Author: Extramural Activity

105 Years Of Balfour

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“Britain in Palestine & Ireland” The Balfour Declaration of November 1917 is seen as a pivotal moment in the history leading to the what is formally known as the State Of Israel, as it made the UK the first major government to endorse the idea of a homeland for Jews (WP).

The poster (for a talk in Cultúrlann) is in Allworthy Avenue; the board is on Northumberland Street. The latter draws parallels between Ireland and Palestine: homelands partitioned for British imperialist interests, struggles for freedom met with British barbarism … forbidden from speaking their native tongue, faiths outlawed … . About 650 former RIC members were recruited to the “British Gendarmarie” that would police what was called “Mandatory Palestine” (Palestine Studies | Irish History) after WWI.

The League Of Nations mandate putting the UK in change of the Palestinian territory was replaced (in 1947) by a UN plan for partition, which triggered an internal war between Jews and Arabs, and when the UK ended the mandate and evacuated from Palestine in May 1948, Israel declared independence and neighbouring Arab states entered the conflict. About 700,000 Arabs were displaced during the fighting. Key48 (tw) advocates for the right of return and uses as a symbol the keys that householders took with them when they fled.

Update: a sticker from the same campaign

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X11793 X11794 X11838 X11839 X11840 X11841 His Majesty’s Government view with favour the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people, and will use their best endeavours to facilitate the achievement of this object, it being clearly understood that nothing shall be done which may prejudice the civil and religious rights of existing non-Jewish communities in Palestine, or the rights and political status enjoyed by Jews in any other country.

Remembrance Day

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For November 11th – Armistice Day/Veterans Day/Remembrance Day – this giant tarp showing light pouring through the Thiepval Memorial was placed on the Shore Road, surrounded by 12 white crosses.

For the memorial to the right, which includes the 10th and 16th Divisions along with the 36th (Ulster) Division, see In Defence Of The Citizens Of Belfast.

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The Enemies Of Ulster

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Mark Quail, of the UVF, was “murdered by the enemies of Ulster” – that is, shot by the UDA – at his Rathcoole home on November 1st, 2000. His was the fourth death in four days (after David Greer, Bertie Rice, Tommy English) (Irish Times) as the UVF-UDA feud that began in the Shankill with the infamous “loyalist day of culture” in August 2000 spread to north Belfast and Newtownabbey (though the BBC says they are unrelated). There were also attacks in east Belfast (BelTel) before the feud ended in mid-December (BBC | Guardian).

See also Jackie Coulter (and Bobby Mahood) and Sam Rockett “Murdered By Cowards”.

This is a repainted mural; for the previous version see Marky Quail.

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Ship Of Fools

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Liz Truss’s Titanic hit not one but a series of icebergs (described previously in Broken Promises) and announced her resignation as leader of the Conservative party, and therefore as UK prime minister, on October 20th, triggering another leadership contest, with the previously-defeated Rishi Sunak back in the running in addition to – for a day, at least – former PM Boris Johnson; the third person shown is Penny Mordaunt. In the end, Sunak went unopposed (WP) and left the lifeboat to join the circling sharks: Putin, strikes, NI Protocol, energy costs.

This is the fourth in a chronicle of the Truss premiership by Ciaran Gallagher (web) in Hill St: And In The Blue Corner … (Truss vs. Sunak) | It’s A Knockout! (Truss wins) | Broken Promises (Truss crisis). Many of the pieces were later mounted in the courtyard of the Dark Horse bar – see the entry in the Paddy Duffy collection.

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Belfast Blues

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The career of Belfast blues/rock guitarist Rab McCullough spanned more than five decades, beginning with the formation of Baraka back in the 1970s, and included opening for Jimi Hendrix and a 20-year residency in the Empire. McCullough died in May (of 2021) after suffering a heart attack while swimming in Andersonstown leisure centre (BBC | BelTel | Belfast Media | Love Belfast). McCullough’s family is maintaining his Facebook page.

The mural was painted in Owenvarragh Park/Páırc Abhaınn Bhearach near his former home by Glen Molloy (ig). (Belfast Media)

Also painted with blue eyes: Samuel Beckett (No Matter, Try Again)

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Fallen Not Forgotten

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What’s most unusual here is the tree cross-section (or “tree disk”) (on the left) that has been decorated with a hooded gunman and the insignia of the (east Belfast) UVF and YCV – the final image shows a close-up.

“The uniform may have changed but the cause remains the same. Ulster Volunteer Force. Fallen, not forgotten.” There is a very close variant of this wording on a mural in Bowtown (Newtownards).

For the Tom Moore mural to the side, see You’ll Never Walk Alone.

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Now Is The Time To Kneel

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The “now” in “now is the time to kneel” would seem to suggest that there is some inappropriate kneeling going on at some other time, besides as a mark of respect to the patriotic dead (in this case, Queen Elizabeth II, who died on September 8th) – perhaps the kneeling prior to Premier League soccer matches as a protest against racism (World Soccer Talk).

The UVF board to the left of the wide shot can be seen in Our British Identity.

Replaces Clonduff Youth on Clonduff Drive in Castlereagh.

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Broken Promises

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The newspaper front pages reporting the “90-minute shouting match” between the resigning UK Home Secretary Suella Braverman and Prime Minister Liz Truss (third image, below) were barely dry when Truss herself resigned yesterday. The main cause was the September 23rd “mini-budget” that promised to scrap the 45% personal tax rate entirely, lower the 20% to 19%, and keep the corporate rate at 19% instead of having it increase to 25% in April 2023 – these numbers are seen on the pages falling from Truss’s hands, above – without explaining how the reductions would be funded. Over the next three weeks these positions were reversed – “volte face”, Truss’s flip-flops, and the two-headed Truss; all part of a pattern, artist Ciaran Gallagher (web) suggests with Truss’s clothing: she was originally in the Lib Dems before joining the Conservatives in 1996 and supported ‘remain’ in the Brexit vote (WP).

Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng went on the 14th. Braverman resigned over a breach of the Ministerial Code – sharing an official document on migration from her personal e-mail account – but got in a few digs at the Truss government as she left. (WP)

The Tories hope to put a new leader and PM in place within a week. Rishi Sunak, Terminator-style, says “I’ll be back!” and is – as of today, at least – the bookies’ favourite (BBC).

For Larry the cat – who was previously pictured sitting on the steps outside Number 10 but has gone from the mural – next week’s prime minister will be his fifth.

Previous versions of this mural: And In The Blue Corner … (from the Truss vs. Sunak leadership contest) | It’s A Knockout! (when Truss won)

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Hurricane Higgins

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“Higgy – simply the best.” 2022 is the 50th anniversary of Alex “Hurricane” Higgins’s first World snooker title as a 22-year-old qualifier, and the 40th anniversary of his second World title in 1982, watched by a television audience of almost 11 million people (WP). You can relive the 1982 world championship on youtube.

This mural is outside the Royal Bar on Donegall Road in Sandy Row, where Higgins grew up. “A true legend of Belfast.”

Seen previously in 2010.

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