Titanic Town

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May 2012 mural celebrating workers at Harland & Wolff and the building of the Titanic (and Olympic) 1908-1911. Gable wall of Allen’s Tours (Allen’s Furniture)

The artist is Ed Reynolds, whose site contains images of him at work on the piece (steadyhanded.com).

Somewhat reminiscent of Magritte’s 1959 Le Mois Des Vendages.

Combermere St. (Donegall Rd. just before Sandy Row).

The left-hand “title” and two details follow below …

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00595 X00600 X00594 X00601 funded by belfast city council titanic workers, this mural was developed under belfast city council’s titanic community engagement project with support from titanic foundation. thanks go to sandy row community forum, local residents and artist Ed Reynolds.

Heaven Is A Half Pipe

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Writing in College Court, Belfast, perhaps referencing the OPM song of 2000.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Dismantle Partition

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Here are two RNU and 32CSM posters in Belfast.

Above: Henry Joy McCracken RFB [republican flute band (web)]. Annual Henry Joy/United Irishmen Commemoration. March will be held in the New Lodge area, Sunday 2nd of September. Parade will start at Duncairn Parade at 3 pm sharp. All republicans Welcome. Republican Network For Unity.”

Below: “Dismantle partition. Reject British rule. Join the 32 County Sovereignty Movement Béal Feırste.”

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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This Means Nothing

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Signature piece, and signature, by This Means Nothing (later to become Emic (Fb | Web | Tw)) in Garfield Street, Belfast.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Falls Curfew 1970

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This is a 2010 mural of Máıre Drumm and the women of West Belfast breaking the British Army curfew of the lower Falls in 1970 (youtube). Drumm was later shot dead in her bed in the Mater hospital where she was a patient (WP).

The mural was unveiled July 4th on the 40th anniversary of the curfew’s end – see p. 28 of An Phoblacht. This version incorporates two of the ‘Free Marian Price’ (painted) “posters” that have been added to most of the murals – see the Visual History page on the International wall. The original can be seen in M05636. A shot of this mural being painted can be found here.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00597 oppression breeds resistance, resistance brings freedom, falls curfew july 1970, dedicated to all those women who faced up to military aggression, free marian price, i ndil chuimhne william burns 3-7-70 charles o’neill 3-7-70, zbigniew uglik 4-7-70, patrick elliman 11-7-70, murdered by the british army during the falls curfew of july 3-5 1970. the curfew was finally broken by the courage and determination of the women of belfast

Martin Corey

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“Release Martin Corey” stencil now appearing all over nationalist west Belfast, alongside ‘Free Marian Price’. Martin Corey was returned to prison in 2010 and a 2011 commission ruled that he was a member of the CIRA (WP | Belfast Telegraph).

[An appeal – on the grounds that evidence had been withheld – was rejected in December, 2012.]

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Death Of Billy Hunter

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Billy Hunter (background BBC | Belfast Telegraph) has died. On Saturday (25th August) a floral tribute to him was mounted on the railings of the ASDA store where he worked.

According to ‘The Irish News’ (Monday 27th August 2012) ‘Hunter died after he doused himself  in petrol and set it alight at the side of the Ballywalter Road, Millisle, on Friday morning.’

The Irish News quotes Gerard McErlane as saying, ‘The fella did it and God have mercy on him. What he did he did to himself. John and Thomas had no choice when he murdered them. He had a choice and maybe it was his conscience. I don’t know.

I said a prayer and lit a candle for him doing that as I would for any human being doing that to themselves.’

However, Mr McErlane said tributes to Hunter should be removed. ‘It bothers me that they are supporting him. Even in his death they are supporting him. They are glorifying him. I want it removed.’

Quoting an ASDA spokeswoman, the Irish News reported that the store would support colleagues who want to attend the funeral. She said the store would let the ‘community decide on floral tributes.’

Detail and wide shot below …

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00591 X00592 X00593 no goodbye no farewell billy so! until the next time good night mate!! john s.r.t, york star linfield s.c.

Marian Price Poster

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Marian Price (WP entry) poster now appearing all over nationalist west Belfast. The rally for Price (shown below) was in Beechmount, on August 4th.

X05149 2012-08-04 MarianPrice+

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00590 X05149 oppose british internment, in defence of the nation, 32 county sovereignty movement, release free marian price

Stroud Street

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Here is an angled shot of the entire Stroud St. mural, details of which have been featured in one | two | three previous entries. The artist is Ed Reynolds (steadyhanded.com) “assisted by William McKee Strong, June 2012”. The Tele had a write-up of the work: The Singing Butcher.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00588 sandy row 1907, tram workers sandy row at the albion Alex Higgins Joe Hillerby Alanna Audley-Murphy Ruby Murray James Johnston Joe Bambrick

The Elliots – Stroud St #3

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Here is a third panel from the new Stroud St. mural (previous panels one | two). This image is based on a photograph by the celebrated Belfast photographer Bill Kirk whose exhibit ‘Sandy Row 1974’ was at the Red Barn Gallery September-October 2011. At 6:50 in the video below one can see the original photograph of the Elliots.

This mural is an example of the ‘re-imaging’ of local areas that is being commissioned/sponsored by public bodies in NI at present. The stated aim of the project is to replace existing murals with ones that are less violent or, as in this case, to create new ones in order to enhance the appearance of an area. This mural contains no images of flags, political or paramilitary personages or emblems. It is ‘non-political’ in that sense, though you might argue that state sponsorship of ‘neutral’ images is in itself a political act.

Many such murals seem to rely on nostalgia, as is evident in this image.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00587 mr & mrs elliot in the back yard of their house boyne sq 1974