These Colors Don’t Run

2014-09-01 IRSPGaza+

Pro-Gaza mural/stencil on Northumberland Street decrying continued US support of Israel: the bloody bars of the US flag stain the Star of David (in the place where the stars would be) and run down the wall. Sponsored by the IRSP/INLA. The phrase “These colors don’t run” dates to 1942 or 1943 in Iowa (see page 10).

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The Imaginarium

2014-09-21 ElphCNB14+

A new piece for CNB14 in Lower Garfield Street, immediately recognizable from Scottish artist Elph’s inimitable style, here using a palette of pinks and blues. On his Fb page you can see a sketch done in preparation for the work.

Previously by Elph: The Piano Has Been SmokingEyes Wide Shut. Replaces The Most Nasty

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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100 Years Apart

2014-08-09 DonegallPass2013+

Visible from the Ormeau Road, this large union flag greets visitors to Donegall Pass in the south of the city. It asserts the presence of the UVF and connects the original Ulster Volunteer Force of 1913 to the present-day group one hundred years later: the aim of the original UVF was to resist the impending rule by Catholics under Home Rule.

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Between

2014-09-02 BetweenBus+

Unlike Ken Kesey’s Further, this bus goes Between, “Bringing sunshine to the children”. ‘Between’ was (and is) a Cork-based group who sponsored trips to Cork (Blarney Castle appears in the background of the mural), Monaghan, Donegal, and elsewhere, for the children of Ballymurphy and the Shankill during the troubles. The figures in the lower-right corner are shown in detail in the image below. The plaque to Gerard McDade remains on the wall. The mural was unveiled on 2014-09-20 – Ciaran Cahill has images from the launch.

2014-09-02 BetweenPeople+

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02149 X02150 proud and loving memory belfast brigade óglaıgh na héıreann murdered by british crown forces 21st december 1971 aged 23 years ní dheanfaıdh muıd dearmad fuaır sé bás ar son saoırse remember our volunteers committee 17th december 2011 frank cahill crıostor de baroıd paddy o’reilly waving

Ballymurphy Bus Trip

A Good Man Is Hard To Find

2014-09-21 BetterCallSaul+

Here are two images of the new Visual Waste piece in North Street, completed as part of Culture Night Belfast, 2014. Bob Odenkirk plays the lead character, Saul Goodman, in the upcoming series Better Call Saul, a spin-off of Breaking Bad, whose lead character (Bryan Cranston as Walter White) was the subject of last year’s Visual Waste CNB piece (see Broken Bad).

Also by Visual Waste: The Mark Of Zorro from CNB 2012 | Carried Away. Replaces Faigy’s Purple Girl

2014-09-21 BetterCallSaulPoster+

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Forging Our Heritage

2014-06-19 ConwayForging+

The Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (amwu.org.au) sponsored the mural above in Conway Street, west Belfast. 

The painted plaque on the left reads, “Casement Memorial. In proud memory of the 10 Republican prisoners who died on hunger strike in “H” blocks of Long Kesh in 1981. “It is not those who can inflict the most but those who can endure the most who will conquer.” Terence McSwiney. Unveiled by Martin McGuinness, Sınn Féın MP MLA Minister for Education Wednesday 6/12/2000. Donated by AMWU, Craig Johnston State Secretary”. The plaque itself is in Carlton, Australia, named (presumably) for Roger Casement.

Secretary Johnston is on the left in the back. The flag to the right is the flag of the Eureka Stockade.

This mural joins others sponsored by Australian groups: A Bunch Of Live Wires (sponsored by the Electrical Trades Union) | Caırde Sınn Féın | Australian Aid For Ireland & Saoırse Melbourne.

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Growing Up Too Fast

2014-06-03 ArdEoinPramFailte+

A young girl wearing an adult’s pushes a pram in the first of a dozen panels from the new ‘Fáılte go dtí Ard Eoın’ mural in Ardyone Avenue. The image is perhaps based on the (unattributed) photo, shown below the images of the mural.

2-3: The woman on the right is a spinner – her job is to ensure that the fibres of threads being wound together to make a strong thread do not break. The occupation of the man on the right is unknown. Please comment or send an e-mail if you recognize his occupation.

5-6: Two panels featuring boxers, possibly Freddie Gilroy and Eamonn Magee — leave a comment or e-mail if you can identify either.

8: Holy Cross church on the Crumlin Road.

9: A British soldier patrols the streets while a girl walks home from school and a boy plays hurley. This is one of the panels in the long mural at the shops on Ardoyne Avenue.

10-11: Two go-karters appear to be brandishing bottles as they ride while, to their left, two (rather stylish?) youths appear to be banging bin-lids.

“Is fearr Gaeılge brıste ná Bearla [Béarla] clıste” means “Broken Irish is better than clever English”.

2014-06-03 ArdEoinSpinning+

2014-06-03 ArdEoinFootball+

2014-06-03 ArdEoinBoxers+

2014-06-03 ArdEoinSwing+

2014-06-03 ArdEoinTommy+

2014-06-03 ArdEoinTommy2+

2014-06-03 ArdEoinCart+

2014-06-03 ArdEoinCliste+

2014-06-03 ArdEoinIsFearr+

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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1981 SoldierGirl.jpg

Man Against Machine

2014-09-01 GazaTankFlag2+

Above is a detail from the Gerard “Mo Chara” Kelly mural at the northern end of Springhill Avenue: a lone figure in Palestinian colours is about to hurl a Molotov cocktail at a tank in Israeli blue-and-white with a (reversed-Nazi) swastika on its side.

The full mural is shown below. The portion to the left appeared in Palestine Abú and the portion to the right in Hellfire.

2014-09-01 GazaSpinghillWide+

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Palestine Abú

2014-09-01 PalestineAbu+

Here is another piece of the new Gerard “Mo Chara” Kelly murals in Springhill: a figure in a black-and white keffiyeh give the two-finger ‘V for victory’ sign beneath the Terence McSwiney (WP) quote: It is not those who can inflict the most but those that can suffer the most who will conquer.

Previously: Hellfire

Previously at this location: A Dead End

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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C. Coy Street

2014-09-10 CCoyFive+

UVF volunteers (l-r) Thomas Chapman, James McGregor, Robert McIntyre, William Hannah, and Robert Wadsworth, who were killed between 1973 and 1978, are commemorated in a new mural in Carnan (or “C. Coy”) Street. The mural is unusual in that it shows bare-faced full figures; loyalist murals sometimes include head-shots (at the top of the mural, in the apex of a gable wall, e.g. Standing Guard) but only masked men appear as full figures. There is a similarity in composition and style (and perhaps even palette) to existing Republican murals such as this one of five B. Coy IRA volunteers in Ballymurphy.

The wide shot (below) is taken from the main road: the fish-and-chip shop on the Shankill is called “A Salt And Battered”. For a straight-on image of the red-and-black mural to the left, see We Were Young. Still shots of the mural in progress are included in this video of the bands parading at the launch.

2014-11-10 ASaltAndBattered+

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02175 X02353 c.coy 1st Belfast battalion Ulster Volunteers for god and ulster