CNR

Soldier Of Ireland

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

After serving in the IRA in the War Of Independence, Liam Mellows was elected to the First Dáil and as a member of the second Dáil voted against the Treaty in January 1922 (his speech is recorded in Oireachtas.ie under the name “Liam Mellowes”). In the Civil War that followed, he served as IRA quartermaster in the force in the Four Courts that surrendered to Free State forces on June 30th, 1922. He was imprisoned in Mountjoy and executed in December, in reprisal for the killing of Seán Hayes (see Executed). (WP | An Phoblacht) His proposals for government were published posthumously as ‘Mellows Testament’ (NLI) and include state ownership of heavy industry, large estates, the transport system, and the banks. The sticker below quotes from that document: “Ireland, if her industries and banks were controlled by foreign capital, would be at the mercy of every breeze that ruffled the surface of the world’s money-markets.”

Stewart Street, south Belfast

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X10392 X10413 erected by the official republican movement

Just Don’t

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Do not vax” and “Don’t join the PSNI”. “Do not vax” is a coronavirus conspiracy theory, related to What We Want You To Think, We Want A Free Future and also 5G Kills You and A Tale Of Two Protests.

The Lasaır Dhearg board takes the “poster officer” from the 2021 recruitment campaign and puts them against a backdrop of riot officers firing plastic bullets. “17 people have been killed by plastic bullets, including 8 children.” “It is believed that the PSNI retain a stockpile of over 50,000 deadly plastic bullets.” The British state does not use plastic bullets anywhere but occupied Ireland.” “The PSNI is not a normal police force.” Here is the 2021 Amnesty report on the use of water cannon and “Attenuating Energy Projectiles” in the north. In November, relatives of Carol Ann Kelly went to Stormont to call for an end to the use of plastic bullets (BelTel).

The Sınn Féın board appears to involve stock photography, as we have noted before in Will This Work For You?

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X10292 X10291 X10293

James McClean

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Soccer player James McClean grew up in Creggan and – while playing for a succession of English clubs – has been criticised for refusing to wear a poppy (while at Sunderland) and turning his back on the St George’s Cross as ‘God Save The Queen’ played (while at West Bromwich Albion). He also has a tattoo of Free Derry Corner flying a Tricolour on his thigh (Irish Times).

In the mural (by Dublin artist Aches (ig)) McClean is pictured here in an Ireland strip – McClean has 7 caps for the Northern Ireland under-21 squad but plays senior soccer for Ireland (WP).

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
[X10287] X10288 X10289

Update: A plaque was added for McClean’s 100th Irish (soccer) cap: “James McClean – 100 international caps. Creggan’s hero. Derry’ hero. Ireland’s hero.”

Click image to enlarge
courtesy of Paddy Duffy
T04209

The Endless Ways In Which We Rob Ourselves Of Ourselves

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The phrase “your silence will not protect you” comes from the essay “The Transformation Of Silence Into Language And Action” (pdf), in which US feminist and civil rights activist Audrey Lorde describes the damage to the self wrought by silence in response to fear and encourages us to find a perspective on fear that gives us strength: “I am not only a casualty, I am also a warrior.”

A week of speaking out from the Museum Of Free Derry/bloodysunday50.com and ArtsEverywhere begins today (June 13th) at 6 p.m. with the launch of an art exhibition entitled ‘From Bloody Sunday To Brexit’.

The tarp is on the rear of Free Derry Corner.

A graffitist at Amelia’s on Foyle Road has also found their voice: “50 years, no justice”, as the wrangling over the prosecution of Soldier F (and others) continues (Guardian).

