Kids from the Divis youth project at the Frank Gillen Centre were involved in designing the new mental health mural which was unveiled last week in west Belfast. BelfastLive has pictures of the launch on (August 11th).
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The inspiration for the new installation outside Coláıste Feırste entitled “Athbheochan” (“renewal”) is the area’s previous life as the site of spinning mills, established in the 1800s to take advantage of local rivers (Forbaırt Feırste). The Bog Meadows nature reserve down beside the M1 is the only part of the Blackstaff’s flood plain that remains in an undeveloped state.
The launch was on August 11th during Féıle by Maırtín Ó Muılleoır, but the piece is also part of Irish-language festival Lıú Lúnasa (web) which is going on this week. Artist Aodán Monaghan can be seen on the left in the final image of kids climbing all over the artwork.
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This year’s Féıle An Phobaıl saw the launch of a new stained glass window in Cultúrlann McAdam Ó Fıaıch. It features James Connolly (Séamus Ó Conghaıle 1868-1916) for his support of the Irish language and the support his two daughters Nora and Ina gave to the founding of the Gaelic League (Conradh na Gaeılge) in Belfast. The family is also featured in the centenary mural on Divis Street: Shan Van Vocht and Howth Gun Running. Supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund (tw).
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IRA volunteer Francis Liggett was shot dead by the British Army during an attempted armed robbery at Royal Victoria Hospital, Falls Road in 1973 (Sutton) while local Sinn Féin member Paddy Brady was shot by the UFF while at work in 1984 (Sutton | An Phoblacht). They are commemorated in the St James memorial garden with the board shown above, featuring two verses from Bobby Sands’s poem Weeping Winds: Oh, Whispering [Whistling, in the original] winds why do you weep/When roaming free you are,
Oh! Is it that your poor heart’s broke/And scattered off afar?
Or is it that you bear the cries/Of people born unfree,
Who like your way have no control/Or sovereign destiny?
Oh! Lonely winds that stalk [walk] the night/To haunt the sinner’s soul/
Pray pity me a wretched lad/Who never will grow old.
Pray pity those who lie in pain/The bondsman and the slave
And whisper sweet the breath of God/Upon my humble grave.
The board is similar in design to the painted one it replaces, except that Éire was at the centre rather than the “SF” logo.
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RNU member Tony Taylor was jailed for three years in 2011 for possession of a rifle and had his early release license revoked in 2016 and returned to Maghaberry. Over the last month, both Sınn Féın and SDLP politicians in Belfast and Derry have called for him to be either charged or released, alleging that his detention is contrary to section 6 of the Human Rights Act (Irish News | Derry Now | Derry Now). Gael Force Art (Fb) took to Slıabh Dubh/Black Mountain to highlight the case.
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There were riots last night in the Divis and Markets areas of the city, after material for August 9th anti-internment bonfires was removed (Tele). On the lower Falls, the disused Credit Union building on Ross Road was burned down (Belfast Live). Here are three images from last week of graffiti from the Townsend Street side of the Divis Street from the Divis Hoods Liberation Army (DHLA).
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Fáılte go dtí bunscoıl Croí Sácráılte (Welcome to Sacred Heart primary school). Three school-children are shown in Cliftonville soccer and Antrim hurling strips, as well as in the school’s black uniform.
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Another vintage IRA image is reproduced, not a road sign like Sniper At Work but a badge, which originally had “provisionals” rather than “IRA”.
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“Hungerstrike & North West Volunteers Commemoration. 1:30 pm Sunday 21st May, Rosemount Factory, Derry.” The march will go from Rosemount to City Cemetery (Derry Journal).
IRSP placard on railings in Foyle Road, Derry
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The Linsfort Drive (Creggan) memorial garden (see M02663 and M02775) is featured in the centre of this board of IRA volunteers from the 2nd battalion of the Derry Brigade. There are two similarly designed boards to the 1st battalion in Westland Street and in Lecky Road.
Below is a fresh “IRA” nail-up in Central Drive.
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Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 