Belfast city centre

To Be Continued

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Castlebrooke Investment’s Tribeca Belfast team have revealed(!) dates for a new plan and public consultation on their redevelopment project in the “triangle beside the cathedral”/North East Quarter/Royal Exchange. Here is Save the Cathedral Quarter’s description of the problems with the previous plan. In response to feedback, it seems the new plan will reduce the tower from 27 to 10 storeys and retain a redeveloped North Street arcade, among other changes (BelTel).

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Like The Souk In An Hibernian Casablanca

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Here are two more images of the new mural of the old Smithfield Market in Gresham Street by KVLR and JMK. According to the Glenravel booklet on the market, its creation goes back to about 1770. The title of the post is how the market was described in when a cover was added in the late 1800s (CultureNI); the booklet contains a directory from 1880 that includes tinsmiths, a basket maker, a cooper, and a hackler (a flax-comber).

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Old Smithfield

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Here are two images – one close-up, one wide shot – of the new mural in Gresham Street by KVLR and JMK of the old Smithfield Market. The market was fire-bombed in 1974 (gallery of 10 images at the Tele), quickly rebuilt with wood, and replaced permanently in 1986.

See also Like The Souk In An Hibernian Casablanca.

For images of the existing market, and paintings inside it of the old market, see Smithfield Market and My Old Toy Box.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Generation Edd Balls

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No idea about either the original or the modification – possibly to do with Ed Balls Day, April 28th? Please comment/e-mail if you know more.

Update: Based on the comment from ‘anonymous’, the original was the symbol of Generation Identity, a lambda in a circle (discussed previously in Identity Movement Ireland), which was then blotted out by the anarchists and further modified with “Edd Balls” by a wag.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The Spirit Of The Age

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The Hill Street Bar Band, originally painted by Glen Molloy (Fb) on the hoarding around a the construction at the Harp bar, has relocated to the courtyard of the Dark Horse. Shown above are Nathan Connolly, Una Healy, (and Gary Lightbody); below are Van Morrison, Bap Kennedy, Brian Kennedy, Fatboy Slim.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Tyred Of Your Culture

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There’s one month to go before 11th night bonfires (and parades on the 12th) and collection of pallets is well under way in loyalist areas. TLO (web) is back this year protesting the use of tyres on bonfires, with King Billy and horse crushed beneath a pile tyres. Under the ‘bonfire management programme’ communities receive funds only if their pyres do not contain tyres. The Irish News reports that 72 groups have signed up this year, down from 95 in 2015. 40% of Belfast fires are in the scheme (BelTel).

Below is one of last year’s posters – still visible – partly covered with a pride sticker (see Good Year For A Bonfire and below that Lost Duppy).

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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