternal Society and the Ribbonmen – the AOH history page gives 1838 in Pennsylvania – the order traces its roots back to Penal times and in particular to the Defenders in 1784, which arose to protect Catholics from the (Protestant) Peep-O-Day Boys and in defiance of Penal laws forbidding Catholics to bear arms (WP). The Belfast division (58) of the AOH is in Clonard Street.

For Penal laws, see previously: An Raıbh Tú Ag An gCarraıg? in Glen Bawn | The Mass Rock in Ard Eoın | Penal Days/Laethanta Na Péındlíthe in Andersonstown

For the Belfast AOH, see previously: Stand United Or Hang Alone | The Mainspring.

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The Typist With The Webley

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Lasaır Dhearg (web) poster for the “2021 Winifred Carney Commemoration, 1 pm, Saturday, 20th November. Speaker: Alannagh Doherty, Lasair Dhearg Derry. Assemble: Gates of Milltown Cemetery, Belfast.”

Winifred Carney, from Belfast, was a member of Cumann Na mBan, assistant to James Connolly from 1912 until the Rising, and part of the occupying forces in the GPO during the rising, “armed with a typewriter and a Webley” (according to her WP page). She is also included in Sister Soldiers | Mothers, Sisters, Daughters | Naming Our Streets | Building An Ireland Of Equals | Is Féıdır Lınn! | Raising The Flag

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Time For Unity

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“Time for unity” and a “Join Saoradh” (web | Fb) stencil on the Monagh Bypass, Belfast, pushing for a border poll (and echoing the message put on Sliabh Dubh last year, among other places).

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The Lonely Passion Of Judith Hearne

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Novelist Brian Moore grew up on the Antrim Road and went to St Malachy’s, before emigrating to Canada in 1948. For the centenary of his birth in 1921, Paradosso Theatre adapted Moore’s best-known novel, (The Lonely Passion Of) Judith Hearne, for the stage and mounted this mural in Duncairn Avenue, showing the elements of Judith’s life: the bottle, the beads, the aunt who raised her, the piano used for lessons, and her red coat.

The board by Friz (ig) replaces the anti-joy-riding mural “Where’s The Joy?”, the last to go of the three, the others having been in CNR west Belfast and PUL west Belfast.

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Solidarity With Palestine

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The Dome Of The Rock with its golden dome and octagonal walls (WP) provides a background to Palestinian protesters in this Ard Eoın/Ardoyne board expressing solidarity with Palestine. Éıstıgí (Fb) is the youth division of Saoradh (web), and IRPWA (tw) is its prisoner-of-war organisation.

This is a printed board but even so the artwork is in a different style to what has been previously seen, with the two characters drawn in a cartoon/animation style. (See, e.g., End Maghaberry Torture previously in this spot, or Leave Our Kids Alone around the corner in Ardoyne Ave, or The Rising Of The Moon in Derry.)

For the current Kickham’s mural in the background: see The Heart Of Our Community.

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McKelvey & Steele

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This tarp, above the office of Sınn Féın Poblachtach and the Happy House on the Falls Road, celebrates two previous generations of IRA leadership. Joe McKelvey was commander of the Belfast Brigade of the IRA in the War Of Independence but against the Treaty; he was executed in December, 1922, for occupying the Four Courts in June (WP). Jimmy Steele was a leader in the Belfast IRA from the 1920s to 1960s and the first editor of Republican News; he died shortly after the split (WP).

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