Here are two images of the four-leaf clover used by Ardoyne Youth Club (tw) as their emblem. The image above shows the doors of the club off Havana Way, while the one below is from the recently-completed mural at the top of the road Stronger Together. Compare with the emblem of Celtic FC, as in Just Can’t Get Enough.
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Since the 14th, the Time For Truth Committee on its Facebook page has been rolling out videos by relatives who lost family members to British Army or loyalist paramilitary attacks during the Troubles. This Saturday, February 25th, sees a march in support of their call for investigations into these and other deaths. “Fírınne anoıs! Ceartas anoıs!” (Truth now! Justice now!)
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Republican political party Saoradh (web) are organising a ‘National Republican Easter Commemoration’ on the Saturday before Easter Sunday (which is April 1st, this year). The parade is expected to be led by a colour party and marchers in combat gear (Irish News | BelTel).
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In Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, the handmaids have shopping partners, so that they are always under observation: “She is my spy as I am hers”. Artist Leo Boyd adds to the dystopian air of the book by combining the handmaid (from the new TV adaptation of the book – currently available only in the US) with an outdated computer monitor. Here is some of Leo’s previous work.
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Diamond Alley is a disused alleyway off Lord Street in east Belfast, that has been rejuvenated with paint and plants, many placed in/on objects such as a wine rack, a chest of drawers, and a pair of jeans. The alley was funded by the Urban Villages Initiative (tw) and implemented by CharterNI/Diamond Project and East Belfast Mission/Hosford House, and launched on November 1st, last year (2017). The project was profiled on NVTv. (See also Always Keep A Diamond In Your Mind.)
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The Ulster Reform Club (web | tw) opened in 1885 and has resided at 4 Royal Avenue, Belfast since then. The mosaic is of the emblem of the club; it includes the flag of Ulster (red hand on a cross with yellow background) with a three-in-one shamrock (Ireland), rose (England), and thistle (Scotland) in the top-left quadrant
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There is either no artwork or no respect on the Cupar Way “peace” line, as tourists sign their names and leave messages (some thought patronising: see Fuck You & Your Patronising Slogans) on the wall without regard to whatever they’re writing over. The Face (on the right), by Kevin Killen (web | NVTv) and participants in a local training programme (Irish Revolution), is composed of cogs and other mechanical pieces, intending to represent the importance of industry in Shankill (and Belfast) life.
Related: A Dialogue On The Nature Of Art | Fuck Art | An Essay On The Necessity Of Art.
See also: State Art Vs Graffiti On The West Belfast “Peace” Line.
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Artist Kevin Killen gave voice to the programme: “The Face relates to the themes of Belfast industries. Working with the young adults in Impact Training, we designed and fabricated the artwork. Being a part of the project was rewarding and insightful to everyone involved. As the group was a part of the process from start to finish they have developed ownership of the artwork, which is an important benefit. I hope that the artwork gives pride to all the participants involved in the project.” (Irish Revolution)
O’Donovan Rossa GAC (web | tw | Fb) dates back to 1916, just one year after the death of republican Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa (at whose funeral Padraig Pearse gave the oration – “The fools, the fools …”). “Crom abú” is a war-cry of the ancient FitzGeralds as they attacked the O’Donovan fortress at Crom, Co. Limerick. Some of those fleeing eventually settled in Rosscarbery, Co. Cork, which is where Jeremiah was born in 1831. The sword is a symbol of justice, the snake of wisdom.
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This bleak and wintry scene, with snow about to fall, is of the garages between Shaws Road and Corrib Avenue. The words of Bob Marley’s Redemption Song echo Epictetus’s doctrine: “Free yourself from mental slavery – none but ourselves can free our minds”.
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“96” is the number of deaths in the 1989 Hillsborough Disaster, in which Liverpool fans were crushed to death in Sheffield Wednesday’s stadium. In the days afterward, the Sun newspaper printed allegations that drunken fans attacked and urinated on rescue workers. The newspaper apologised in 2004 but hostility towards the paper persists, with some – as in this image – refusing even to spell it in full. The taxi was spotted in Beechmount. For more on the 2016 inquest, see Hold Your Head Up High.
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Extramural Activity 