Target practice in south Belfast. A bullseye gets 100 points.
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Balls Sport
Belfast Phoenix
The North Street Arcade burned down in April 2004 and has remained boarded up ever since (NewsLetter). Bristol artist Andy Council has painted a ‘Belfast Phoenix’, on the North Street end of the arcade, comprised of buildings from the Cathedral Quarter and central Belfast. The buildings include Crumlin Road courthouse, the MAC, the Waterfront, the Bank Of Ireland building, the Albert Clock, the Ulster Hall, Belfast City Hall.
“Up In Smoke” is a 12 min montage of images related to the fire on youtube.
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Re-Replaced
The images below (taken in January 2014) show part of the old Kevin Lynch mural revealed by the removal of the board that was part of the Marian Price mural (featured previously). The new version of the Lynch mural – shown above – is almost identical to the previous one. It shows Lynch’s likeness framed by the red star and yellow background of the IRSP (Irish Republican Socialist Party) – see also the Mickey Devine mural in Mount Pottinger.
For background information on Lynch – INLA member and hunger-striker – see this post featuring a Lynch mural in Dún Geımhın/Dungiven.
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Back To Business
Two fake vintage shopfronts in Ballyclare town centre: one showing a “village blacksmith” pausing for a moment, the other a cobbler behind the counter.
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01820 X01819 farm tools and cart repairs horse and pony shoe and boot repair
Belfast For Everyone
Two images from the “Rally Against Racism” this past weekend in Belfast, both featuring home-made signs. Above “My Belfast is for everyone!” on cardboard with an image of the Belfast Islamic Centre in Wellington Park. Below, “Seasann pobal na Gaeılge in éadan an chıníochaıs” (The Irish-language community stands against racism.) For background, see yesterday’s post, The Inaccessible Present.
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The Inaccessible Present
A new mural on the International Wall combines two current events. One is the furore surrounding the recent description of Islam as “satanic” by Belfast pastor James McConnell (Tele) and a ‘Rally Against Racism’ that took place on Saturday (31st) (Tele). The middle of the mural reads “Respect and defend our Muslim brothers + sisters – kardeslik azadi”.
The other is the death of Maya Angelou (WP), who died this past Wednesday (May 28th). Angelou is pictured in the top half of the mural with Muhammad Ali along with a quote: “Prejudice is a burden that confuses the past, threatens the future and renders the past inaccessible.”
In the bottom half appear Padraıg Pearse and James Connolly and a line from the Proclamation of the Irish Republic: “Cherish all the children of the nation equally.”
Takes the place of the Miami Five.
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01913 say no to racism
Ye Must Be Born Again
Religious sign next to the stone bridge where the Tullynacross Road crosses the Lagan.
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The Thread Of History
Here are three images from the Donegall Road bridge concerning factory girls – weavers, spinners, doffers, and millies. They feature two poems. The first is an anonymously written description of work in Lowell (Massachusetts) USA; the second is attributed to “Eliza Hamilton, Ulster weaver poet 1891”.
“When I set out for Lowell, some factory for to find, I left my native country and all my friends behind.
But now I am in Lowell and summon’d by the bell I think less of the factory than of my native dell.
The factory bell begins to ring and we must obey, and to our old employment go or else be turned away.
Come all ye weary factory girls, I’ll have you understand, I’m going to leave the factory and return to my native land.”
“I started work when I was eight, my childhood lost at the factory gate.
The flight of shuttle, noise and dust, the wage of labour not good enough.
My life was weaved outside my dreams, days always longer than they seemed.
I vowed the day that I was wed, my child would have a childhood.”
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01845 X01847 X01838 The anonymous author of this poem was an Ulster immigrant girl of the 19th century working in a textile mill in Lowell, USA
A Watery Welcome
Below is a general view of Nos. 1 – 19 Royal Avenue, that is, Corry House, built in 1881 for John Robb and now a listed building. At No 13 one of the original door-cases remains, the top of which is shown above: a fork-bearded gentleman and a lady with an empty pail on either side of a cartouche. (Planning NI and Historical Belfast – A Historical Gazetteer by Marcus Patton)
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Heart Soar
Here are close-ups, and a final wide-shot, of the “Reaching Out” suicide-prevention mural in Springmadden on the Springfield Road, painted by Lucas Quigley.
Above, a girl is carried away by balloon hearts; below, a fox peeks out from behind giant sunflowers and foliage sporting a ladybird while a butterfly looks on.
Also on this wall is a memorial to the victims of the Ballymurphy Massacre.
Previous suicide-prevention: Reaching Out | Real Heroes | You’ll Never Walk Alone
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Extramural Activity 