North Down Battalion

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The yellow board in the foreground lists battles of the North Down Battalion in World War I (for a description of the battalion, see the previous 2017 post). Added to that since then is a large black-and-white board to the modern Ulster Volunteer Force and its divisions: Bangor, Donaghadee, Ballywalter, Newtownards, Millisle, and Portavogie. (It’s worth noting that although this is a board, the UVF emblem in the middle is depicted as having been painted on a brick wall, indicating a preference for old-school muraling.)

Below is a shot of the rest of the low wall, with Bangor Protestant Boys Flute Band (previously seen in 2017). Owenroe Drive, Bangor.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Ye Dancin’?

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Who could resist an invitation from someone so limber? This is the CNBX/HTN18 piece by FGB (Francois Got Buffed tw | web | ig) in Kent Street.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Centuries Of Struggle

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This is one of the stained glass windows inside the Felons’ Club on the Falls Road in Andersonstown, showing Irish revolutionaries from the 1798 Rebellion, through the Easter Rising and Civil War, to the recent “Troubles”.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Catnapping

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Owners of a silver SUV take their quest for justice to the north Belfast streets by plastering ‘reward’ posters all around seeking the return of wallet, iPhone, tools, and cat.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Luck Of The Irish

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These shamrocks and slot-machine “lucky number 7” are Rob Hilken’s (web | tw | inst | Visual Arts Ireland) contribution to CNBX/HTN18. Last year he painted Banana Republic.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Hand-Crafted

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Use whatever you can find to express your identity: re-purpose the placards of capitalism, grab a pair of scissors and cut, draw the outline of your hand with a felt-tip pen.

Update: image from 2020-07

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Armistice

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John 15:13 reads “Greater love hath no man than this: to lay down his life for his friends.” Fighting in the Great War ceased at 11 a.m. on November 11th, 1918, after approximately 10 million military deaths, 10 million civilian deaths, and another 20 million injured.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Buoys-A-Buoys

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Since the 1980s (BBC | BelTel), Belfast’s maritime history has been celebrated in the form of three buoys outside the Belfast School of Art (known to all as “the art college) in York Street. They were given a face-lift during CNBX/HTN18 by DMC (ig) (above) and (in the middle, below) KVLR (tw) and (on the left) Nol (web | ig | Fb).

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Caırde Agus Comrádaıthe

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“Friends and comrades” – IRA volunteers Brendan Hughes (“The Dark”) and Bobby Sands were leaders of the 1980 and 1981 hunger strikes, respectively. Hughes survived when the first strike was called off after 53 days; Sands died in the ’81 strike after 66 days of fasting. “IRPWA” is the Irish Republican Prisoners’ Welfare Association (Fb | tw); Saoradh (web | tw) is a hard-line left-wing republican party.

The mural to the left shows Palestinian double-amputee Saber Al-Ashkar, protesting as part of the Great March Of Return.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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We Shall Defend Our Island

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The mural in Castlereagh Parade has been repainted for the centenary of the end of WWI, but with some notable differences. Three flag-holders have been added above. On the right are now a poppy and mourning soldiers. The quote comes from a speech by Winston Churchill on 1940-06-04 – “We shall defend our island whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches. [We shall fight on the landing grounds.] We shall fight in the fields and in the streets. We shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender.” – but the current first line was previously omitted in favour of another Churchill quote: “We have nothing to offer but blood, tears, and sweat.” See: Whatever The Cost May Be.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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