“(It’s) All Good” on the north side of Cupar Way, near the Howard Street gate. Painted by Dublin street artist Maser (web).
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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All Good
PUL
Understanding/Comhthuıscınt
The mural above is on the Newtownards Road at Lendrick Street and shows a bombed-out Ballymacarrett library, St. Patrick’s church (the church itself is visible in the lower right-hand corner) – both were hit by the blitz in 1942 – a police land rover (perhaps representing the “fallen” during the Troubles), and Cuchulainn (perhaps representing the IRA, though Cuchulainn is also a UDA icon – see the bottom of the Visual History page on Cú Chulaınn), and Stormont (representing … peace???). Poppies in a field and a H&W crane against stained glass provide a background.
We are supposed to remember the dead because (perhaps) their deaths were unnecessary and misguided as means to peace, at least according to the saying along the bottom (sometimes attributed to Einstein): “Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding” – understanding of the Nazis during the blitz, it seems, and of loyalists and republicans during the Troubles. (If you have a better interpretation, please leave a comment.)
The mural was imitated on the hoarding around An Chultúrlann on the Falls Road during its renovation (shown below): the left hand side of the side was replaced with images of the Falls library and Bobby Sands mural and Divis tower, and Cú Chulaınn on the right was placed in front of the GPO, and the poppies were joined by lilies, and the words translated into Irish. The message here seems clearer, lamenting the CNR dead and calling for understanding of the CNR community (sc. by Britain and the Orange state) though the poppies below include the dead of WWI.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01280 X01279 war cogaıdh, peace síocháın, remember the fallen from war cuimhnígí ar mhairbh an chogaidh, peace cannot be kept by force ní féidır síocháın a choınneáıl le fórsa, it can only be achieved by understanding is tríd an chomhthuıscınt amháın a bhaınfear amach í
A Better Future
In this new east Belfast mural, we move from a part of “violence – terrorism – conflict – imprisonment’ to a future of ‘culture – empowerment – human rights – multiculturalism’. The mural is black-and-white on one side and colour on the other. On the left we have watchtowers and paramilitaries in hats and sunglasses; on the right schoolchildren in front of city hall, working on a computer and playing football.
The mural was defaced immediately after it was finished (roughly the end of July), indicating dissatisfaction with the current direction of ‘the future’, but quickly repaired. There is a mural directly above this one. A wide shot of them both can be found below.
Update: Spring 2022 – some of the words on the colourful ‘future’ side of the mural have been painted over: “empowerment”, “equality”, “diversity”, “multiculturalism”. There is also a streak of white paint on the arm of a black person in the centre of the mural. See the final two images.
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Copyright © 2013/2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01278 X01277 X14079 X14078 looking to a better future, learning from others in conflict in northern ireland ulsters darkest day’s days trouble again bombs explode the troubles a chronology of the northern ireland conflict january-february 1973 stormont earth globe john stewart BCC press release
1690-1990
This Sandy Row mural commemorating the siege of Derry is in pretty good shape, despite being more than 20 years old. It features the coat of arms of Londonderry – see Vita, Veritas, Victoria for some background.
For more on the siege, and relief, of Derry, see Breaking The Boom. The siege ended in 1689; the battle of the Boyne was in 1690. It is in Linfield Avenue and is visible from Rowland Way, off Sandy Row.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01271 londonderry under siege no surrender
In Glorious Memory
Vintage mural in Linfield Avenue, flanking the Sandy Row Methodist church, with the 1690-1990 piece on the other side. ‘In glorious memory, 36th Ulster division. YCV – In God our trust.’
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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We Are The People
Loyalist graffiti on the corner of Wellwood Street and Sandy Row, beneath a variety of UK flags and union bunting. ‘WATP’ is ‘we are the people’; ‘FTPSNI’ is ‘eff the Police Service [of] Northern Ireland’. On the stop sign you can also see ‘UB07’ – Union Bears, a Rangers supporters club.
See previously: A New Look For Us.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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They May Have Stole Our Banner
Graffiti in Linfield Gardens (off Sandy Row) making reference to the banner shown in this entry (on a bonfire) and on-going disputes over the routes established by the Parades Commission for Orange Order marches: They may have stole[n] our banner but they will never steal our culture.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Flower Of The Linfields
The Linfield area of south Belfast is named for the flax plant, genus Linum (presumably – there doesn’t seem to be a history of the area on-line), though that plant is blue (see this image), while this one – in Linfield Gardens – is orange.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Falcons Cheerleading
The Sandy Row Falcons (cheerleading) (Fb) take the place of King Billy in Linfield Avenue; the Siege Of Derry mural remains.
The Falcons are also included in Each One Teach One.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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UDU-WDA-UDA-UFF
The gable wall at the end of Columbia Street (on Ohio Street) has been rebuilt and the old WDA/Duke Elliott mural has been replaced. Above is the right side of the piece, which describes the transition from the Woodvale Defence Association to the Ulster Defence Association to the Ulster Freedom Fighters, and grounds all three in the Ulster Defence union of 1893.
In the second image, below, Ewart’s mill, on the Ardoyne side of the Crumlin Rd, can be seen in the background. From the WP page on the Crumlin Rd … “The mill was built for William Ewart, a cotton trader and politician who switched his interests to the production of linen, which at the time became the leading industry in the city. During the Second World War the mill was converted from the production of linen to the manufacture of munitions.” There is a statue diagonally across the street (at the corner of Cambrai and Crumlin Roads) of a millworker.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Quis separabit.
This mural is dedicated to the offices and members of the WDA who gave their lives and their freedom in defence of this area. Established in 1969 in response to indiscriminate sectarian attacks by republican murder gangs, the WDA has a proud history of defending the surrounding area. With the dedication and determination the members and officers of the WDA served their community in the face of unprovoked, unwarranted and cold-blooded attacks.
In 1971 in order to combat an increasingly aggressive republican movement, the WDA amalgamated with a number of other defence groups in form the UDA. This ensured a more organised and coherent response to the onslaught faced by the citizens of Northern Ireland.
The UFF was established in 1973 to take the war to republicanism. With tenacity, courage and resilience the members of the UFF distinguished themselves in battle by striking at the very heart of republican movement and ensuring that the attacks faced by their community didn’t go unanswered.
2013: The genesis of these groups can be traced right back to the formation of the UDU in 1893. Formed to resist Home Rule in the late 19th and 20th centuries, the UDU adapted the motto Quis Separabit. This motto was used by ulster defenders throughout the period known as “the troubles”.
Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 