Electrical box by Irony (ig | Fb | tumblr) in Queen Street, Belfast.
Previously by Irony: Jail Bird | Pearl | That Faraway Look
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X07321
painted wall
The Gateway Is Love
William Swanston, with partner Thomas Bones, commissioned a new building for their linen collar and cuff concern, to be raised in 1890 at the corner of Queen and College streets. Arthur Chichester, flanked by the coats of arms of Belfast and Ulster, looks down over the now-unused doorway. (For more, see the excellent page at History Hub Ulster.) Swanston House is known to many in Belfast as the home of the Athletic Stores and the Educational Company; the facade was retained for its current incarnation ‘The Roost’, a student dormitory.
“‘Soul is deep, essence is beauty, the journey is freedom & the gateway is love’ – Beatrix.”
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X07320
Better Days Ahead
The weather hasn’t been great and coronavirus is till here too, but hope is the last thing to die and we might get one of the two. Better Days Bob replaces Clive The Whale – work by FGB (Francois Got Buffed | web | tw | ig) in Belfast city centre.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X07298 Kent St
Thank You, NHS
Union flags with “Thank You NHS” in east Belfast, one (above) in front of “Freedom Corner” on Newtownards Road (for the recent history of the mural on the right, see East Belfast Brigade) and another (below) in Ballarat Street.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X07193 X07257
As The Stars Are Known To The Night
William McFadzean won a VC for sacrificing himself on the morning before the Battle Of The Somme (in WWI) and is commemorated in several murals. He shares a plaque here with “Vol W Miller”, who is perhaps the (modern UVF) volunteer Billy Miller from Donegall Pass who was killed in an RUC ambush in 1983 (Long Kesh I/O). The two names on the newer plaque are unknown on-line, perhaps having survived the Troubles and being recently deceased.
The title of today’s post comes from the Laurence Binyon poem For The Fallen.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X07249 X07251 X07250 replaces the old Titanic mural in Ballarat St
In Bloom
Everything Is Going To Be OK
Sylvester’s (Fb | tw) on the Antrim Road at the Waterworks had its shutters painted with a positive message during the Coronavirus epidemic. “Stay safe”. (Update: Sylvester’s closed down in this location and took over half of the space at Manny’s in November.)
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2020 Sabine Troendle (web | Fb)
X07065
Not All Heroes Wear Capes
“Go raıbh maıth agaıbh/Thank you – Ardoyne + The Bone applaud NHS and all essential keyworkers”, “Stay home, stay safe”. The keyworkers (including shop servers and hospital janitors) all wear masks and gloves.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X07185 X07186 X07183 X07184
Speak Friend And Open
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).
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2020 Sabine Troendle (web | Fb)
X07169 X07168
Extramural Activity 