The rosette at the centre of the poppy wreath shows the UK armed services badge (with the crown overlaid by the Ulster Banner) surrounded by a verse from Binyon’s ‘For The Fallen’ and “Tiger’s Bay – York Street – Sailortown loyal”. That group’s Facebook page is private and no home-page seems to be available for ‘North Belfast Friends Of The Somme’.
North Queen Street, Tiger’s Bay, Belfast, at the old Lewis Street.
The large cloth on the Shore Road was also seen last year.
“The cry was no surrender” – in preparation for the Twelfth, Ulster Banners, the Union Flag are posted along a fence in upper Shankill below a Shankill Old Boys (Fb) tarp and a band flag using St Patrick’s Saltire as a background. On the big day, the band paraded (Parades’ Commission) from the Shankill into the city centre (youtube), and back again after the demonstration in Barnett’s Demense (GOLI).
Jayden Braniff passed away in August in 2023 (Fb) from neuroblastoma. He was made an honorary member of the Pride Of Ballymacash (Lisburn) flute band (Fb). He is remembered by the Pride Of Ardoyne (Fb) and the Shankill Protestant Boys (Fb) in a tarp in Lawnbrook Avenue (upper Shankill, Belfast), next to the Walter Smith/Rangers tarp (one | two) and near his father’s house (Funeral Times).
Sandy Row says “no” to an Irish Sea border, but “yes” to Israel’s invasion of Gaza. The verbiage along the bottom of the tarp reads, “The battles we refuse to fight today become the hardships our children must endure tomorrow.”
The tarp is on the Rangers “55” hoarding on Sandy Row, and was seen previously in Let Us Shout Joyfully.
Here is an assortment of images concerning boycotts of Israeli goods in response to the invasion of Gaza. Above, “Ban Israeli goods” on the wall of the Alexandra Park Tesco, north Belfast; below, V-for-victory fingers as scissors snipping barbed wire (bdsmovement.net) in a shop window in Andersonstown, west Belfast; “BDS” [Boycott, divestment, sanctions] and “IPSC” [Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, which maintains a list of Israeli goods] next to a painted Palestinian flag in the middle Falls, west Belfast; plus an Artists Against Genocide (ig) sticker.
Irish politicians are making their annual pilgrimage to the United States for St Patrick’s Day. Taoıseach Leo Varadkar was first in Boston and is now in Washington, DC (gov.ie). Sınn Féın leaders Mary Lou McDonald and Michelle O’Neill say (Sky News) that during their visit they will raise the issues of Israel’s military attack and the humanitarian crisis in Gaza with US President Joe Biden, changing “Say “No” to Genocide Joe” to “Say “No” to genocide, Joe”. Michelle O’Neill (SF) and Emma Little-Pengelly (DUP) together promoted Northern Irish business opportunities (journal.ie).
SDLP leaders are not in attendance and People Before Profit called for a boycott (see previously: Don’t Look Away).
Meanwhile in Qatar, it is hoped that negotiations between Hamas and Israel will be rejoined (AP).
Two murals have been added to the exterior of Felons’ Club in Andersonstown to show support for Palestine. Above, on the Lake Glen side of the club, a printed board reading “We stand with Palestine – seas leis an Phalaıstín” and including an Emmalene Blake image (ig) on the right (shown in close-up, below) journalist Alatrash Samia and her niece Masa (as photographed by Mahmoud Bassam); further below, a “Stop the genocide in Gaza” tarp above the entrance.
Also included are images of several memorial plaques from the courtyard, to James Smyth, Anraí (Harry) Osborne, and Seosamh Ó Conghaıle (Joseph Connolly); the Roger Casement plaque is on the Kieran Doherty mural in Slemish Way. “County Antrim Memorial: Tógaḋ an leaċt seo mar ċoṁarṫa urraıme, grá agus dílse do na saıġdıúırí uaısle as Contae Aontroma, a martraíoḋ ar son Ṗoblaċt Na hÉıreann. Ṡeas gaċ glúın díoḃ sa ḃearna ḃaoıl, ag troıd go cróga ċun aontaċt agus saoırse a ṫaḃaırt ar aıs do náısıún na nGael. Go spreaga an leaċt cuımhne seo na daoıne feasta ıonas go leana sıad lorg na laoċra dtí go mbéarfar bua uasal na saoırse ar ball. Erected by the Belfast Committee of the National Graves Association with generous co-operation from sub-committees in America and Dublin.”
For a similar style of floral arrangement, see Do You Believe?
90% of Meenan Square was bought by Apex Housing for redevelopment with funds from the Executive Office (EO Press Release | Derry Now) in April 2023. 11 million pounds of T:BUC’s 45 million has been put towards the project (Derry Journal). Demolition took place in August, 2021, but it remains a waste-ground. In the meantime, Saoradh (web) and the IRPWA (web) have commandeered the hoarding for two tarps protesting “British Crown forces’ sectarian targeting of republican families” and “sectarian political policing”.
“Rangers ’til I die.” Here are images from the courtyard of the Carrickfergus Rangers Supporters Club, (Fb) and the approach to the clubhouse.
First, a pair of UVF boards above the courtyard listing both local (Carrickfergus, Ballyduff, Ballyclare, Greenisland, Glengormley, Monkstown, Rathcoole, Larne, Whitehead) and affiliated British units (Drumchapel (Glasgow, Scotland), Springburn (Glasgow) Possilpark (Glasgow), Paisley (Scotland), Falkirk (Scotland), Liverpool (England), Blackpool (England), Corby (England), and Blairgowrie (Scotland)) of the 1st East Antrim Battalion, “The people’s army”.
Second, the tarp on the back of the Men’s Shed.
Third and fourth, the boards on the lawn and the painted columns of the railway bridge on St Bride’s Street/North Road.
‘Let’s Talk Loyalism’ (Fb | Xitter) is an advocacy group established in May 2021 “to articulate loyalist perspectives” (News Letter). It produced a survey in September 2021 (Slugger) and is currently undertaking more research (BelTel). The tarp is hanging on the fence around the waste-ground at the top of Lanark Way, site of a #BuildShankill tarp.
See previously: No Vote, No Voice graffiti in Forthriver/Ballygomartin in 2014.
Extramural Activity 