The Birth Of The Irish Republic

2013-04-10 EasterRising+

Walter Paget’s Birth Of The Irish Republic shows James Connolly lying injured on a stretcher, being tended to by Elizabeth O’Farrell (? WP), while Pearse, Clarke, and Plunkett (and Ceannt?) stand by. Detail (taken in 2004) just below …

The Birth Of The Irish Republic has its own Visual History page.

See previously: Easter Rising – Whiterock Road mural depicting Countess Markievicz outside the GPO during the Rising.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle X01049
Copyright © 2004 Cathal Woods X00062
g.p.o. dublin 1916 easter rising

Spirit Of Freedom

2013-03-07 SpiritOfFreedom+

This is a 2011 mural in the Bogside of Derry/Doıre featuring republican hunger-strikers (the ten who died in the Maze, along with Frank Stagg and Michael Gaughan, who died in English prisons in the 70s), along with an oak leaf symbolizing the city of Derry. Chains, rather than a Celtic knot-work, serve as a frame for the main mural.

A close-up of the piece to the left, which “is dedicated to all those who tragically died on the streets of Derry during the hunger strike era” and features head-shots of various Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann volunteers, can be found below.

2013-03-07 SpiritOfFreedomLeft+

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00999 X01000 our revenge will be the laughter of our children baınfear ár ndíoltas amach leıs an gháıre dár bpáıstí 1st battalion doıre brigade 3rd october 2006 suaımhneas dé dá n-anamacha, in fond and loving memory of those who died for the cause for ireland’s freedom. bogside and brandywell memorial committee

Easter Re-Union

“Ardoyne, Bone & Ligoniel Easter Re-Union, on Tuesday 2nd April, Crumlin Star social club, 8 til late, with prominent guest speaker, traditional Irish night, followed by disco. Taıle [entrance fee] £5.00”.

In CNR north Belfast.

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Béırıgí Bua

2013-03-24 ColinGibraltar2+

A new, computer-designed and -printed board in Twinbrook/Cıll Uaıghe, with painted lettering below, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Gibraltar killings and subsequent attack on the funeral in Milltown cemetery (for which see also 25 Years – Complete and In Progress).

One of the twin brooks is Colin Burn, which runs through the Colin Glen forest park; Cıll Uaıghe is reflected in the name of the nearby Kilwee industrial estate. Strictly speaking, this piece is ‘beyond Belfast’, as Poleglass and Twinbrook are under the jurisdiction of Lisburn City Council.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02322 remembering the tragic events surrounding the unlawful execution of ira volunteers in gibralter gibraltar by the sas on the 6th march 1988, the shooting of vol. kevin mccracken in the defence of the community, the murderous attack on the gibraltar funeral by a british state sponsored assassin and killing of mourners john murray thomas mcerlean vol. caoımhín mac brádaıgh sean savage maıréad farrell dan mccann, i ndíl [ndıl] chuımhne, always remembered with pride by the people of the colin area

Cultural Identity

2013-02-23 StMalachysParish+

“Saint Malachy’s G.A.C. is more than a club. It’s our club. To participate is to represent your community and an expression of your cultural identity.”

A mural celebrating Gaelic games in the parish of St. Malachy/Naomh Maolmhaodhóg, in the Markets area of Belfast. The parish church – featured in the top centre – has a celebrated fan-vaulted ceiling (WP). This mural, on the other hand, features a highly unusual bay window.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00972 established 1936 ar scáth a chéıle a mhaıreann na daoıne

Free Gaza, Free Derry

One form of response Israel makes to Palestinian rocket attacks is to close the border with Gaza, most recently on February 26th (NYTimes).

On the rear of Free Derry Corner.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Piece Process

2013-01-24 JigsawPieces+

Walk over the Albert Bridge onto the Short Strand and just before you turn into Mountpottinger Road on your left there is a little park known as ‘An Glas – The Green’; these jigsaw pieces can be seen there, hanging on the wire fencing facing out onto the main road. See the wide shot and text below for more about the project. Launched 2008-11 (BBC-NI).

2013-01-24 JigsawWide+

Frankie Quinn of the Red Barn Gallery has a a photograph of the two little boys in the bottom left of the board as adults. Also in the background (proceeding anti-clockwise) one can see MickeyMarley’sRoundabout and the old Scirocco Works factory, as well as the Harland & Wolff cranes Samson and Goliath, Belfast CityHall, and the wire sculpture next to the Waterfront.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00907 X00908 final piece to the jig-saw; this artwork came about by the working in partnership with a number of community groups schools and agencies namely the lower castlereagh community group short strand community forum beechfield primary school st. matthews primary conflect resolution consortium the core project northern ireland housing executive and the relations council; had the idea of an interface art project involving that are situation along the interface; also approached the artists for the project who are two east belfast artists; worked with the young people involved to come up with the idea as to what the artwork should look like with the end result being a picture taken of all the smiling and laughing together and then their eyes and moths taken out of the picuture and portrayed on the big pieces on the interface wall

Damn Your Concessions, England

Ground-level wide shot from the New Lodge showing “Support the POWS” on the left and “Free Marian Price” on the right.

On the mural itself: “Níl aon rud acu ına n-armlann ımpırıul [ımpırıúıl] a bhrısfidh meon an Éıreannaigh [Éıreannach] nar mhaın [mhıan] leıs a bheıth brıste – They have nothing in their whole imperial arsenal that can break the spirit [of an Irishman who does want to be broken]” “Damn your concessions, England – it’s our freedom we want.” [– Seán Mac Dıarmada]

“Maghaberry concentration camp – End forced strip searches – End controlled movement.”

At the bottom of the figure in black on the orange background – “Damn your concessions England. Give us our freedom.” [– Seán Mac Dıarmada.]

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00668 support the p.o.w.s, free marian price

Na Fıanna Ard Eoın

The Fıanna plaque at the top of Berwick Road gets a sunburst background and cut-out portraits of the four Fıanna named on the plaque which dates back to 2009, commemorating “one hundred years of resistance” (1909-2009): Davy McAuley, Josh Campbell, Josie McComiskey, and Bernard Fox, all of whom died in 1972. The vintage Fıan on the left is perhaps Christy Lucey. The medal pictured is the Golden Jubilee medal.

“You may kill the revolutionary, but never the revolution.” “Dedicated by the Republican Network For Unity.” “Strength in our hearts, strength of our limbs, consistency of our tongues.”

For close-up of the plaque, see M06728.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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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