Carrickfergus castle was built in 1177 and has seen multiple battles in the intervening years, including the Battle Of Carrickfergus in 1597 in which the MacDonnells and O’Neills defeated the forces of Elizabeth I (WP). Its military history makes it a fitting spot for a remembrance of the dead of WWI from the 36th Division.
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“Super-rich increase wealth by £25 Billion during crisis yet health workers only get applause … fight for 15% pay increase for all NHS workers.” “US super-rich increase wealth by $367 billion while workers lose lives, jobs, pay. End the rule of billionaires.”
These Socialist Party posters are in the middle Falls, including one on the red letter box outside Áras Uí Chonghaile, interpretative centre for James Connolly, founder of the Socialist Labour Party and the Irish Labour Party.
Previously: You Can’t Have Capitalism Without Racism
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St Nicholas’s (Anglican) church in Carrickfergus dates back to the 1100s, prior to the castle. The low window shown above is known as the “leper window”. Patients from the leper hospital near the (northern) Spittal Gate to the city would come and listen in (Library Ireland). During the coronavirus pandemic of 2020, services are not even being held.
A virtual tour of the church is available in the church’s web site.
Recently in Carrickfergus: The Plague Grave. Covid-19 church-related posts from Belfast: Rediscovr The Powr Of Th Rosary | Prayer In The Time Of Coronavirus
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Above is one of the few remaining houses in the old style in Tiger’s Bay. This is one of three on Mervue Street, which back onto a row of six in Mervue Court; there also is a row of six on Halliday’s Road which survived the rebuilding there – for images of loyal drawings in the boarded up houses that were replaced, see The Queen In Tiger’s Bay. Below, however, is an image of the freshly-repainted kerbstones just above the house, at the junction of Mervue and Edlingham streets.
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The Red Hand Defenders flute band will commence its march from the Clough (Co. Down) Orange hall at 12:30 and its route will take it under the Orange arch in Main Street, shown here, with King Billy flanked by portraits of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip (on the left) and soldiers from the 36th (Ulster) Division (on the right). It will visit the houses in Jordanstown, Church Grove, Church Court, and Claragh Court (PC).
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Here is the bonfire in Pitt Park (east Belfast) that was set alight yesterday evening for “Eleventh Night” (for some images see this Kevin Scott gallery). This year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, there is a banner advising people to “Stay 1m apart! Thank you”, in addition to nationalist symbols such as the Irish Tricolour.
For the mural in the background, see Culture Threatens No One.
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A gate was installed in the Alexandra Park “peace” line in 2011 (see this image from that year) which is opened daily to allow pedestrian traffic between Mountcollyer and Newington. During the pandemic, however, the gate has been closed for weeks and there is confusion over the reason – originally it was said to be due to staffing issues but anti-social behaviour has also been mentioned (Irish News).
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The bilingual sign says “temporary enclosure” but neither the Irish News or the Belfast Telegraph has been able to get a comment from the Chinese Consulate in Malone Road about the “ring of steel” erected around (what is currently known as) MacNeice house. Local residents have complained that the fence, which replaces a hedge, is an eyesore, not fitting for Malone Conservation Area.
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The streets in the Bone (or Marrowbone) area were built around the turn of the 20th century but before that the area was on the way to the ‘old park’. The name perhaps comes from the Irish “machaire botháin”, the “cabin field”, possibly in reference to a shepherd’s hut, and certainly nothing to do with punning fish-and-chip shops. Above the shops are pictures of local children, continuing from the Marrowbone Community Association which is out of picture to the left.
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Extramural Activity 