An expansion is planned for the Radisson Blu at the Gasworks site, but the land is zoned for public housing. The plan is contested by Sınn Féın and the Housing Executive.
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Cromac Wood Court is home to a housing development – Hong Ling Gardens – aimed at Chinese people over 55. The street sign is thus in English, Chinese, and – because we’re in the Markets area – Irish: Cúırt Choıll Chromóıg.
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“Eelam” is the ancient Tamil name for Sri Lanka and “Tamil Eelam” is the name of a proposed Tamil state in the north and east of Sri Lanka (shown on the right of the mural) that the Tigers were fighting for. After 26 years of war, the Tamil Tigers were defeated in 2009 but independence (from the majority Sinhalese) is “inevitable” according to this new mural. For an account of commemorations in both Belfast and Derry, see this TamilNet article.
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X04221 X04220 northumberland st tıocfaıdh ár lá
Here are two images from UK GE 2017. Above, Sınn Féın placards in a variety of bright colours (plus one for unsuccessful North Belfast candidate John Finucane). Below, “Choose Christ” and you could find both security and change!
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One of the first casualties of the Easter Rising, on the evening of Good Friday, was Belfast-born Charles Monahan (Charlie Monahan, Cathal Ó Monacháın/Ó Muıneacháın), who died along with Con Keating and Daniel Sheehan in a motor accident in Kerry, when their car – which only had one headlamp (see image #3) – was driven off a pier. His body was not found until October 30th. The driver, Tommy McInerney – shown here studying a map – survived. This mural is in the Markets; Monahan is also claimed by east Belfast and a 2006 mural to him survives to this day on Mountpottinger Road (Visual History).
“Born in Riley[‘s] Place in the Market area of Belfast, Charles was one of many people who left Belfast to take part in the events leading up to the Easter Rising. Charles[‘s] role was to meet up with 3 other vols and help guide Roger Casement land a ship full of weapons. On the 21st April, 1916, the driver took the wrong road and drove off the pier into the Laune at Ballykissane. Charles, 37, drowned along with two of his comrades.”
For more Roger Casement murals, click here.
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X04178 X04180 X04179 X04181 Stanfield St Banna Strand Irish Volunteers 2nd battalion Dublin Brigade Irish Republican Brotherhood IRB
“Stop drug dealers in our area.” “No drug dealers welcome in our area.” These anti-drug-dealing posters from Greater Ardoyne Residents’ Collective (Fb) are all over the area at present. A leaflet was also circulated as part of the campaign.
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Palestinian leader and secretary-general of Fatah during the 90s, Marwan Barghouti joined the Second Intifada (2000) and was arrested by Israeli forces in 2002 and sentenced to five life sentences for attacks by al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades. Barghouti laid out the rationale for the current hunger strike of 1,000 prisoners in a New York Times op-ed. He was reportedly caught eating in May.
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X04149 IRPWA havana st solidarity with palestine free the hunger strikers
Seán Ó Rıordan was aged 13 when “killed in action by British crown forces” on Cawnpore Street on 23rd March 1972 (Sutton) and he is buried in Milltown cemetery. The 1977 Protocol I of the Geneva Convention would later prohibit conscription of children younger than 15 but allow for their voluntary participation. It is thus notable that this new board to “Fıann [sic] Seán Ó Rıordan” was “erected by the family”.
Ascaıll Ard Na bhFeá/Beechmount Avenue, west Belfast.
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St James-area gang IBA (I’d Buck Anything) imitating the old (1990’s) Mr Muscle ads. It’s not clear what the “jobs” that need doing are … perhaps housebreaking?
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The UK general election takes place Thursday week (June 8th). Here are two Sınn Féın boards, both at the junction of the Falls and Glen Roads (site of the former Andersonstown police station), the first featuring the image of Michelle O’Neill and exhorting people to “register to vote now!” (Claragh chun vótáıl anoıs) and the second a quote from Gerry Adams’s oration at the graveside of Martin McGuinness: “If you want freedom, go out and take it. Organise. Mobilise. Unite for rights” (Más saoırse atá uaıt, gabh amach agus beır greım uırthı. Eagraıgh, gríosaıgh, troıd ar son do chearta.) A copy of Latuff’s Ireland-Palestine hunger-striker solidarity cartoon (which he also painted as a mural in Northumberland St) has been added to Michelle’s lapel.
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Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 