Consider The Lobster

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A lobster is removed from the pot and is about to be served. Street art by Glasgow-based SMUG (Insta) for Culture Night Belfast 2016.

Previously: Mussen Cortège

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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03882 X03881 DFW Sam Bates

A Thought Is Not A lot

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Complementing the images from Ulster Tower Street, here are images of the new commemorative boards and their blue backgrounds. The main board features Ulster Tower at Thiepval with a list of battles that the 36th (Ulster) Division was involved in.

The smaller board on the side-wall features a poem from local children: “The Great War took a lot of Pray/It’s hard to say w[h]ere all these brave men lay/A lot of souls still waiting to be found/Buried deep below the ground.//In the fields w[h]ere the bright red poppies grow/Stood men so brave of fight and foe/Some men so young they just didn’t know/A journey with friends they all wanted to go.// When they got there what a different tail [tale] they did tell/Many letters home describing it as hell/Young men put to front to fight/We can only imagine the awful sight.//Fighting beside their mate to keep Britain great/And we still remember them till this date/Nearly one hundred years on/A lot of these great men have gone/Forget them we will not as a thought is not a lot.”

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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Ulster Tower Street

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For the anniversary of the Battle Of Albert and the start of the Battle Of The Somme, Tower Street in east Belfast became Ulster Tower Street and residents reproduced the Western Front, with huts of sandbags, canvas coverings for all the front walls, and headlines from the News Letter (“Ulster’s Sacrifice”) and Times (“Britain At War”) of the period. Images of the new murals can be found in A Thought Is Not A Lot.

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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03868 X03951 X03869 X03870 X03872 X03952 somme cambrai ypres messines thiepval marne 36th ulster division 1914 christmas day 1916 2016

Among The Fallen

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As part of the Poppy Trail, boards bearing the names, ages, addresses, and service units of Belfast casualties during WWI have been erected on walls and lampposts near their homes. Above: William Bloomer from Matilda Street in south Belfast. Below: Thomas Magowan from Tower Street in east Belfast.

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Give Them A Lift

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“Please “support” our bra appeal: the ladies in Ghana spend long hours working in the fields unsupported. Please donate your unwanted bras & help give them a lift. Many thanks.”

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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Kryat Dragon

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In the Star Wars universe, the Krayt Dragon (or Kryat Dragon, as artist Andy Council spells it) lives on Tatooine, the home planet of Anakin and Luke Skywalker. It is rendered here in the buildings of Cloud City above Bespin, which was governed by Lando Calrissian in the “first” Star Wars (Episode IV).

Previously by Andy Council: Belfast City Phoenix

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Know Evil

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Instead of three monkeys, this IRPWA board in London-/Derry/Doire shows three skeletons in denial of the ‘strip searching’, ‘controlled movement’ and ‘internment’ happening at HM Prison Maghaberry (with an enlarged “H” to make an association with Long Kesh/Maze).

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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Better Than Ice Cream

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A pigeon moves in to investigate the discarded ice cream from davidcreative (David McClelland)’s piece One Love for CNB16/HTN.

Update: “enhanced” by NIC

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Copyright © 2017 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Ulster’s Past Defenders

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The Ulster Special Constabulary or B-Specials existed from 1920 to 1970; it was disbanded after being used for riot control in The Battle Of The Bogside. The Ulster Defence Regiment (which was under military control and was, as the mural notes, the largest infantry in the British Army) existed from 1970 until 1992, when it was merged with the Royal Irish Rangers.

From left to right: For Freedom Alone | As Long As 100 Of Us Remain Alive | Loyalist East Belfast | The Strangest Victory In All History | Ulster’s Past Defenders | Nationality is included in Loyalist East Belfast | Ulster’s Present Defenders | Freedom Corner

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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03942 UDR over 200 members were killed in the troubles 34 USC members were killed by the IRA painted by John Stewart

There Must Never Be A Time When We Fail To Protest

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Here are four republican boards from Derry/Doıre and Dungiven/Dún Geımhın, from Cogús (republican prisoners’ welfare), 1916 Societies, IRSP, and the campaign for Justice For The Craigavon Two (Brendan McConville and John-Paul Wootton). The title comes from the last image: “There may be times when we are powerless to prevent injustice, but there must never be a time when we fail to protest.”

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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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