cultural

HMS Hawke

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03700 2016-08-02 HMS Hawke+

HMS Hawke was a Royal navy WWI cruiser sunk by German U-boat on October 1st, 1914. It was a training ship, which meant that among the 542 sailors who lost their lives on the Hawke, 75 of them were 16 year-old boys.

Five of the deceased were from the Donegall Road area. This is the first mural in south Belfast’s “Poppy Trail”; in addition to the Hawke, there will be a board for each year of the first world war, and perhaps others for WWII, on the streets off Donegall Road, from Barrington Gardens westward across into the Village.

03698 2016-08-02 HMS Hawke info+

03699 2016-08-02 HMS Hawke l+

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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03700 X03698 X03699 Barrington Gardens crawford dawson mills molloy thompson

Tír Na nÓg

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03631 2016-07-05 Tir na nOg+

In the myths of the Tuatha Dé Danann, the Fıan Oısín falls in love with Nıamh from the Land Of Youth, but after three years — which is 300 human years — he yearns to return to Ireland. She gives him a magic horse that will preserve his youth while he remains on it. But he falls from it and dies of old age.

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X03631 central drive, Derry/Doıre

The Hurricane

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03538 2016-06-14 Alex Higgins+

Snooker player Alex “Hurricane” Higgins died on this day, July 24th, in 2010. He was inducted into the Snooker Hall of Fame in 2011 as (twice) winner of the World Snooker Championship, UK Championship, and (twice) Masters. Upon winning the 1982 World Championship, an emotional Higgins was joined on the floor by his wife Lynn Avison and (shown above) daughter Lauren.

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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03538

Over The Top

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The ‘over the top’ mural in Ballyclare has been refreshed, compared to the faded lettering of 2014: the list of battles has been restored (in the bottom right) but the large scroll in the centre has been painted over.

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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03680

The Heart Of Our Community

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03557 2016-06-23 ArdEoin Kickams border+

A border of Celtic knot-work and the shields of the four provinces has been added to the Ard Eoın Kickhams mural at the top of Havana Way. (For the previous version, see The Heart Of Our Community.)

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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03557

Culann’s Hound

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03632 2016-07-05 Cu Chulainn+

“Cú Chulaınn” is Irish for “Culann’s Hound” after the boy Setanta killed the smith’s hound and promised to take its place until another one was raised. In one version of the legend, Setanta kills the original hound by driving a slıotar (hurley ball) down its throat – hence the hero is shown here holding a camán (hurley stick) rather than a sword. In the original picture on which this mural is based, the hero is not Cú Chulaınn but Jim Fitzpatrick’s vision of Nuada Silverarm and he carries a sword.

On the right hand side, Tuan the hawk/eagle/sea-raven bears witness to all of Irish history.

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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03632 central drive

Conflict Tourism

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03257 2016-01-20 DarkHorse Taxi Mural Tour+

Black taxi tours of the murals from both sides of the political divide in west Belfast are a well-established part of the tourist industry. (There are also tours of east Belfast.) The various gates in the “peace” line — shown here as closing nightly at 19:69 — are generally open during daylight hours.

Previous ‘gates’ news: See-Through Sectarianism | Belfast Lock-Up.

Bonus image below: benches from the courtyard.

02790 2015-08-20 Benches+

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Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02790 dark horse courtyard

The Men From Ballyclare & District

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03642 2016-07-06 Ballyclare Somme main+

Garlands of poppies, one for each of 38 local men “who gave their lives during the Battle of the Somme 1st July 1916 – 18th Nov 1916”, form a circle around a photograph of “Ballyclare Main Streeet 18th September 1914” as the men go off to war. For information about 17 of the men, see this Love Ballyclare page.

03641 2016-07-06 Ballyclare Somme+

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X03642 X03641 charles drive lest we forget south east antrim brigade UDA UFF Eddie Beck and Graeme Baird

Game Of Throats

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03256 2016-01-20 DarkHorseThrones Studio+

The HBO show Game Of Thrones wrapped up its sixth season recently in its customary fashion, which is to say, with intrigue and murder.

Interior scenes for the show are shot at the old Harland & Wolff ‘Paint Hall’ in the Titanic Quarter. The filming is parodied in the image above — the boom operator is wearing a Northern Ireland football top and has a tattoo saying “Is grá liom uisce” (“I love water”) on his bicep.

The popularity of the show has proven a bonanza for tourism: Wilderness Ireland provides a list of filming locations and Discover Northern Ireland has a page listing many tours. The most famous is the Dark Hedges near Ballymoney.

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X03256 dark horse courtyard

Stuff We Don’t Need

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03539 2016-06-14 Stuff We Don't Need+

The image below is from a Twelfth bonfire collection point in Belvoir in April, threatening a fifty pound fine for anyone caught dumping unwanted material. The image above of a collection point near Sandy Row articulates what is unwanted: ironing boards, chairs, washing machines, sofas, sinks, fridges, wheels, comfy chairs, toilets, beds, stoves. This Belfast Telegraph article includes a good image of the pallets gathered in the car-park.

03416 2016-04-26 No Fly Tipping+

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X03539 X03416 wellwood st milltown rd