“Loyalist Ardoyne says no to Irish Sea border”. ‘Loyalist Ardoyne’ is the Glenbryn area.
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Loyalist Ardoyne Says No
political
Comóradh 40 Staılc Ocraıs
On Sunday March 22nd, 1981, forty years ago this week, Raymond McCreesh and Patsy O’Hara joined Bobby Sands and Francis Hughes on hunger strike in Long Kesh/HMP Maze. They would be joined by 19 more prisoners before the strike ended with ten of the 23 meeting their deaths. On March 31st, 1974, Michael Gaughan went on hunger strike in Parkhurst, along with four others, including Frank Stagg. Gaughan died in June as a result of forced feeding; Stagg would die on a later strike, in February 1976.
The board is on the site of the former Andersonstown RUC barracks.
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Not Welcome To The Shankill
“DUP Out” – another expression of discontent at how Brexit is affecting Northern Ireland and the DUP’s role in the negotiations. See previously: Arlene Must Go. For the mural, see Welcome To The Shankill Road.
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Drawing A Line In The Sea
Striped “No Irish Sea border” stickers on the Shankill Road, Belfast, protesting the NI Protocol that is part of the UK’s “Brexit” from the EU.
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How Is Freedom Measured?
The slogan “How is freedom measured? By the effort which it costs to retain!” dates back to WWI and, in the Irish context, to the Home Rule era. It looked as though Britain was going to give Ireland – as a whole – some measure of self-governance (whether while remaining in the UK (“constitutional Home Rule”) or separating from it (“revolutionary Home Rule” or “Fenianism”). In response, it seemed to some that fighting for Britain in the war might secure the status quo. Perhaps additionally or alternatively, it indicated the willingness of unionists to fight. Great effort is the measure of freedom greatly prized – “loyalist Rathcoole will NEVER accept a border in the Irish Sea.” The placards are a product of United Unionists Of Ulster (News Letter). For a mural rendition of the WWI postcard, see previously: How Is Freedom Measured?
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An Old Song Re-Sung
“Loyalist Ballysillan says NO! to Irish Sea border.” The Ulster Banner merges with the Union Flag, and a Northern Ireland floating free of the south is cradled by Britain. (Compare with Give And Take from last week.)
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Give And Take
“Northern Ireland is not the EU’s to take, nor England’s to give. We will defend our birthright!” This sticker has been all over north Belfast (and perhaps beyond). Although Northern Ireland is shown as a Union flag, Britain is notably absent, consistent with the discontent expressed by “nor England’s to give”. Northern Ireland is shown only in relation to the rest of island, fleeing a Euro-member Ireland.
For the mural in the second image, see 100 Years Of Conflict.
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Border Country
“The battles we refuse to fight today becomes the hardships our children must endure tomorrow.” We have amassed here five additional graffiti from “lower north Belfast” saying “No to an Irish Sea border”. Some operations at Larne and Belfast docks were suspended for over a week after reports – which police eventually did not deem credible – of threats made against employees and number plates being recorded (BBC timeline of events).
Lower north Belfast is the residential areas between the Antrim Road and the motorway/docks – York Road and Shore Road from Tiger’s Bay to Mount Vernon and north into Loughside and Graymount.
For the tarp in support of the NHS, see Uniting Our Community.
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Alter Ego
“PSNI Out” is the latest message on Slıabh Dubh from Gael Force Art, mounted in response to what it sees as disparate treatment of nationalists on the one hand (intruding, ostensibly on Covid-related grounds, interfering with a flower-laying ceremony in commemoration of the attack on the Sean Graham bookies shop on the Ormeau Road (Feb 5th, 1992) and arresting one of the victims, Mark Sykes (RTÉ)) and unionists on the other (PSNI monitoring but not confronting a UVF show of strength in Pitt Park (iTV)).
Michelle O’Neill called the Ormeau incident “a watershed moment for public confidence in policing” (Irish News); one officer has been suspended. The writing on the mountain is seen here over the Captain America panel of the wall of superheroes, enhanced versions of their human alter egos: Steve Rogers, Bruce Banner, Clark Kent, etc.
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No Irish Sea Border
“No Irish Sea border” – graffiti at either end of Stroud Street, perhaps in different hands. The one above is over a very faint “PSNIRA out”, along with a “Smash Sinn Fein IRA”.
Previously: Arlene Must Go
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Extramural Activity 