PUL

Had Enough?

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The NI Assembly election is this day week (Thursday May 5th). Here is another gallery of electoral posters. Where last week’s selection included a Noah Donahoe placard in electoral style, this weeks’ includes one for New Life City Church (ig), again in the style of an electoral candidate: “He’s not after your vote, he’s after your heart.” Also shown are: (above) TUV’s ‘don’t hope; vote’; Sinn Féin’s “Time for real change” on top of a “spoil your vote” stencil; the PUP’s “country before party” with anti-woke independent Tony Mallon’s “We the people”; and last, Neil Moore of the Socialist Party “We can’t afford this system” (namely, capitalism).

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X09972 X09956 [X09957] [X09958] X09976 X09966 X09967 X10077

Welcome To Tudor Lodge

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Tudor Place (the street) is now simply the top end of Crimea Street, but in years past it was physically separated and accessible only from the Crumlin Road. The reason for that seems to be that in the 1800s it was the grounds of a lodge, called Tudor Lodge. The nursery school is on the site of the old lodge (which is not the lodge known as Old Lodge) and takes its name.

(Not to be confused with the Tudor Lodge bar on the Shore Road – see Sinn Fein Toadies and Standing Stone)

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X09998 X09995 [X09996] [X09997] X09999

In Memory Of Those Who Died

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This mural – which perhaps memorialises the RUC in particular – has evidently been rolling since 1984 and the two different styles of house and brick (in the image below) explain its longevity – it’s in a narrow alley between two different stages of construction on Sydney Street West, initially to where the old Harrybrook Street used to be and then extended out to Snugville Street.

Some other murals blocked out (and so preserved) by new construction: Tomorrow Belongs To Us | Say No To Blow

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X09991 [X09992] [X09993] X09990 X09994 [X09989]

Stronger Together

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Here’s a complete set of the lettering on all the shutters of the Spectrum Centre without any cars on either the Shankill Road or Tennent Street!

There might be a connection to Stronger Together NI (Fb) – get in touch if you can confirm.

Art probably by CAP (Fb) and/or Vault (Fb).

More street art on the Spectrum Centre: Not Today, Satan. Not Today | White Dove | Blue Tit | Half Human

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X09977 X09978 X09979

Gone But Not Forgotten

Extramural Activity1 Comment

Robert Dougan was commander of the UDA South Belfast Brigade and lived Oranmore Drive (BelTel). He was killed by the IRA on February 10th, 1998 while sitting in a car outside Balmoral Textiles in Dunmurry, which led to a month-long expulsion of Sinn Féin from the peace talks taking place at the time (L.A. Times); two months later the Good Friday Agreement was signed. There had been attempts on his life in 1993 and 1994 (Irish Times).

The plaques, from left to right, are to Rodney McBride (1996), Alec Legge (2007), Jim Bradshaw (2008), Robert Dougan (1998), Greg Bradshaw (2014), David Pollock (2015). Harry Haggan (2010), William Stevenson (2008).

Tildarg Avenue. There is a mural to Dougan on Sandy Row – see Everyone’s Friend.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X09986 [X09984] X09985 [X09987] [X09988]
X09983

Is Your Home Worth Fighting For?

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“… It will be too late to fight when the enemy is at your door.” In 1914, at the time of the Larne gun-running – see the mural in the second image and (previously) Amazing Night At Larne – the enemy was the threat of Home Rule and its enforcement by British Army forces and RIC that would remain under British control for at least three years after the commencement of home rule (Home Rule And Ulster’s Resistance p. 9). A bill to amend home rule by excluding some or all of the Ulster counties was introduced in July, 1914 (WP), but both Home Rule and the amendment were put aside when the Great War began; the enemy of Unionists then became the Central Powers. The contemporary enemy is the NI Protocol and Brexit, with the powers in Westminster again suggesting a separation of Britain and (Northern) Ireland.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X09336 X09335 X09337 Greenland Drive Larne

SNP Out

Extramural Activity1 Comment

The SNP [Scottish National Party] became the largest party in the Scottish parliament in 2007 and went from 6 Westminster seats in 2010 to a completely dominant 56 (of 59) in 2015. It spearheaded a referendum in 2014, which was defeated 55% to 47% (WP). Scottish independence is again included in the manifesto of the SNP – though it has not committed to a specific date on account of the Covid pandemic – and as such the SNP remains a threat to the integrity of the UK that Northern Ireland unionists espouse. Hence this sticker on the Shankill Road, even though the SNP does not stand any candidates in NI elections.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X09955 Shankill Road

Fryday

Extramural Activity1 Comment

It’s been a long time since workers walked en masse from east Belfast to the shipyard, but fish and chips remain popular, though the number of chippies has fallen from about 35,000 in 1920 to 10,500 today (BBC | Dockside). This mural is on the side of the ‘Chipyard’ in Strandtown.

See also in the Woodvale: The Chipyard.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X09905 X09906 X09903 [X09904] Strandburn Dr

What Did You Do In The Election?

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Today is the last day to register to vote in the May 5th Assembly election. You can register on-line at gov.uk. Currently, 1.4 million people are registered in Northern Ireland (BBC). As today’s images make clear, the poles of Belfast are already cluttered with placards for the various candidates, as well as the salient issues, such as the “sea border” and the death of Noah Donohoe.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X09954 X09829 X09951 X09946

Friendship Across The Water

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Walker Clubs – one of the associated clubs of the Apprentice Boys – are named for George Walker, joint Governor of Derry (with Lundy) during the siege, who died at the Boyne, on July 1st/12th, 1690 while going to the aid of the Duke Of Schomberg. In the centre is the crest of Londonderry: “Vita, veritas, victoria“.

This board in Larne’s ‘Factory’ districts shows, (clockwise from bottom left): the apprentice boys shutting the gates, the breaking of the boom to relieve the siege, Walker (who was also an Anglican priest) inciting the apprentice boys to shut the gates with a cry of “No surrender”, and, clasped hands signifying the connection between Larne Walker Club (Fb) and Maybole Walker Club in South Ayrshire, Scotland. A list of all the Walker Clubs can be found at ABOD.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X09334 X09333 herbert avenue