“A long time ago we had empires run by emperors, then we had kingdoms run by kings, and now we have countries …” Run by counts? Commentary on current leadership (in various places?) in Dobbin Street Lane, Armagh.
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Copyright © 2021 squire93@hotmail.com
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Both Clifton Street Orange Hall and the statue of King William pre-date the creation of Northern Ireland in 1921. The building opened in 1885 (ArchSeek | Belfast Media gives 1886) and the statue was unveiled before a crowd of 50,000 on November 11th, 1889 ((Melbourne) Advocate | (Sydney) Protestant Standard).
For the “Thank you NHS” banner, see Pro Tanto Quid Retribuamos.
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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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“Handily packed, delicious to eat, Spangles are the fruitiest sweet! Only 3d a packet. Made by Mars.” A 1952 magazine advertisement for Spangles in the window of a vintage shop in Carrickfergus, showing a street party, perhaps in anticipation of the coronation of Elizabeth II, 16 months after she became queen in February 1952. The boiled sweets were a staple of life until 1984 (WP).
Other early ads for Spangles, which were introduced in 1950, note the price is 3d “and only one point”, meaning that customers would have to use one of the 16 points for non-essential goods from their ration books; control of sweets did not end until February, 1953 (WP).
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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Debenhams went into administration on April 9th, 2020 and immediately announced the closure of their stores in the Republic, with the loss of 1,200+ jobs. Workers went on strike for their union-negotiated redundancy, picketing both the front and rear entrances of stores to prevent the removal of stock by liquidators. The strike ended after 406 days when workers voted to accept an (Irish) government re-training scheme of 3m euro (Irish Times); the company was liquidated and all stores closed, including those in the north. The poster shown is on the ILAC centre in central Dublin.
A book on the strike – Tales From The Debenhams Picket Line – is now available.
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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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A “European Citizens’ Initiative” allows for legislation to be put before the European Commission if one million signatures are collected supporting it (europa.eu). Signatures are being collected for a petition to ensure that EU-funded work on Covid-19 is shared worldwide by a group calling themselves “No Profit On Pandemic” and “Right2Cure” (web | tw). The mural takes the place of the vandalised George Floyd mural that was replaced with a place-holder reading “#BLM – back soon”.
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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The water has turned into hand sanitiser outside St John’s Catholic church on the Falls Road, opposite the City Cemetery. Admission to services requires booking on-line in advance and wearing a face covering is “strongly recommended by Falls Pastoral Community”.
See also: Freedom Of Religion.
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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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“‘Here’s to better times ahead and saying goodbye to bombs and bullets once and for all’ – Lyra McKee 31st March 1990-18th April 2019”. Journalist Lyra McKee died on April 18th, 2019 while observing a riot in Creggan, Derry. Standing near a PSNI Land Rover, she was struck by a bullet fired towards police by a ‘New IRA’ gunman who has not been apprehended (WP). For the second anniversary of Lyra’s death the ‘Justice 4 Lyra’ campaign (web) has placed these hoardings all around the city; the three shown here are in Glendermott Road, Quayside, and William Street.
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Copyright © 2021 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
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This is the latest iteration of the “Build Homes Now” mural in Northumberland Street, with an update to the central panel. Previously it was a space for visitors to sign their names in support but now it is a quote from (presumably) someone living in temporary accommodation: “When you’re in a hostel for so long, it starts to feel like a jail. It’s just so irritating and frustrating.”
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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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“Almond Drive [Twinbrook] supports front line workers.” “Victory to the NHS” in the fight against coronavirus and Covid-19, rather than “Victory to the Provos“.
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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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In 2019, images of Bobby Sands before his (second and final) arrest and imprisonment were rediscovered in the collection of French photographer Gérard Harlay. Sands was serving as a flag-bearer in an August 1976 march from the Busy Bee to Dunville Park to protest the withdrawal of political status. (For some of Harlay’s images, see Bobby Sands Trust.) This new mural in his home area of Twinbrook copies one of the images (though presents him as carrying a Tricolour rather than a harp) along with protesters protesting for “Public transport for Twinbrook now” and “Social housing for Twinbrook now”.
See also: Comóradh 40 Staılc Ocraıs
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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Extramural Activity 