Political commentary on the Cupar Way “peace” line (near Lanark Way): “Stick Haass up your ass” — a reference to the negotiations which were taking place around Christmas and New Year’s, led by Richard Haass, into the “legacy issues” of flags and emblems (including murals) and parades. No agreement was reached. (BBC | pdf | BBC)
December update: the Stormont House Agreement covered many of the same areas (WP).
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Like some of the residents of the Divis area in which this cathedral that bears his name now stands, (Saint) Peter found himself in prison. But the night before his trial, there comes an angel who magically releases his shackles and opens all the doors (Acts 12:3-19). James, on the other hand, is not so fortunate. As a scholar on the WP page notes, why James should die while Peter escapes is a “mystery of divine providence”. Wide shot and info board below.
Another previously-featured scriptural conundrum: Occupy Til I Come (Luke 19:13)
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01693 X01692 X01694 down & connor catholic gothic french medieval two great towers spires jeremiah ryan mcauley barney hughes scrabo sandstone 1866 sunday 14 october organ in 1883 1885 spires added mortimer thompson total cost 35,900
“They live with us/in memory still/not just today/ but always still.” Mural and memorial in Queen Street, Glengormley, to South East Antrim UFF/UDA/UYM volunteers A. Helm, G[erald] Evans, W. Gordan, J. Woods, and T. McDonald.
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01673 UFF 2nd Batt. A. Coy dedicated to all our fallen comrades of south east antrim brigade
Four (of five) panels from Main Street, Ballywalter, commemorating the troops who went to France “on October 15th, 1915” and who died in the Great War (“The Last Post” is played by Ballywalter flute band at Ballywalter War Memorial, perhaps at its unveiling in 1922, though no mention of the flute band is made in the report cited at Ulster War Memorials), and the local fishing industry.
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Maıgh Ard/Moyard and New Barnsley are at no risk of flooding, but this mural clearly shows the locals long to be paddling down the slopes of Black Mountain/Slıabh Dubh in canoes and kayaks .
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The Antrim Road at Carlisle Circus also bears the street-name ‘Winifred Carney Road’ (top left of the image above), as part of the ‘Naming Our Streets’ project. Carney’s name was chosen for this location – SIPTU offices – because she was a trade unionist and also because she grew up on Carlisle Circus. For more information, including biographies of 50 historically important Belfast women, seven of whom were honoured in this way, see the Women’s Resource & Development Agency.
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Graffiti in Lenadoon. In existentialist mode: “If nothing is, free are we.” Or perhaps “If nothing is free, are we[?]”
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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In a window on Queens Avenue, Glengormley: a Union flag, an Ulster-Scots flag (a Northern Ireland shield on a St. Andrew’s saltire, with the words “Ulster-Scots” below) and the Israeli flag.
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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A seven-year old Setanta become Cú Chulaınn (Culann’s Hound) after killing the beast by driving a sliotar (the ball used in hurling) down its throat. Detail from a mural in Roumania Rise, off Ross Road. Wide shot of the whole below. The lettering reads “Mol na nóıge agus tıocfaıdh sí [sic]” [as written: praise the young and it [sic] will flourish; usually the phrase is “Mol an óıge …” “praise youth …”]
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Here are four shots of a late 2011 UVF mural, with memorial wall, on Ballymacarrett Road in east Belfast. The four members named are Robert Seymour, shot dead by the PIRA; James Cordner and Joseph Long, who were killed in a premature explosion, and Robert Bennett, killed by the British Army during a riot. These same four are commemorated in the controversial 2013 mural featured in Years Of Sacrifice.
The nearby memorial (through the railings of which the third image, below, was taken) was constructed in 2003.
2013 saw the 25th anniversary of Seymour’s death; the final image, below, is of a flyer announcing a commemorative parade.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01509 X01512 X01510 X01511 X01397 murdered 15th june 1988 joseph long killed in action 27th feb 1977 james cordner robert bennett 7th 1973 in proud memory of fallen comrades ulster volunteer flute band east belfast memorial parade in memory of volunteer squeak 25th anniversary saturday 15th june 2013 leaving parkview bar at 6.00 pm finishing at mural on island street lest we forget
Extramural Activity 