Not For EU

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“”Not for EU” label. Some items in this store are only for sale in Northern Ireland. Individual product labels and shelf markings showing ‘Not for EU’ will identify the products to which this applies.”

The labelling is part of the Windsor Framework’s attempt to facilitate trade between Britain and Northern Ireland, given that products moving from Northern Ireland to the Republic are also subject to EU regulations for meat, dairy, and plant products (Irish Times).

Also included is a “plant passport” from 2022.

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Keep Belfast Tidy

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“Keep Belfast tidy” by throwing fascism into the bin. Here is a vintage “Keep Belfast tidy” bin (at Alamy).

Rosemary Street and North Street (with swastika removed), Belfast city centre

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Deadly Pints, Deadly Tunes

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“Deadly” here means “excellent” or “terrific”, perhaps from the idea of “hitting the (living!) target” (Stack) – it is a piece of southern slang that artist and print-maker Leo Boyd (web) perhaps picked up on his journey from Bristol to Dublin to Belfast (Boyd | Atom) where he is one of the Vault Studios artists (Vault).

The new work shown here is at the American Bar (web) in Sailortown.

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Stella Maris

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Stella Maris (“star of the sea”) hostel in Sailortown provides accommodations for “up to 23 long-term homeless street drinkers” (web). The name is a hold-over from the building’s former use as a charity for seafarers; the name “stella maris” has also long been associated with the pole star by which sailors reckon their course of sail.

This large installation (by Elfire Ceramics – ig) on the exterior wall of the hostel is full of maritime imagery, including the pole star, as well images of hope such as a message in a bottle (left) and a life-preserver (right), as well as inspirational words: love, care, acceptance, respect, dignity, hope, equality, decency, kindness, awareness.

The piece was launched in September 2023 (St Joe’s); the previous piece in this spot was a ceramic representation of St Brendan crossing the Atlantic.

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Sailortown Sea Monster

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A kraken awakes in Belfast harbour, under the watchful eyes of working-class men on the waterfront in Belfast’s Sailortown, in front of local landmarks.

Street art by KVLR in Corporation Street.

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Fáılte Chuıg Otharlann Al-Shıfa

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“Fáılte chuıg otharlann Al-Shıfa – hathaınmníodh R.V.H. i gcuımhne ar na foırne leıghıs agus ar na hothaır ar fad a maraíodh le linn chınedhíothú Iosrael sa Phalaıstín in 2023. R.V.H. renamed in memory of all medical staff and patients murdered during Israel’s genocide in Palestine in 2023.”

al-Shifa hospital is in Gaza City, Gaza. It was closed on April 1st (2024) after the hospital was raided (for a second time) by the IDF (WP).

The placard was mounted by BDS Belfast in March (Fb). The “Occupation no more” sticker on the adjacent pole is from the 1916 Societies (web).

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Nazis Not Welcome

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Graffiti on the Falls Road at the Royal Victoria Hospital: “racism, nazis not welcome in our community”.

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Open The Bridge

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“Save Sandy Row – open the bridge”. “Sensitive dismantling” of the Boyne Bridge began at the end of November (BBC), as part of the restructuring around the new Grand Central Station despite another protest from locals who allege that the bridge is an essential part of Sandy Row culture (see the entry Battle Of The Boyne Bridge in the Paddy Duffy Collection). (There was an earlier protest on November 5th (BBC); the images below confirm the Irish News‘s estimate of “several dozen”.)

However, the bridge’s demolition has become entangled with the traffic congestion currently dogging the city. Specifically related to the bridge, demolition work paused on the 5th of December because strategies to deal with the disruption to traffic had not been effected (News Letter). And more generally, it is claimed that the closure is contributing to the congestion (News Letter) which is affecting businesses in the city centre (News Letter) and in Sandy Row (BBC). So far, the only concrete step that has been taken to tackle the traffic problem is to allow taxis to use bus lanes (BBC).

For streetart at the new station, see Action At A Distance.

Update Jan 2025: work has halted (BelTel)

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Right Of Return

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DUP leader Gavin Robinson posed in front of the original graffiti reading “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” outside the Royal (see Stop Israeli Terror, from October 2023) in order to draw attention to its continued presence, despite a complaint had been made that it was anti-Semitic (BBC). Immediately upon its obliteration this past week (November 2024), a condemnation of the DUP appeared (above and below), and shortly afterward the slogan was restored, though without the Palestinian flag (see wide shot below).

“LD” is (presumably) Lasair Dhearg (web)

Falls Road, west Belfast

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The Memory Of Our Dead

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“Beır bua – It is the responsibility of the living to keep alive the memory of the dead.” This is the second ‘Working Class Heroes’ piece in Ballymurphy. The other, from 2014, features Tommy “Toddler” Tolan, who appears here to the left of the phoenix.

The plaque on the right reads “This mural was unveiled by Johnny Doc and Maureen Tolan, 5th November, 2023.” There is video of the launch on Facebook, which contains a reading of the names of all the people pictured from the 1m 57s mark onwards.

Glenalina Crescent, Ballymurphy, west Belfast

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