The mythical basilisk is able to kill its foes with a glance, but this one – painted by Swiss artist Sonic Oner (Fb) for Culture Night/Hit The North – fights its eagle prey with the barbed name of his creator.
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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Well-meaning but simplistic (if not patronising) message from a tourist: «Irish, forget the past.» Local response: “Da war is not over yet.” Response-to-the-response: “Bring it on.” On the nationalist side of the “peace” line at Townsend Street.
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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Three members of the Miami Showband were killed in 1975 at a fake check-point set by members of the UVF’s Glennane Gang. The explosion during the incident did not kill the musicians (as the graffiti on the poster above in loyalist east Belfast suggests); they were shot. Rather, a bomb exploded prematurely as it was being planted on their van, killing two of the attackers – see Boyle & Somerville – prompting the shooting spree (WP) that left three of the five band-members dead.
For the mural in the background, see Please Pay Here.
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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Here are two by StayLo Skeetz in Kent Street, Belfast. With writing by VENTS in the second.
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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Northern Ireland last night beat Israel 3-nil in a soccer “friendly” at Windsor Park. Gael Force Art took to Sliabh Dubh (Black Mountain) to support Palestinians and the BDS Movement, saying there’s “nothing friendly” about Israel’s human rights record (the full GFA statement is here). Other protests – and counter-protests – took place elsewhere in the city (BelTel).
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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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A simple commode stands in the Glen Estate, Newtownards, below rival UDA and UVF graffiti.
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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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“Níl an ní is áılle – súıl ghléıgheal [sic] an lınbh – slán faoınár gcúram níos mó!” [The most beautiful thing – the sparkling eye of a child/the bright hope of a child – is no longer safe in our care!] This Bóthar Chluanaí/Springfield Road graffiti seems to be a response to the recent vote in the Republic Of Ireland removing the constitutional protection of unborn children (see Yes & No). There has previously been Irish-language graffiti in favour of abortion: Ceart Gınmhıllte Anoıs!
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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X06025 X06026 Buíochas le Mícheál agus Seosamh.
A poetic allusion to the blind prophet Tiresias (from Oedipus Rex) or to security cameras? This graffiti is in the tunnel under the (recently repainted) Harkness Parade shipyard workers.
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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Here is a vintage mural still hanging on in St James’s in west Belfast. It was painted in 1995 (by Andrea Redmond?) and dates back to the peace process and the “Green Ribbon” campaign to secure the release of political prisoners: the dove carries the keys to set them free. The graffiti on the keys, however, reads “IRA” and “FTQ” (“Eff the Queen”), and in the upper wing, “UTP” (“Up the Provos”).
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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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This is a smaller piece by Bristol street artist CHEBA (web | ig | tw), done when he was over for CNB17 (see Hit The Northern Lights).
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Copyright © 2017 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X04635 Kent St, Belfast
Extramural Activity 