The Craft Centre

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Father Des Wilson and Frank Cahill sit together in a Springhill flat overlooking Tara Stores and the Craft Centre, two of the enterprises they helped to establish (along with the Whiterock Industrial Estate) in an attempt to bring employment to the area. Around 1982, they were part of a group that bought Conway Mill for use as a community and business centre; the image above was taken in the contemporary Conway Mill.

On the right, the accomplishments and accolades of Seán MacBride are listed (shown below). During the course of his life, MacBride was an IRA member and imprisoned by the Free State, founder of Clann Na Poblachta and TD, and international politician including a spell as chair of Amnesty International. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1974 (WP). The MacBride Principles of 1984 set out nine conditions of fair employment.

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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Ballymurphy Massacre Interactive Tour

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The starting-point for the Ballymurphy Massacre tour (below) is on the so-called International Wall (at the corner of Divis Street and Northumberland Street) but the first site is two miles away, in Springfield Close. The third stop, shown above, commemorates the lives of Joseph Corr and John Laverty, killed in separate incidents by British Army paratroopers (distinguished by their red berets) on August 11, 1971, at the top of the Whiterock Road.

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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Continuing Conflicts

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The war memorial garden in City Way (Sandy Row) commemorates those from the Great War, World War II, and “Continuing Conflicts” which includes the “Troubles”. There is also a fourth, smaller, stone, with John Maxwell Edmonds’s memorial epitaph.

“The Great War 1914-1918: In memory of the fallen”, with John McCrae’s poem ‘In Flanders Fields‘.
“Second World War 1939-1945: Freedom is the sure possession of those have the courage to defend it. Their ideal is our legacy. Their sacrifice is our inspiration.”
“Continuing Conflicts: We remember those who have given their lives. The wounded and those who serve in continued conflicts around the world.”

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You Can’t Have Capitalism Without Racism

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“You can’t have capitalism without racism” – Malcolm X, from a speech to the Militant Labor Forum in New York on May 29th, 1964 (youtube). More fully he says “It’s impossible for a white person to believe in capitalism and not believe in racism; you can’t have capitalism without racism.” Sticker by the www.socialistparty.org on the Falls.

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Copyright © 2020 Sabine Troendle (web | Fb)
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Silence Is Complicity

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“Don’t hand him over. Don’t play England’s game. Stop the extradition of Liam Campbell now.” Liam Campbell is wanted, for a second time, in Lithuania on charges of running guns to the Real IRA in 2006-2007. He was arrested in Dundalk in December 2016 and will appeal his extradition in January next year (Irish Times). The posters of support are from Republican Sinn Féin and the Republican Network For Unity.

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X07434 X07435 Copyright © 2020 Sabine Troendle (web | Fb)

Free Zack Smyth

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“Free Zack Smyth – end internment”. Support from Saoradh and the IRPWA for political prisoner Ciarán ‘Zack’ Smyth, who is in Maghaberry after having his license revoked on suspicion of plotting to attack Sinn Féin leaders (Irish News | Saoradh) and involvement in a New IRA plot to bomb Musgrave PSNI station (BelTel). As an IRA member Smyth served nine years in the 1970s and seven of fourteen years for a 2013 robbery.

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Copyright © 2020 Sabine Troendle (web | Fb)
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Vaulty Towers

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Artists from the arts collective Vault (web | tw) painted new pieces on the Tower Street side of the building in advance of the Summer Market on August 16th. Above is a Conor McClure painting of an artist puking up his creative guts. The piece in the middle is probably Leo Boyd. At the bottom is work by Dragoș Mușat.

Rob Hilken, Sally O’Dowd, Leo Boyd, Laura Nelson, Hannah Smith, Jonny McEwen, ?

FGB, Dragoș Mușat, Conor McClure, Leo Boyd, FGB, Sally O’Dowd, Kerrie Hannah, Leo Boyd

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Change Your Mind

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The trio of mental-health boards above the Whiterock-Springfield junction has been spruced up with a new whitewashed background and the message “It’s OK To Talk”.

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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X07425 X07426 X07427 X07524 Where’s your head at? west belfast wellbeing alliance LifelinePIPSTAMHISuicide Awareness And Support GroupUpper Springfield Youth Team

Don’t Let Anything Stop You From Coming To Carrickfergus

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This is the second half of the Carrickfergus Timeline in Market Place, covering the history of the town from arrival of King William and General Schomberg to the modern day, including the last witch trial in Ireland and the construction of a railway allowing tourists sailing into Larne to reach the town easily: “Don’t let anything stop you from coming to Carrickfergus – if you cannot get on a train, hire a donkey cart”. The panels were written by Seth Linder.

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All Or Nothing!

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Clare Crockett gave up her acting career (IMDb) to become a Servant Sister. She is pictured in the info board along with the five postulants who died with her during a 2016 earthquake in Playa Prieta, Ecuador. A web site has been established in her memory and a movie made about her life; there have been calls to make her a saint (Irish News). (Update, Jan 2025: Crockett is to be beatified – Irish Times)

Painted by UV Arts (tw) in Derry’s Brandywell, where she originally came from (BelTel).

“Sr Clare Crockett was born in Derry 14th November 1982. The daughter of Gerard and Margaret Crockett. During a Holy Week Retreat in Spain in the year 2000 she experienced the intensity of the Lord’s Death and Resurrection that led to a deep conversion of her life. Sr Clare entered the Servant Sisters of the House of the Mother 11th August 2001. She went to found a new community in Jacksonville, Florida in October 2006. Sr Clare took Perpetual vows 8th September 2010. In 2014, Sr Clare undertook the mission in Ecuador. She died in an Earthquake, protecting her pupils 16th April 2016. She was buried in Derry 2nd May 2016.”

“Sister Clare’s Prayer: Heavenly Father, for your Glory, that or [of] your beloved Son, that of the Holy Spirit and that of the Mother Of God, we ask that grant us the grace (mention your request in the silence of your heart) … as a sign that the life of our Sister Clare Theresa Crockett has been pleasing to you on this earth and that she is now rejoicing with you in Heaven. We ask this through your Son, Our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.”

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Copyright © 2020 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
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