political

Good Year For A Bonfire

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New work (presumably) by TLO in Belfast city centre showing King Billy (and horse!) wearing a gas mask as he rides over a river of tyres piled up for burning on bonfires. (The original painting is in the Royal Museums Greenwich). The practice of burning tyres has been controversial over the last few years as it is thought to cause toxic fumes. A collection of tyres was removed from Connswater in mid-March (Tele).

Previously by TLO: Demonizing Paisley | Three Studies Of Ian Paisley | Ian Jong-un | Wee Angel | Taking The Hump | Derryrhoea | Lost Duppy.

Thanks to Belfast Street Art (@Belfast_Beyond) for the tip.

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Copyright © 2017 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Hard Border

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The UK’s vote to leave the EU (“Brexit”) might mean the return of the “hard” border between Northern Ireland and the Republic. The board shown above lists the Tories, DUP, TUV, and (west Belfast rivals) People Before Profit as supporters of Brexit. PBP supported the exit on anti-austerity grounds.

Previously from #ae17 (Assembly Elections 2017): Tapaıgh An Deıs | End The Age Of the Dinosaurs | Keep Belfast Clean

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Copyright © 2017 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Stormont Must Go

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New political party Saoradh (Fb) is advocating a boycott of the upcoming (March 2nd) Stormont election, claiming that Stormont espouses “the co-dependent ideologies of imperialism, sectarianism and capitalism”. The tarp shown above lists various problems and scandals (“Nepostism, fraud, corruption, phantom community groups, NAMA, sectarianism, jobs for the boys, Red Sky, RHI scandal”) and evokes the spirit of 1981 hunger striker Bobby Sands: “Everyone Republican or otherwise has their Part to Play.” Also visible are a board celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Easter Rising (see versions in Andersonstown | Ardoyne | St James), an éırígí mural featuring Patrick Pearse, and a call for the release of the Craigavon Two (previously featured).

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Copyright © 2017 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X04032 tír gan teanga tír gan anam athshealbhaıgí an phoblacht

Break The Connection With England

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“Ireland did not vote for Tory cuts. Break the connection with England. www.irsp.ie. Páırtí poblachtach sóısıalaıgh na hÉireann.”

This IRSP/INLA board outside the party offices on the Falls Road protests policies coming from the Westminster parliament and specifically the Conservatives. On the left-hand side of the board are an adjustable pipe-wrench (for IRSP) and a rifle (for INLA). The sticker on a post-box is in Cavendish Street.

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Copyright © 2017 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Cousins

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Cousins Francis Hughes (Ó hÁodha) and Thomas McElwee (Mac Gıolla Bhuídhe) were the second and ninth of the 1981 hunger strikers to die. They share a grave in St. Mary’s churchyard in their hometown of Bellaghy, Co. London-/Derry. The image above shows their gravestone “erected by the people of Co. Derry and Co. Antrim”.

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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03932 ı measc laochra na nGael go raıbh a nanamacha óglaıgh na héıreann IRA

Cross Of Peace

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A Christian cross was added (in early 2015?) to the dove and oak leaf on Rossville Street, Derry. For a 2013 image of the previous version, see Network.

The official title of the work is The Peace Mural. For more, see the Visual History page on the Bogside Artists.

Bogside Artist William Kelly passed away today, 2017-01-10 (Derry Journal).

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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The Wider Conspiracy

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Here are two more images related to The Muddlers’ Club (see previously God Approves Our Undertakings), featuring an ouroboros (snake eating its own tail) in the shape of the symbol for infinity, on an eight-pointed star/compass, by VisualWaste.

“Members of the Muddler’s Club included leading United Irishmen such as Thomas Russell, Thomas Neilson & Henry Joy McCracken. Secret meetings held at Peggy Barclay’s inn would allow the Belfast United Irishmen to welcome messengers & visitors to coordinate the wider conspiracy.” For more information on the history of the location, see this BBC-NI article on the (canvas) paintings in Warehouse Lane.

In the second image: an unknown (FGB?) piece of tangled arms and legs, and, Lost Duppy by TLO.

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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Chains And Bonds Have No Part In Us

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IRA commander Seán McCaughey spent five years on the blanket in Portlaoise prison and died (in 1946) after 23 days on hunger strike (including 13 days refusing liquids). He is commemorated in Ardoyne because he lived there from the age of five onward. (The Pensive Quill.)

“I have no prouder boast to say, I am Irish and have been privileged to fight for the Irish people for Ireland. If I have a duty, I will perform it to the full with the unshakable belief that we are a noble race and the chains and bonds have no part in us.” Óglach Francis Hughes 1981

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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03956 Ardoyne ave RNU óglaıgh na héıreann

Ich Bin Ein Belfaster

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Travel site In Your Pocket recently solicited a good term for people from Belfast. In 1963, JFK went to West Berlin and expressed solidarity with the encircled residents by saying “Ich bin ein Berliner” (inviting the misunderstanding that he was a Berliner Krapfen or jelly doughnut”, but the spirit of the message was clear). (WP has more info and video.) The stencil above puts Kennedy in Belfast: Ich bin ein Belfaster.

Thanks to Brendan McGarry for today’s image.

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Copyright © 2016 Brendan McGarry
X03927  Lisburn Road

RIP Plum Smith

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UVF volunteer William “Plum” Smith entered Long Kesh in 1972 at the age of 18 for his role in the attempted murder of a Catholic. After his release, he became an ITGWU shop steward, a community organizer, and spokesperson for the PUP. Smith died in June of this year (2016); the message in today’s images appears on the Cupar Way “peace” line.

Short bio from BalaclavaStreet | Gareth Mulvenna tweet of Plum’s bio at age 20 from the Orange Cross | Tele account of the funeral.

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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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