How I Learned to Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb

2014-01-29 DroneRanger+

Yesterday (29 January, 2014) marks the 50th anniversary of Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove, currently#42 on IMDb’s list of greatest films. (See the image below – Slim Pickens in the scene of a lifetime, a role Peter Sellers intended to play, alongside his three others; see also this New Yorker magazine retrospective “Almost Everything in “Dr. Strangelove” Was True”.) The movie retains its relevance in 2014, as evidenced by this stencil  in Fountain Street, protesting the use of drone technology by the US in the mideast and Pakistan. Next the stencil of a cowboy riding a drone are the words “The Drone Ranger Tour 2014 – Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria”.

As can be seen in the wide shot below, this piece is next to the Obama ‘I See You‘ (and round the corner from the ‘Don’t Drone Me, Bro‘ stencil).

Slim Pickens as T. J. “King” Kong riding a bomb to mutually assured destruction in Dr. Stangelove.

2014-01-29 DroneRangerWide+

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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No Vote, No Voice

2014-01-22 NoVote+

“No vote, no voice” and “Vote Unionist”. Here are two pieces of loyalist graffiti concerned with (as they see it) under-representation in the political process. The first is at the corner of Springmartin Road and Ballygomartin Road (“Bobby Sands died 4 fuck all” can be seen underneath). The second is on the Forthriver Road at the Glencairn Day Centre.

2014-01-22 VoteUnionist+

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Street Life

2013-10-01 TheMostNasty+

The artist’s name is on the track-suit top where a logo might typically be: work by NOTA (of TMN – The Most Nasty) in Garfield Street.

Previously: The Sun Will Make You Blind

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Reserved

2013-12-28 Reserved+

The final large spot on (republican) Northumberland Street wall has been claimed, we know not by whom. A small, bookmark-shaped, span of wall also remains further down the road. See the Visual History page for Northumberland Street for details.

“Watch this space”, as they say. Or, as in the piece (below) on the Cliftonville Road (first seen last year), “new mural loading”.

The piece in the centre-left is one to O’Neill & Beattie.

12 09 11 NewMuralLoading+

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Check

2013-12-28 OppressionDefeated+

Graffiti at the Royal Victoria Hospital on the Falls Road, from December 28th (that is, before the end of the Haass talks without agreement on the final draft), showing three items ticked: The laughter of our children; Oppression defeated; Mandate + ballot box.

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Black & White

2013-12-15 Mandela+

Four shots of the “Go safe Mandela – RIP” lettering by Gael Force Art on Slıabh Dubh/Black Mountain two weeks ago, commemorating the death of Nelson Mandela on December 5th, 2013. The one above is on the Springfield Road with ‘The Usual Suspects’ in the foreground. (Previously from the same location: G8 War Criminals.) The second, below, is from the Whiterock Road and involves the ‘IRA Final Salute’ mural.

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2013-12-30 MandelaSands+

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Welcome to Upper Ardoyne

2013-11-28 KATGlenbryn+

“KAT” (Kill all taigs, i.e. Catholics) in red, white and blue at the edge of the Glenbryn area at Alliance Crescent.

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Split

2013-12-05 Bunting+

This graffiti in Tiger’s Bay relates to the current split in the UDA: “Bunting out – North Belfast UFF”. John Bunting, current leader of the north Belfast UDA/UFF brigade is being challenged by a dissident faction including members previously expelled.

From the Irish News (2013-12-05): “A major split within the UDA was confirmed yesterday as the organisation took the highly unusual step of releasing a statement backing under-fire north Belfast ‘brigadier’ John Bunting.” The statement was signed by east and south Belfast brigades, but not west Belfast. For more, see Tele 2013-11-28, Tele 2013-11-30, Irish News 2013-12-04, Tele 2013-12-05. The stencil of the Queen’s profile on the right was featured previously.

Update: Imaged below of the same graffiti, blacked out, on 2013-12-20. Other graffiti in other areas remain visible.

2013-12-20 BuntingBlacked+

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Blackbird, Fly

2013-11-01 FreedomClose+

Someone has written ‘Freedom’ next to the blackbird that feeds on the garbage cans in College Street Mews. As can be seen below, the bird is next to Don’t Drone Me, Bro.

2013-11-01 FreedomStraight+

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