Naming Our Streets

2014-02-04 WinifredCarneyRoad+

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
X01663 SIPTU

Free Are We

2014-01-22 IfNothingIs+

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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The United Nations

2014-02-10 QueensAveFlags+

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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The Throw-In

2014-02-05 RossRdHurlingDetail+

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 …”]

2014-02-05 RossRdHurling+

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01668 X01667 gaelic games hurling

Standing Guard

2013-12-20 EastBelfBattDetail+

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.

2013-12-20 EastBelfBattWide+

2013-12-20 EastBelfBattFlag+

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2013-10-17 SqueakSeymour+

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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

Champions

2011-00-00 RossRdBoxing+

Here is a 2011 image of a 2005? boxing mural off Ross Road. The lower parts look like they have gone 10 rounds with graffiti artists. In the foreground is a mural featuring local boxers from the Immaculata Amateur Boxing Club (on the nearby Albert Road); in the distant mural, Muhammad Ali.

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Copyright © 2011 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00381 danny sweetpea martin paul beaver ryan frank coco paddy rogie

Reinterpretation

2014-02-02 CheckSuicde+

The graffiti at the Royal (corner of Grosvenor Road) featured previously has drawn a parallel comment (from the CIRA?). Republican participation in the peace process is described as “suic[i]de” as “British rule!” is still intact.

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01661

Strong Man

2014-01-16 LondonStStrength+

“Strength for today, bright hope for tomorrow.” A “Willowfield community” strong man lifts a barbell of “friends” and “family” as he gets in shape. Below, a “Jesus” tag and a wide shot of both pieces, at the top of London Road.

2014-01-16 LondonStJesus+

2014-01-16 LondonStWide+

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Copyright © 2014 Extramural Activity
X01632 X01633 X01634 Willowfield Parish Community Association, habakkuk, raven

No Alternative

2014-02-08 SinnFeinOut+

“Sinn Fein Out” – graffiti on the Ballysillan Road, directed at Catherine Seeley, a (Catholic) teacher at the (Protestant) Boys’ Model, and who recently became a Sinn Féin councillor in Craigavon. Seely has now quit her job. (Newsletter | Tele | BBC-NI). Previously: Our Wee Country (3)

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Thumbs Up

2014-01-22 HighfieldLest+

Here are two of the three painted side of a large electrical box in the Highfield estate, adjacent to a new memorial garden. Above is a board commemorating British army service personnel from WWI to the recent/current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. On the other side of the box, and pictured below, the ‘thumbs up’ soldier is painted. For background on the ‘thumbs up’ image below, see the previous post Help For Heroes.

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2014-01-22 ThumbsUp+

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01637 [X01588] X01591 X01640 [X01592] [X01593] in support of help for heroes aa veterans army benevolent fund the best royal british legion thiepval tower cenotaph