Fermanagh Crannóg

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2013-02-17 CrannogWide+

This might not look like much, but these crannóg remains in Drumclay outside Enniskillen/Inis Ceithleann (according to the BBC) “may be the largest house structure of the period ever to be discovered” and archaeologists have said that “their discoveries will re-write the history books of ancient Irish life.” The crannog (a compound – in this case of 30+ houses – on stilts, forming an artificial island) was brought to the public eye last (2012) summer and archaeologists have until the end of this month (March, 2013) to complete their investigations – the find is holding up construction of a road needed for the G8 summit in June. (Previously on Extramural Activity: Putting On The Ritz.)

For more details of the find and efforts to gain more time for excavation, see Robert Chapple’s blog.

Below are images of (first) what is believed to be a game piece and (second) an archaeologist (Cathy Moore) holding up part of a vat/barrel, with an incised rim, and a disc. U.tv has a gallery of some of the more than 4,000 finds from the crannog, including combs, a shoe and shears.

2013-02-17 CrannogGame+

2013-02-17 CrannogShard+

Detail of the top picture, blown up in size … in the centre the red circle of tape indicates the location of a house, the square lighter area is a hearth.

2013-02-17 CrannogWideFlat+

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For All Time

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2013-03-12 RobinsonOld+

This is the second mural to Brian Robinson in Disraeli Street. This is a much older one than the one featured on Extramural Activity a few days ago; versions of this mural on this gable go back to at least 1993. Note that the artist has included a transmitter or surveillance tower on the skyline

See the previous post for more details of his death.

A close-up of the plaque is below. As the plaque notes, his mother died at the same time –she reportedly had a heart-attack when she heard of his death.

2013-03-12 RobinsonOldDetail+

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X01012 X01013 In proud and loving memory of Vol. brian robinson “b” coy. 1st belfast battalion ulster volunteer force killed in action 2nd september 1989 also his loving mother margaret robinson died 3rd september 1989, for god and ulster p.a.f.  protestant action U.v.f. for his country and people he took up the gun a volunteer to the end and a true ulster son robbed of his life’s-blood sept. ’89 but his name will live for all time, y.c.v. royal irish rifles st. quentin grand court messines

Under Siege

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13 02 07 UnderSeige1LargeCrop+

“Londonderry West Bank Loyalists Still Under Siege. No Surrender.”

Two images of a mural/lettering in the Fountain area on London-/Derry/Doire’s west bank of the Foyle – the larger Unionist population is in the Waterside on the east side of the river – taken through a hole in the walls of old city of Derry.

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Béırıgí Bua

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2013-03-24 ColinGibraltar2+

A new, computer-designed and -printed board in Twinbrook/Cıll Uaıghe, with painted lettering below, commemorating the 25th anniversary of the Gibraltar killings and subsequent attack on the funeral in Milltown cemetery (for which see also 25 Years – Complete and In Progress).

One of the twin brooks is Colin Burn, which runs through the Colin Glen forest park; Cıll Uaıghe is reflected in the name of the nearby Kilwee industrial estate. Strictly speaking, this piece is ‘beyond Belfast’, as Poleglass and Twinbrook are under the jurisdiction of Lisburn City Council.

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X02322 remembering the tragic events surrounding the unlawful execution of ira volunteers in gibralter gibraltar by the sas on the 6th march 1988, the shooting of vol. kevin mccracken in the defence of the community, the murderous attack on the gibraltar funeral by a british state sponsored assassin and killing of mourners john murray thomas mcerlean vol. caoımhín mac brádaıgh sean savage maıréad farrell dan mccann, i ndíl [ndıl] chuımhne, always remembered with pride by the people of the colin area

Leaving Free Derry

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2013-03-07 DerryFuneral+

A funeral cortège heads up Rossville Street/Lecky Road in Derry, past Free Derry Corner and the ‘Bernadette’ mural (featuring Bernadette McAliskey and the battle of the Bogside) in ‘The People’s Gallery‘.

