“Newtownabbey stands against racism” held down with a small sticker of the Palestinian flag.
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Copyright © 2024 Ronan Woods
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Newtownabbey Stands Against Racism
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Reaching Out Is A Strength
“… not a weakness.” Mental health mural in the middle Falls, with the telephone numbers for Lifeline, the Samaritans, and the Suicide Awareness & Support Group.
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Copyright © 2024 Extramural Activity
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The INLA
Commemorations of the INLA’s fiftieth anniversary have so far been limited to graffiti – see Saoırse Go Deo in Derry and Let The Fight Go On in Belfast – but here we have two deliberately painted panels in the Bogside (specifically Meenan Square) (one replacing The Way We Were).
“Irish National Liberation Army, Derry brigade. This mural is dedicated to the women and men who gave their lives in the struggle for national liberation and socialism. Erected by the James Connolly Memorial flute band.”
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Copyright © 2024 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
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A Bird In The Hand
These bird-boxes and platforms were installed by Wild Belfast (web) – a group aimed at enhancing natural habitats – in order to attract house-martins, who visit Ireland in the summer in order to breed, but whose numbers are in decline because of a loss of nesting sites (under the eaves of houses) and building materials (mud).
The boxes are in front of street art by artist Daniela Balmaverde (web) on the end of one of the stands at Cliftonville FC (BBC) – the shamrock earrings are the club’s emblem.
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Copyright © 2024 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Love The Arts
Love Hearts turn 70 years old in 2024 – they were originally included in crackers for the Christmas season in 1954. Over the years, the messages on them have changed, and various specialty versions have been produced, including for Prince William’s 21st (in 2003) and a recent collaboration with YoungMinds with affirmative messages (Swizzels | WP). The messages on these “Love tHeArts” – imagined by FGB (ig) in North Street, Belfast city centre – are perhaps less “Marry me” and “Be mine” and more “Fund me” and “Follow me on Instagram”.
See also Eat To The Beat for another Swizzels sweet – the drumstick – by FGB.
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Copyright © 2024 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Liberation Isn’t On The Ballot
“Liberation isn’t on the ballot – spoil your vote” and “Reject war – reject Westminster – spoil your ballot”. According to the Marxist-Leninist ideology of CYM (Connolly Youth Movement), society should move from capitalism to socialism and it therefore “does not endorse any social democratic parties in Ireland” (item 2.5 of the constitution). A look at the list of candidates for the fast-approaching election on July 4th (BBC) shows that no Communist/Workers’ Party candidates are standing.
The posters are in North Street (above) and Royal Avenue (below).
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Copyright © 2024 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Lurgan Workhouse
This is the last surviving part of a much longer work by Caroline Jeffrey from 2006 to commemorate the Lurgan workhouse of 1841.
Another image from the project can be seen in the Peter Moloney Collection. More information and images can be found at workhouses.org.
Russell Drive/Tandragee Road, Lurgan.
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Copyright © 2023 Jackie Findon
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Meet The New Boss
This UVF poster urges residents of east Belfast who owe money to loan sharks not to sell drugs or find some other way to pay it back, but instead to get in touch with a political representative.
The Sunday World reported that repayments are being withheld after the Shankill UVF ordered the leadership in East Belfast UVF to stand down (in November 2023 – IRN | BBC) and took over the operation. The posters thus come from the old (East Belfast) guard, trying to thwart the new bosses and hoping to resume collection themselves.
SDLP councillor Séamus De Faoıte commented (in the Irish News), “Anyone who has knowledge of criminal activity or exploitation of vulnerable people should report it to the relevant authorities, but people do not need to take any lessons from the UVF when it comes to upholding the law.” (Also: BelTel)
Meanwhile, the endingtheharm.com campaign (part of the Executive/DOJ’s programme designed to tackle “paramilitary activity and organised crime”) continues. See They Control You for a 2019 version. For the mural on the right of the final image, see Herbie McCallum.
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Copyright © 2024 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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City Hall Stained Glass
Here is a gallery of seven pieces of stained glass in Belfast City Hall. BCC has a guide to all of the stained-glass windows in the Hall.
1 (above): North Irish Horse, and in particular, the WWII battles it participated in (listed at the bottom of the window).
2 (below): Spanish Civil War
3 Cú Chulaınn – seen previously in Ulster’s Defence Force. See also the Visual History page In The Shadow Of Cú Chulaınn.
4: The Dockers’ Strike – seen previously in One Big Union.
5: The Famine Window. See also the Visual History page on The Great Hunger.
6: The Pathways Window – according to the guide, this window commemorates the pain caused to the relatives of deceased persons from whom organs were taken without consent.
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Copyright © 2024 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Not A Dumping Ground
These Shankill placards read “Landlords take notice: “You have a responsibility” This is not a dumping ground.” and “Landlords take notice: We are taking back our community.” Their wording is not as explicit as the tarps and posters that have been seen in other areas which read, “NIHE & Private Landlords take note: [Belvoir | Suffolk | Finaghy | Newtownards] will no longer accept the re-housing of illegal immigrants or the excrement of other communities!” (BBC Belvoir | BBC Suffolk | (BelTel Newtownards) and “We have had enough of undesirables and immigrants being placed into our community. The time has come for locals only.” (BBC Finaghy). The “excrement” language has been condemned by politicians from both sides, as it (probably) refers to homeless people and those suffering intimidation who apply for Housing Executive housing (here is the points system). See also: similar placards in Rathcoole (Belfast Live).
See previously: “Locals Only” graffiti on Shore Road.
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Copyright © 2024 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Extramural Activity 