Here are two in-progress shots of a new mural depicting the Battle Of Long Kesh in 1974. We will have images of the completed mural, and background, tomorrow.
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Here is another in an occasional series of “RIP” graffiti to local people, this time in south Belfast’s Village neighbourhood: “RIP Grandpa – love from John”. Previously: Jamie and Kev | Caomhan, Punk, and Butt.
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Voters in the Republic go to the polls tomorrow (Friday May 25th) to vote on a referendum to replace Article 40.3.3 which guarantees the right to life of the unborn. If replaced, legislation allowing abortion up to 12 weeks would be introduced for debate. The two images today are from Earl Street and College Green in Dublin city centre. The case of Savita Halappanavar (used by the “yes” campaign in the image above) is described in Never Again.
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Here is an update to the mural of Gaeılgeoır, 1916 Volunteer, and hunger-striker Tomás Aghas/Thomas Ashe at the top of the Whiterock Road: a Maid Of Erin harp – familiar from the crest of 1798’s United Irishmen – has been added to the background.
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A “blue plaque” has been erected on the front of the Shankill Methodist church (on the Shankill at Berlin Street) to Saidie Patterson “trade unionist and peace activist”. In 1940 she led a seven-week strike to improve conditions and pay in Ewart’s linen mill on the Crumlin Road, where she had been working since age 14. As noted on the plaque, she was the first winner of the World Methodist Peace Prize (in 1977) – Allan McCullough has a photo of Patterson with her medal (the one in the middle). The plaque was unveiled on International Women’s Day 2018. (Irish News | Bel Tel | BBC-NI)
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Internment (imprisonment without trial) was introduced on August 9th, 1971 by NI Prime Minister Brian Faulkner, with 342 people arrested on the first day. The Bogside was “hysterical with hated”, according to Eamonn McCann (History Ireland) and of Belfast Kevin Myers wrote “Insanity seized the city.” Two dozen people would die in the rioting and gun-battles that followed, leading to the suspension of Stormont rule (WP). In the Markets area, OC Joe McCann and other (Official) IRA volunteers took over the Inglis bakery and reportedly prevented 600 British troops from entering the area – the image to the left of the board above is a Ciaran Donnelly photograph showing McCann during the battle, kneeling beneath a Starry Plough and holding an M1.
For information on his death the following year, see Joe McCann.
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Here are two more of the metalworks created by Alan Burke (see previously Metalwork) reflecting the industrial heritage of east Belfast. Above are the ropes and chains of a ships’ dock; below is the title piece, “Of The River”, named for the nearby Connswater River. Video of the launch.
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The Royal Air Forces Association’s ‘Wings Appeal’ has been raising money to support Air Force members and their families since 1951 (RAFA). This bed of flowers in the pattern of the Air Force’s red, white, and blue roundel (the reverse of the French roundel) is at the start of the Antiville Road in Larne.
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An IRA man in beret and sunglasses puts the frighteners on non-patients tempted to avail themselves of the Clifton Street Surgery car-park.
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Here are five more small boards from the Village. Above is a one to the memory of soldiers from the 36th (Ulster) Division lost in WWI; the remainder refer to the modern UVF, though all of them include poppies, suggesting that they are memorial in intent and so less menacing than yesterday’s hooded gunman in Welcome To The Village.
Also, previously: Village UVF | A Hive Of Glass| For God And Ulster
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Extramural Activity 