The Shankill Arch 2024

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“This arch was erected in memory of Bro. William (Belter) Bell, LOL 633. It has been kindly donated by the Bell family circle. 14th June 2024”

Speeches at the launch (youtube) note that the arch was not displayed during the Troubles (News Letter (paywall) says mid-60s), and was stored on the roofs of nearby shops for the sixty years since. Businessman Ian Bell (of video gaming companies Slightly Mad (WP | Belfast Live) and Straight4) is also specified as the main sponsor of the arch’s restoration, in memory of his father, who died on June 7th, 2008.

See also: the arch in Denmark Street (lower Shankill) in 2022 and 2023.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2024 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X15143 X15137 X15138
X15135 X15142 X15141 [X15136] X15139
X15140

Women Carry The People

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Palestinian artist Taqi Spateen’s (web | ig) second piece in Belfast is in Palestine Street in the Holylands of south Belfast, where he worked with Artists Against Genocide (ig) to produce a piece showing the strength of Palestinian women, carrying the land from which Palestinians have been evicted in the Nakba of 1948.

For the first piece, in Kent Street in the city centre, see Anatomy Of Oppression. A third piece was painted in Crocus Street, in west Belfast: see Life Finds A Way in the Paddy Duffy collection.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2024 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X15124 X15123 X15126 X15125

Anatomy Of Oppression

Extramural Activity2 Comments

In May and June, Palestinian artist Taqi Spateen (web | ig) toured various cities in England and Scotland (Leeds, Glasgow, Bristol, Stroud, London) as part of the Bethlehem Cultural Festival, producing a wall-painting at each stop. Thereafter, he came to Belfast, where he painted three pieces, beginning with this small piece on the side of the Sunflower bar in Kent Street, showing a person with a head encased in concrete trying to hammer themselves free.

For the second piece, see Women Carry The People.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2024 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X15110c X15109

Leader Of The Band

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Jayden Braniff passed away in August in 2023 (Fb) from neuroblastoma. He was made an honorary member of the Pride Of Ballymacash (Lisburn) flute band (Fb). He is remembered by the Pride Of Ardoyne (Fb) and the Shankill Protestant Boys (Fb) in a tarp in Lawnbrook Avenue (upper Shankill, Belfast), next to the Walter Smith/Rangers tarp (one | two) and near his father’s house (Funeral Times).

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2024 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X15150

For A Bleaker Tomorrow

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

One of Lidl’s slogans (and a “corporate responsibility objective” of the company) is to work “For a better tomorrow”. The electoral-style placard above urges “Don’t vote Lidl” and alleges that the company is “funding genocide for a bleaker tomorrow” and that its “policy is to fund apartheid, occupation, genocide” – perhaps through selling Israeli-made goods – particularly wipes made by Lupilu (ig video | Fb video | Fb | Change.org) – and through its parent company Schwarz’s acquisition of an Israeli cyber-security company.

The placard in the final image targets Home Bargains. According to the News Letter, it agreed to pull Israeli goods from its shelves back in October. BDS Belfast alleges that such goods can still be found (ig | Fb). These signs are on the Falls/Andersonstown Road where both HB (in the Kennedy Centre) and Lidl (next door) have stores. The Kennedy Centre Sainsbury’s has also been the target of protest (CYM).

The source of the placards is perhaps BDSBelfast (ig).

See previously: Ban Israeli Goods.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2024 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X15116 X15117 X15115

Liberation Isn’t On The Ballot

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Liberation isn’t on the ballot – spoil your vote” and “Reject war – reject Westminster – spoil your ballot”. According to the Marxist-Leninist ideology of CYM (Connolly Youth Movement), society should move from capitalism to socialism and it therefore “does not endorse any social democratic parties in Ireland” (item 2.5 of the constitution). A look at the list of candidates for the fast-approaching election on July 4th (BBC) shows that no Communist/Workers’ Party candidates are standing.

The posters are in North Street (above) and Royal Avenue (below).

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2024 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X15111 X15112

Get The Brits Out

Extramural Activity4 Comments

“… to vote”, in the upcoming Westminster election. These posters are all over the Shankill in anticipation of the election on July 4th. They don’t recommend any particular party, but the free-floating Northern Ireland indicates that a unionist candidate is meant, which would mean Frank McCoubrey (DUP), Ben Sharkey (UUP) or Ann McClure in Belfast West and Phillip Brett (DUP) or David Clarke (TUV) in Belfast North, where no UUP candidate is standing (BBC).

Also available as a t-shirt! – see below.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2024 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X15114 X15102 [X15104]

Genocide Joe Biden

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The death-toll in Gaza now stands at more than 38,000 people, in addition to the 1,100 Israelis killed on October 7th (Al Jazeera). This graffiti singling out US President Joe Biden – and by extension America’s continued supply of weapons to Israel – is on the hoarding around the derelict Willowbank House, built in 1896 (Belfast Live).

Willowbank Gardens, north Belfast.

See also: The Fog Of War (on Slıabh Dubh) | Ireland Says “No” To Genocide Joe | Don’t Look Away | The Going Down Of The Sun

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2024 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X15105 X15106

Lurgan Workhouse

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This is the last surviving part of a much longer work by Caroline Jeffrey from 2006 to commemorate the Lurgan workhouse of 1841.

Another image from the project can be seen in the Peter Moloney Collection. More information and images can be found at workhouses.org.

Russell Drive/Tandragee Road, Lurgan.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Jackie Findon
X12355

The Going Down Of The Sun

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Israeli Genocide” (Israel represented by the Star Of David) – This Antrim Road (north Belfast) graffiti protests the on-going Israeli attacks on cities in the Gaza Strip. The death toll of Palestinians now stands at more than 37,000 people, with 60% of residences destroyed (Al Jazeera).

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2024 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X15096