A Place Called Old Ardoyne

Going by the streets and places mentioned in these plaques – see the list below – “old Ardoyne” would not have included Balholm Drive, where this gable wall is; Brompton Park and the streets above it – built c. 1935 are renamed c. 1939 (after a 1937 rent strike) – were known as Glenard. (See also Belfast Forum one | two.)

According to an entry on Belfast Forum, Skinny Lizzy’s real name was Elizabeth Gilmore. According to another, Greasy Nellie’s chip shop and the Crumlin Star was opposite one another.

These memories from emigrants to Austalia mention Davidson’s shop and Andy’s shop, Skinny Lizzy, The League, Toby’s Hall, and Beltex Mill.


left side: Crumlin Star, Peter Toal’s hard wear shop, Beltax [Beltex] mill, Cassidy’s shop, Holy Cross Boys school

top row: Chatham Street Skinny Lizzy shop, Elmfield Street Reid’s shop, Brookfield Street McCafferty shop, Flax Street Greasy Nelly’s, Granny Byer’s shop

second: Oakfield Street, Kerrera Street Skillen’s shop, Hocker Street Rock’s shop, Butler Street Tom’s shop, Top Of The Pad, Dan The Man’s Rockiet[?]

third: The Millie Dam, Crumlin Street Billy O’Hara’s, Herbert Street Davidson’s shop, Fairfield Street Black’s shop, Paddy’s barber shop, McNab’s Chippy, Raynardo’s chippy

fourth: The GAA Tin Hut, The Gap Andy’s shop, Hole In The Knickers, The Unity Club

fifth: Rose Bank mill, Flax Street mill, Toby’s Hall, The Hibbs [Hibs] Club [in Herbert St], Bloody Mary’s Arch

sixth: Brookfield mill, The League AWMC [Ardoyne Working Men’s Club (Fb)], Roy Kane’s shop


Balholm Drive, Ardoyne, north Belfast

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Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Stop The Slaughter In Gaza

“Stop the slaughter – ceasefire now”. A pro-Palestinian board was added to the “International Wall”, Divis Street, and launched on November 4th. The previous Saber Al-Ashkar mural — His Land, His Legs, His Life — has been mostly painted over, with part of the mural remaining at the top and the image of a man carrying a wounded child perhaps deliberately left to the right of the board.

The image represented would appear to be an from social media (probably AI-generated, as no one can say who is depicted or where) of children sitting among their ruined house, surrounded by broken toys, including SpongeBob and Pudsey Bear, with the boy using an incorrect Palestinian flag to cover the girl.

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Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Stop Israeli Terror

A march/rally supporting Palestine takes place in Belfast today, starting at noon and going from Writer’s Square to City Hall. The graffiti above is on the Falls Road at the Royal: “Stop the genocide. Stop “Israeli” terror. ‘Fom the river to the sea, Palestine will be free!; BDS [Boycott, divestment, sanctions (web)] IPSC [Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign (web | Fb)]”

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Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Forever 16

Caitlin McLaughlin died suddenly on June 24th. She collapsed from a heart attack as she walked to the bus station in Belfast to return home from a music festival at which she had taken ecstasy (BBC). A requiem mass was held in Galliagh on the 28th (BelTel) and the mural shown here was launched in Brookdale Park on October 27th, which would have been Caitlin’s 17 birthday (Belfast Live).

“I saw you all, my family & friends/the day God took me home,/I smiled, I cried, I felt so proud/You didn’t let me go alone//To all my friends, please listen now/To what I have to say,/Please don’t leave your loved ones/the way I did that day//I’m with the angels in heaven now/and with our we[e] Kyle too,/But often I look down and sigh/For I’d rather be there with you//Forget me not/XO”

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Copyright © 2023 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
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Israel Get Out Of Palestine

These images were taken in the lower and middle Falls, west Belfast. As might be expected, there is some reaction to the current conflict between Hamas and Israel: “Victory to the resistance – Free Palestine!” and “#NotMyKing” are at the closed-up Mac Diarmada club at Sráid Phort Láirge (see previously: CIRA GHQ); “Israel get out of Ireland” is on a crossing button in Beechmount.

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Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Drop The Rents

RSYM/IRSP/INLA (Xitter) are campaigning for landlords to keep their rents at the LHA (Local Housing Allowance, a.k.a. housing benefit) levels (set by the Housing Executive). They assert that it is exploitative for private landlords to use the housing shortage as a reason for higher rents.

Beechmount graffiti.

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Copyright © 2023/2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Free Palestine (Belfast)

The “occupied Palestinian territories” include the West Bank (including East or Arab Jerusalem) and the Gaza Strip, which, although governed by Palestinians since 2005, is still considered occupied due to Israel’s blockade and control of Gaza’s borders and seas (UN).

This new mural on Ascaill Ard Na bhFeá/Beechmount Avenue/RPG Avenue in Belfast is prompted by the current attacks on, and siege of, Gaza by Israel in response to the attacks by Hamas that left more than 1,300 Israelis dead (Jerusalem Post). The mural perhaps uses the same stencil as in Springhill in 2014, reproducing a Carlos Latuff (Xitter) cartoon.

See also three posts from Derry: Free Palestine | Victory To Gaza | Ireland Supports Palestinian Resistance

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Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Victory To Gaza

By Wednesday night, the death toll in the “Israel-Hamas War” stood at 1,200 Israelis and 1,100 Palestinians (WP). Israel has been bombing Gaza for the last four days by rocket and from the air and is gathering forces on the border for a possible land invasion (Guardian). Support among Irish republicans is in favour of the Palestinians. In addition to the changes to Free Derry Corner, these “Victory to Hamas” (between Operation Motorman and The Runner) and “Victory to Gaza” graffiti have been painted in the Bogside, Derry.

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Copyright © 2023 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
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