“This is our Israel and this we shall defend.” “This” is Northern Ireland.
This is a vintage sticker (dating back to 2021) on the Shankill Road at Lawnbrook Avenue.
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Copyright © 2025 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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This Is Our Israel
poster/paste-up/sticker
Defend The Sperrins
The “defend the Sperrins” “day of resistance” on Saturday August 23rd will include a “family fun day – walk through the land – creative protest – education – eating together – céılí – music – camping on occupied land overnight”.
At issue is a plan to mine for gold from US-backed company Dalradian Mining (web) in an area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. In response to local pressure (see the “No toxic goldmining” placard in the poster), the company has already ditched its plan to use cyanide during the extraction process (BBC | The Planner).
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Copyright © 2025 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Palestina Askatu
This is a Basque-language sticker (“Free Palestine”) from French organisation Pastèque Ta Ville [Watermelon Your City] (web) which is raising funds by selling watermelon-themed tote bags, t-shirts, and stickers. The sticker shows a watermelon slice and keffiyeh design on a Basque flag.
Other stickers below:
Caterkiller (“Machinery built by Caterpillar is supplied to the Israeli state to assist in the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from their homes and land”)
the Little Prince says “From the river to the sea Palestine will be free” (by Ellis Sauno (ig))
“L’Algerie a vaince – Palestine vaincra!” (by Samidoun (web))
“Occupation no more!” (by éırígí (web))
“May every star in the universe protect Palestine – Global solidarity – End the genocide!”
“End colonial violence”
a montage of Palestinian symbols
“Pass the Occupied Territories Bill”
“FCK HMS” (web)
“Free Palestine”
“End Israeli apartheid”
Falls Road, west Belfast
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The Ringmaster
Andersonstown boxer Anto “The Apache” Cacace (ig) successfully defended his IBO super-featherweight title on May 10th, defeating Leigh Wood of (and in) Nottingham (BBC). Cacace originally won the title in May last year (2024) and was honoured by a mural in South Link.
This commercial hoarding depicts Cacace as the godfather, perhaps a reference to his father’s Italian heritage (DAZN) and/or to Joel Cacace of the Colombo mafia in New York (WP).
Whiterock Road, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2025 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Greenwashing Against Climate
The Nestlé logo features a bird feeding its young in a nest but in this sticker the tree is dead and the bird has fallen to the ground. The QR code at the centre of the sticker takes one to a Swiss site (orghan.ch) making the case (in German) that “Nestlé exploits & kills for profit. A good product is a free product. Greenwashing against climate.”.
Falls Road, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2025 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Hang Tight
Here are three stickers/paste-ups from illustrator and artist DEID (web) in Belfast city centre.
Above: “Слава Україні!” [Slava Ukraïni!] – a Ukranian soldier in front of a field of sunflowers gives the shaka/hang loose sign.
Immediately below: MAGA red-hats with an upside-down Stars And Stripes bring to mind David Bowie’s 1997 song “I’m afraid of Americans” (youtube).
Third, below, “Do you know the traffic warden?”
There are more DEID paste-ups in the Paddy Duffy collection.
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Copyright © 2025 Fintan Woods
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Invasion Of The Building-Snatchers
The Bank Of Ireland building at the junction of North Street and Royal Avenue was purchased by the City Council in 2021 (Business Insider) with the intention of turning it into a visitor attraction called ‘Belfast Stories’ by 2030. The latest step in the process was a period of public consultation (BelTel). In the meantime, Leo Boyd (web) has taken over the boarded-up space that previously housed the ATM with an image of space invaders hovering over the building.
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Copyright © 2025 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Stop Wars
“Stop Wars” in the style of “Star Wars”, in the colours of the Palestinian flag and with a targeted Palestine for the “O”, on a sticker sponsored by “Apache Tribe Belfast – clothing for freaks”.
North Street, Belfast city centre
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Copyright © 2025 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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A Sword Against Tyranny
World War II ended in Europe at 11 p.m. on May 8th, after Germany’s unconditional surrender to the Allied forces. The date was dubbed “Victory In Europe Day” or “VE Day” and this year (2025) marks its eightieth anniversary. For the occasion, this Shankill Road shop-window has been decorated with sandbags and camouflage netting, along with a vintage photograph of the residents of nearby “Wiltton” [Wilton] Street from the summer of 1945.
The text on the poster (lower down the road) reads: “‘My dear friends, this is your hour. This is not the victory or of any class, it’s a victory of the Great British people as a whole. We were the first, in these ancient isles, to draw the sword against tyranny.’ – Prime Minister Winston S Churchill”. The lines come from brief remarks Churchill made to the crowds assembled at the Ministry Of Health in London – the text can be found at Forces News; Pathé newsreel of Churchill’s earlier radio announcement of the end of the war can be found on youtube.
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You Are The Generation That Will Free Ireland
“You Are The Generation That Will Free Ireland – Join the republican socialist youth movement”, “Drop the rents”, “There is nothing normal about the PSNI – controlled by MI5, political policing, collusion/coverup’s, abuse of powers” – IRSP (web) stickers in Gardenmore Road, Twinbrook, Dunmurry,
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Copyright © 2025 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Extramural Activity 