Here is a Leo Boyd (ig) print of an x-wing police land rover – one in a series of land rovers: see previously: ice-cream-van land rover | wind-up land rover | surveillance land rover.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X12304
This is Wee Nuls’s (web | ig) street art celebrating the success of the ‘menstruation matters’ (ig) campaign for free period products and the passage of the Period Products Bill.
The piece is perhaps a “gremlin” self-portrait in the style of Mr Blonde/Vic Vega. It was painted for HTN22 in the spot below Transport House where her original version of Free Period Items was painted and blacked out. (It was then repainted at Artcetra.) To the left is Claire Prouvost’s tribute to women workers of the world and to left is a Unity (union) hoarding: Workers Of The World Unite.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X11426
After the May, 2022, elections that resulted in Sınn Féın being the largest party, the Assembly met twice but on both occasions the DUP refused to participate in a vote for speaker after which Stormont could not function. The DUP explained its boycott of the Assembly as a form of protest at the NI Protocol and voted against the “Windsor Framework” intended to resolve those problems (Sky News). Various deadlines have passed, a pay-cut is threatened (Belfast Live), but, as it stands currently, there will not be a new Assembly election under January, 2024 (Guardian | BBC).
A Belfast Live poll three weeks ago found that 75% of respondents thought the rules should be changed to allow Stormont to be restored without DUP co-operation.
Council elections take place on May 18th (BBC).
Clooney Road/Limavady Road, Londonderry, east of the Caw.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
X12243 X12244
“The Civil Rights 50th Anniversary Committee pay homage to all the courageous people who participated in the Civil Rights campaign” with a commemorative board in the alley of Donegall Street Place, in front of the Jim Larkin statue and ICTU mural. The photograph shows the start of the march from Coalisland to Dungannon on March 24th, 1968. The participants are identified on the CAIN page about NICRA. (See also the remarks from vice-chair Dympna McGlade at Slugger.)
“We shall overcome – the history of the struggle for civil rights in Northern Ireland 1968-1978. During the 1960’s, a diverse group of people and organisations with differing political aims, ideologies, cultural backgrounds, and religious beliefs came together to forge a unity based on a growing awareness of the need for an effective, non-violent vehicle for political and legislative reform. This led to the formation of the Northern Ireland Civil Rights Association (NICRA). Original, inventive and radical in a stagnant political system, NICRA avalanched its way through Northern Ireland politics using the following aims: defend the basic freedoms of all citizens; protect the rights of the individual; highlight all possible abuses of power; demand guarantees for freedom of speech, assembly and association; inform the public of their lawful rights. Through activism, marches and peaceful disobedience, the NICRA demands were addressed to varying degrees and paved the way for major legislative, political and social reform in Northern Ireland. These demands included: ‘one man, one vote’; an end to gerrymandering of electoral wards; the prevention of discrimination in the allocation of government jobs and council housing; the removal of the Special Powers Act and the Disbandment of the Ulster Special Constabulary (The B Specials).”
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X09939 X09938 X09940 X09936 [X09937]
CNR west Belfast, but not that rising. Rather these two placards on the Falls Road encourage reactions to risings of the Christian kind – we should “repent” our sins even as they forgiven; the shroud of Turin dates to roughly 1300 but is a symbol of Jesus of Nazareth in the tomb between crucifixion and resurrection – and of the inflationary kind – Lasaır Dhearg (web) declares “Costs are rising. And so must we!”
Falls Road, west Belfast.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X12179 X12192
A new braille plaque bearing the now-iconic saying “You are now enterting Free Derry” was unveiled last Tuesday (January 24th) by the founder of Children In Crossfire Richard Moore (featured previously in The Derry Lama) who was blinded in 1972 when he was hit with a rubber bullet.
Derry Journal has a gallery of images from the launch.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
X11973 X11971 [X11970] X11972
BUILD Shankill now has a website that promises to provide (in the future) “a full inventory of vacant and derelict land in the area”. In the meantime, the campaign to bring attention to housing issues in the area continues with placards and tarps:
“Our children deserve more than dereliction – Better Understanding In Local Development (BUILD)”
“Did you know? The Shankill has over 80 waste sites the size of 62 football pitches with the space to build 3300 homes. #BuildShankill.” For a mural-sized version of this tarp (in the third image) over one of the pieces of waste ground, see #BuildShankill.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X11496 X11797 X11497
After much delay and finger-pointing (BelTel | Belfast Live) – and this complaint from east Belfast graffitist Hallion – details were published yesterday (December 30th) about how people will receive a £600 pound direct debit (or a voucher redeemable at the Post Office) to help with energy bills (uk.gov). The £600 comprises £400 from the Energy Bills Support Scheme (approved back in April, 2022 – uk.gov) and a £200 “Alternative Fuel Payment” (announced in August – uk.gov). The £200 AFP is due to the high percentage of homes using home-heating oil in Northern Ireland as compared with Britain (Belfast Live).
“Where is our 400 600 quid? Cost of living, innit. – Hallion2″
Previous work by Hallion: Wash Your Hands | It Hasn’t Gone Away | Wear A Mask Or The Easter Bunny Gets It | к черту Путина/Thran Rights Nai. For the fake shop-fronts, see previously: Semiotics.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X11935 lord of the pigeons
The young people of Sunnylands (Carrickfergus) are encouraged to “follow your dreams”. On the left, a young man dreams of being a film-maker; on the right, a young woman dreams of being a cosmetician. There is also a lot of soccer: Leeds United, The Northern Ireland team, Glasgow Rangers (“55“), and Carrickfergus Rangers are all included. Follow the example of Scooby Doo, who “don’t doo drugs” and celebrate the centenary of Northern Ireland by “chill”ing in your Orange Order sash on the bonfire (seen previously in Stop Sign).
With support from Communities In Transition and Intercomm (Fb).
Unveiled August 22, 2021 (tw | Fb)
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X10647 X10646 Bridewell Drive
“Think before you drink” – broken bottles, broken loves, and broken lives in Seymour Hill. Help can be sought from the organisations on the adjacent board: FRANK, ASCERT, Community Addiction Team, FASA, and Daisy.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X11897 X11896 X11898 X11895 Elm Corner
Extramural Activity 