Pacifying The Six Counties

Photo of a Carlos Latuff cartoon drawn on the wall of a downtown cafe (Caıfe Na Croısbhealaí) in King Street. Dated June 19th, 2012. There was a post on Slugger recently relating to this issue. While he was in Belfast, Latuff was a collaborator on this mural.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00598 pacifying the six counties, síothú sna sé contae, media, latuff 2012, belfast 19th june

Hands Across The Yard

This mural expresses solidarity between Irish republican and Palestinian prisoners of war. It was painted by a local artist in collaboration with Carlos Latuff, a Brazilian political cartoonist. There’s a picture of Latuff and the local artist in front of the mural, as well as his cartoon version, here. (Update – he also drew a cartoon on the wall of a café in Belfast.) He also visited Derry.

Northumberland Street, Belfast.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00586 solidarity pows

This Means Nothing

Signature piece, and signature, by This Means Nothing (later to become Emic (Fb | WebTw)) in Garfield Street, Belfast.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Green, White, And Bronze

This is the new Michael Conlan mural, on Violet Street, painted by Marty Lyons. It is notable for how quickly it went up (Conlon (and Barnes) won medals on August 11th), for the sponsorship (by the Beehive and McPeakes), and for the artists’ signatures (below the McPeakes label – click on the image to enlarge).

Boxing is organized on an all-island basis (WP), though at the Olympics boxers can choose to fight for either Ireland or GBNI.

At London 2012, Ireland won four medals in boxing. Conlan, Barnes, Katie Taylor (gold) and John Joe Nevin (silver).

(P.S. The Nevins are travellers (WP) and Mr and Mrs Nevin could not find an establishment in Mullingar where they could watch the fight – they had to go out of town to a pub where they weren’t known. )

Here’s a picture of the mural in progress. (Replaces the Celtic mural.)

Other Olympians: In London, a mural of Usain Bolt. In the U.S., a mural was painted of gymnastic champion Gabby Douglas. Irish/Northern Irish Olympians in Belfast. Anti-corporate Olympics mural.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00584 michael conlon, the beehive, mcpeakes, XXX olympiad london 2012, violet street

Never Actually Existed

The new WARN (West Against Racism Network) mural on the international wall, in the style of Punch and other magazines’ portrayal of the Irish.

On the left, an Irish family in front of a window reading “No Irish need apply” is stereotyped as jagged-toothed, shillelagh-wielding hunch-backs in the style of Punch and other magazines’ portrayal of the Irish. The Punch portrayal is described, and Punch named explicitly, in the song ‘Do Me Justice’ a.k.a. ‘Here I Am From Donegal’. (Lyrics | audio: Frank Harte (full song) | Len Graham (clip).) They also carry a copy of “The Big Begorra” – a play on The Big Issue, a newspaper published on behalf of, and sold by, homeless people. “We’re projections of 19th century anti-Irish prejudice—we’ve never actually existed.”

The treatment of the Irish is used as an anology for the the Roma (WP): “Whereas I, ethnoid steriotypus their creator, have existed since time immemorial. My latest target—the Roma! I hope you’ll swallow all the lies I concoct.”

“Hey—what was the outcome of the harassment of the Roma newspaper sellers?” “The evening edition collapsed!” – this is a reference to the Belfast Telegraph‘s decision to cease printing an evening edition.

This mural does NOT contain a reference to the ‘Free Marian Price’ (WP | FB) campaign, which all of the other murals on the international wall currently (summer 2012) do. In the lower right is the signature of political cartoonist Ian Knox, a.k.a. Blotski (WP) – Marty Lyons and a Short Strand artist were also involved – and date (9 August, 2012 – for Féile 2012 (pictures of the launch).

(Replaces a black-and-red ‘Oppose Racism‘ mural, which replaced the Liam MacCarthy Cup mural.)

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00581 No Irish need apply; we’re projections of 19th century anti-Irish prejudice—we’ve never actually existed;west against racism network’ big begorra issue; whereas I ethnoid steriotypus their creator, have existed since time immemorial; my latest target—the Roma!; I hope you’ll swallow all the lies I concoct; Hey—what was the outcome of the harassment of the Roma newspaper sellers?’ the evening edition collapsed!

IRA Final Salute

“30th anniversary of the hunger strike. 5th May 1981. IRA final salute. IRA Vol. Bobby Sands, MP Fermanagh South Tyrone.” Gerry Adams watches on as a funeral volley is fired over Sands’s coffin.

(Here is a close variant of the photograph reproduced in the mural.)

Whiterock Road, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2011 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Óglach Joe McDonnell

“IRA Hunger Striker Óglach Joe McDonnell 1951-1981.” McDonnell was the fifth striker to die, on July 8th, after 61 days.

Shaws Road, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2010 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Colin Area Remembers

“Everyone tells me I’m a feminist. All I know is that I’m just as good as others, and that especially means men. I am definitely a socialist and I’m definitely a Republican. I believe in a united socialist country, definitely socialist. Capitalism can offer our people nothing and yet that’s the main interest of the British in Ireland – Oglach [sic] Maıréad Farrell.” Farrell was one of the Gibraltar 3 (along with Sean Savage and Dan McCann), killed by SAS soldiers in 1988. Painted by Rısteard Ó Murchú.

Jasmine Corner, Twinbrook

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Copyright © 2008 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Ceol Gan Teoraınn

“Ceol gan teoraınn” – “unlimited music” or “music without boundaries”. Belfast’s Sean Maguire (also McGuire) (1927-2005) was an All-Ireland fiddle champion and world-wide ambassador for traditional music (WP). The Short Strand artist’s signature can be seen in the bottom corner.

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Copyright © 2004 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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