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Bobby Sands Corner

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Bobby Sands grew up and went to school in Rathcoole but in 1972, when he was eighteen, the family home was attacked. They moved to Twinbrook, where Sands joined the IRA (Bobby Sands Trust | WP).

This mosaic is near the Twinbrook home, on the same wall that was the site of the Carol-Ann Kelly mural. Kelly was killed two weeks after Sands’s death.

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At Van’s Feet

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2013-02-18 AtVansFeetCrop+

In these details from one of the murals at the Duke Of York, Wilde, Beckett and Joyce lie at the feet of Van Morrison, along with two of Van’s albums, a saxophone, a pack of cigarettes, a pail of water and two cone-shaped objects. Sınéad O’Connor and Barry McGuigan, among others look on. In the second image, there are two Them posters on the back wall and Van’s Magic Time album is on stage.

X05271 2013- Dark Horse Faces+

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david mcwilliams, james galway, alex higgins, rab mccullough, gary lightbody, horslips barso, joey dunlop, terri hooley, feargal sharkey, horslips john o’neill, big jim mcdowell, mark o’shea, the edge, sam neill, jimmy reilly, james young, liam neeson, jimmy nesbitt, rory gallagher, seamus heaney, clodagh rodgers, belfast local ruby murray, tony mccoy, katie melua, belfast local ann marie, geraldine hughes, cormac neeson, jackie wright, johnny hero, brian kennedy, darren, juliet turner, dan gordon, gerry anderson, gloria hunniford, barry mcguigan, sinead o’connor, rinty monaghan, gary moore, dana, phil coulter, phil lynott, george best, pat jennings, derek bell, jimmy ellis, bob dylan, john lennon, neil young, willie jack

outside: mark, una healey, michael, enya, nick, angela feeney, c s lewis, dennis taylor, may mcfettridge, paul brady, winston, patrick kielty, brian moore, willie john mcbride, pearce elliot, john lynch, george hamilton, pierce brosnan, ciaran mcmenamin, maggie cronin, hammy, lisa, big william, chris, paddy, eddie irvine, christine bleakley, brendan behan, derek dougan, patrick kavanagh, sir john lavery, john mccormack, danny blanchflower, mary peters, harry gregg, frank carson, martin o’neill OBE, dervla kirwin, stephen rea, hugh russell, wee john caldwell, nadine coyle, julie, martin lynch, nee, ronnie drew, dolores o’riordan, ciaran hinds, belfast local caron keating, kenneth branagh, alice, liam clancy, duke special, bono

Shankill Star

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2013-03-10 Robinson+

A brand new piece (unveiled March 2, 2013) to Brian Robinson and/sponsored by the Shankill Star Flute Band, in Disraeli Street – where Robinson grew up – replete with images from the first World War such as soldiers (both British and German), trenches and poppies. Robinson was killed on 2 Sept., 1989 by an army undercover unit moments after he had shot and killed a Catholic named Patrick McKenna (WP). This is the second mural on the street to Robinson. The piece is not paint, but printed boards, and the image has been generated by computer.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01011 for god and ulster in memory of u.v.f. ulster volunteer force 1912 est. 1968

Union Shield

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A “North Antrim and Londonderry” Ulster Defence Union shield on a black oval, in Pine Street in the loyalist Waterside area of Londonderry.

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X01005 quis separabit

Derry Guernica

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2013-03-06 DerryGuernica copy+

A version of Picasso’s Guernica next to the Museum Of Free Derry, in Glenfada Park in the Bogside. The original is black and white and grey, as in the mural on the International Wall, but here has been coloured in a palette that matches the colour of the wall. Modern-looking aeroplanes, one dropping bombs, have also been added at the top of the image – the bombing took place in 1937, during the Spanish civil war – and the scene seems to be outdoors, rather than indoors.

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