Sic Semper Artificibus In Muris Scribentibus

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Thus Always To Graffiti Artists! These pictures were taken on Thursday (September 13th, 2012) and by Sunday (16th) the graffiti was gone, painted out! Belfast City Council have over this past year or so been diligent in painting out fly-postings – mostly paper ones advertising concerts and other events – but here they have painted out a political message.

The scene is the gateway to the now derelict and abandoned site of the old Sirocco works at Bridge End, on the city side of Short Strand.

You can glimpse the newer bubble-capitalism in the new-build apartments in the distance.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00639 X00640 sirocco, corrupt governments of the world you’re sacked one love, oil boiler scrappage scheme, call now to scrap your old boiler and save money

California Dreamin’

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Here’s the completed mural by Hicks54 painted last weekend as part of the East Belfast Arts Festival.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Na Fıanna Ard Eoın

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The Fıanna plaque at the top of Berwick Road gets a sunburst background and cut-out portraits of the four Fıanna named on the plaque which dates back to 2009, commemorating “one hundred years of resistance” (1909-2009): Davy McAuley, Josh Campbell, Josie McComiskey, and Bernard Fox, all of whom died in 1972. The vintage Fıan on the left is perhaps Christy Lucey. The medal pictured is the Golden Jubilee medal.

“You may kill the revolutionary, but never the revolution.” “Dedicated by the Republican Network For Unity.” “Strength in our hearts, strength of our limbs, consistency of our tongues.”

For close-up of the plaque, see M06728.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Our Brave Defenders

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In memory of the dead from the 36th (Ulster) Division in St Leonard’s Crescent (the old Newcastle Street) in east Belfast. The four main panels show the men of the 36th going over the top on the first day of the Somme (1st July 1916), the “angel of Mons” (WP), Ulster Tower (This tower was dedicated to the glory of God. In grateful memory of the officers, non commissioned officers and men of the 36th (Ulster) Division, and of the sons of Ulster in other forces who laid down their lives in the great war, and of all their comrades in arms who, by divine grace, were spared to testify to their glorious deeds. “Throughout the long years of struggle …. the men of Ulster have proved how nobly they fight and die” – 16th November 1918 King George V), and Thiepval Memorial (Dear men and brothers, going out/to fight for Ulster’s need/we hail you with a mighty shout/brave friends, and true in deed.//Your country holds you in renown/your names will never be dead/and some sweet angel has a crown/for each dear, manly head.)

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Up The Shankill And Down The Falls

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This poster is widespread throughout working class Belfast at present. This one is from the Ballysillan Road (though the electrical box has been tagged by someone from the Westland). The posters started going up previous to the announcement of 760 (Guardian) or 920 (BBC) job losses at FG Wilson’s this week. The route involves both loyalist and nationalist areas and the poster refers to the Outdoor Relief Strike (account from nationalist source | brief loyalist account) of 1932. The poster has phone, e-mail, QR, Facebook and Twitter links. The marcher carries … a Blackberry.

Update: Here’s a link for Charlie Cairns’ comment about the threat of prosecution against the posters.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00632 march for a future! emergency action to create jobs, free access to education, no cuts to ema and benefits, 1:30 saturday 6th october @ custom house square, belfast, 80 years after the outdoor relief strike when protestant and catholic workers stood together march up the shankill and down the falls, youth fight for jobs, sponsored by the trade unions unite cwu fbu pcs rmt ucu tssa bectu, all youth community and trade union branches welcome, youth fight for jobs ni

Mountainhill Youth Club

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The new mural at Mountainhill Youth Club follows the same format as its predecessor, with the left side being social messages directed at kids and the right being “the village [i.e. Ligoniel] in older times”.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Wolfhill

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Wolfhill is so named because the last wolf in Ireland was supposedly shot there in 1692 (Belfast Hills); this distinction is also claimed by Camlough. The Wolfhill Centre, which is across the Ligoniel Road from this mural, is home to the Ligoniel Improvement Association. On the right of the mural is St Vincent de Paul’s church, which is a little further down the road.

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Copyright © 2010 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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For God And Ulster, For King And Country

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A board to slain UVF members John Hanna (died 1991-09-10), Stevie McCrea (1989-02-18) and Sammy Mehaffy (1991-11-13), with poppies and image from WWI, and a shrine below also commemorating the service of the 36th Ulster Division in WWI. Frenchpark Street, Village area, south Belfast.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00608 sammy mehaffy 1972-1991, john hanna 1971-1991, stevie mccrea 1952-1989, remembering our brother’s lost lives and the human cost of conflict, the legacy of lost hopes and dreams. we come not to mourn but to praise their memory. we keep the memory of the brave, the faithful and the few, some lie far off beyond the waves, some sleep in ulster too. all are gone but still live on the names of those who died and true men like you, remember them with pride, 36th ulster division, for they shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old, age shall not weary them nor the years condemn, at the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them,

Looking Back

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Back in January, Bill Rolston said that there weren’t many murals featuring British royalty. The number has surely seen a large increase in the year of the diamond jubilee and the covenant centenary. This ‘blue queen’ is from the Village area.

Detail below …

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00613 X00612 ER II, this we will maintain

Young Newtown

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Young Newtown (more typically “Young Newton” – see e.g. 1989 and 2005) is the Newtownards Road division of the Ulster Young Militants (UYM) and formerly a Tartan Gang (History Ireland). 

UDA shield in McMaster Street, east Belfast.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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