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
X10284 [X10285] [X10286] X10282 X10283

A Tale Of Two Protests

Extramural Activity1 Comment

While 17,000 people in red t-shirts – many of them young (see image below) – were marching for an Irish Language Act (Acht Gaeılge) (BBC | Belfast Live | BelTel | youtube video | organised by An Dream Dearg tw), a dozen grey-hairs were outside city hall protesting the 2022 meeting of the World Economic Forum (which ends tomorrow in Davos). Among the … hypotheses … presented: “Zi great rezet needs war” (a German-ised – and thus more sinister – version of The Great Reset (WEF video); “Pfizer knew their vaccine would kill” (a headline from The Light newspaper); a cashless society will mean a social credit score; devices on the internet of things will be hooked up to a “5G monitoring system”; UBI is “Austerity”; an end to privately-owned businesses; an end to single-family homes; a global government, currency, central bank, and military; an end to all privately-owned property (more threateningly put as “You will own nothing and you will be happy” (meme) at the barrel of a gun).

This entry is bookended by two images of the emblem of An Dream Dearg – a white ring or fáınne on a red background – flying over the top of the ‘Rock and on Slıabh Dubh.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X10143 X10139 X10138 X10137 [X10136] X10141 X10142

#JusticeForShireen

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“End Israeli apartheid”. Al Jazeera reporter Shireen Abu Akleh was killed by a shot to the head during a raid by Israeli forces on the refugee camp in Jenin in the West Bank; her producer, Ali Samoudi, was also shot but survived. The Palestinian Authority blamed the Israeli military, who initially tweeted that Palestinian militants in the area might have been responsible. Video footage from other sources (B’Tselem) casts doubt on this claim. (NYTimes | BelTel) The Israeli Defence Forces does not plan to investigate the death; the Palestinian Authority has retained the bullet fragments from Abu Akleh’s body and has said it will conduct its own investigation, though it will not be able to match the bullet to any Israeli weapon (Al Jazeera | NYTimes).

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
X10103 X10102 [X10101] [X10100] [X10099]

Mother’s Pride

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This is a new mural by Peaball (Fb) and emic (Fb) in Glenview Street, Derry, inspired by the chat on the Golden Years club at the Glenview Community Centre (tw).

The Nissen huts that form the background are perhaps a reference to the US WWII camp in nearby Springtown that was used to house Catholic families from the end of the war until the 1960s (Gavin Patton documentary | WP).

The referents of the central portrait and of the title are unknown.

Also in Glenview: Stag With A Bag

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
X10106 X10107

The Liverpool Bar

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“IRA 2, Liverpool 0, and one hit the bar.” This is 35-year-old graffiti that seems to be more durable than the paint that was used to white it out.

In 1987 IRA gunmen burst into the Liverpool Bar & Lounge on Donegall Quay – named for the nearby ferry terminal to Liverpool (Belfast Forum) – and killed two off-duty RUC detectives – Michael Malone and Ernest (Stanley) Carson – and injured two others (AP). The case came back into the public eye In 2016 when a man was arrested in connection with the shooting (RTÉ | News Letter); he was later released (BBC).

Islandbawn Drive, west Belfast

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X10112 [X10111]

We Will Never Stop

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

A rally is planned for 1 p.m. tomorrow (Saturday 13th) at Belfast City Hall in support of the family of Noah Donohoe and in protest at a request by the police to use PII (Public Interest Immunity) certificates to redact portions of three police files. (The primary source is a paywalled article in the Sunday Independent, which both the Irish News and Belfast Telegraph reported on.) Visual reminders of the case are all over the city and many have been featured on this site previously. This entry collects those not previously featured. In order, they are from Beechmount; University St; Duncairn Gardens (replacing the board seen in Between The Lines); Rossville St, Derry; the Markets.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X10113 X09045 X10410 X10035 X10393 [X09066] [X09067]

Men Are From Earth, Women Are From Earth

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

A draft of the up-coming decision by the US Supreme Court to overturn ‘Roe v. Wade’ was leaked by Politico magazine on Monday but this ‘Venus’ symbol for ‘female’ on Slıabh Dubh is a response to a decree by powers closer to home, namely the assertion by a west Belfast priest that Catholics should restrict themselves to Aontú or the DUP when choosing whom to vote for, because their platforms forbid abortion (Belfast Media | Sunday World).

“Men are from Earth, women are from Earth. Deal with it.” is attributed to comedian George Carlin.

Previous uses of the ‘venus’ symbol: Abortion Rights Now | We Too Are Strong | Lenadoon Women In Struggle

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X10049 X10048