The Price Of Peace

2012-12-03 OweToFuture+

Mural facing East Belfast Remembers in mouth of Derwent St. at Newtownards Road.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00757 we owe it to the future and the victims never to forget the past. the price of peace is eternal vigilance, east belfast historical and cultural society, 20th july 1982 hyde-park 4 soldiers, 7 horses killed, 31st july 1972 claudy 9 killed in car bomb attack on co. derry village, 17th february 1978 la mon house round-up death toll 12 3 married couples are feared to be among the victims among those picked up in the raids was gerry adams a leading member of pira, 27th/28th june 1970 murder in ballymacarrett 2 innocent protestant men were murdered 28 men, women children seriously injured, 5th january 1976 kingsmills massacre massive manhunt 10 innocent men murdered by republicans, 21st novemeber 1974 birmingham pub blasts kills 21 , the troubles, lest we forget

To Those Who Built The Titanic

Pictured in the centre of the mural is Captain Edward John “Ted” Smith – who, as captain of the ship, went down with Titanic after it hit an iceberg in the North Atlantic – in between shipyard workers at Harland & Wolff, where the ship was built.

On the painted “plaque” to the left: “Her name is publicly announced in April 1908. Designation begins in March 1909. On May 31. 1911, the Titanic was launched here in Belfast, April 10, 1912. She left Southampton for New York. April 14, 1912 disaster struck in the North Atlantic ocean, 1523 people lost their lives in the disaster, 705 passengers and crew survived.”

At the bottom of the mural: “This mural is respectfully dedicated to the men, women and children who lost their lives in the waters of the North Atlantic on the night of April 14, 1912: to those who survived – whose lives from that night on were forever altered; and to those who built the Titanic [at Harland and Wolff]. We forget them not.”

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Our Wee Country

2012-12-02 OurWeeCountry+

This mural celebrates a 1-0 win by Northern Ireland over England. The image reproduces this Belfast Telegraph photograph of David Healy scoring.

Carnforth Street, clearly visible as you proceed along Albertbridge Road.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00754 John Stewart we’re not brazil my players are national heroes and have achieved immortality in folklore lawrie sanchez n.i manager; pride passion belief, http://www.ourweecountry.co.uk www ebhcs.co.uk, east belfast historical and cultural society, irish football association, wed 7 sept 2005 Healy (74) att. 14,000 windsor park

Memory Chair

The chair and shoes in the foreground of the David Ervine board are a bronze sculpture, shown above. There are a number of (sculpted) items on the seat of the chair: a ticket for the Titanic, a little (prayer?) book with a poppy on the cover, and a pipe.

According to the Belfast Telegraph, the whole is meant to symbolize the industrial and cultural heritage of the area and the pipe is David Ervine’s pipe. The pipe would also tie him to Gusty Spence (cited in this republican mural about collusion), who also smoked a pipe. The prayer book would be for Protestantism, the poppy for loyalism and service in WWI, and the ticket for the shipyard. As for the boots, they appear to be of a modern design, but are perhaps meant to symbolize the working class, today and yesterday.

Both the sculpture and the board are by Ross Wilson.

Montrose Street South, east Belfast

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Sic Semper Artificibus In Muris Scribentibus

Thus Always To Graffiti Artists! These pictures were taken on Thursday (September 13th, 2012) and by Sunday (16th) the graffiti was gone, painted out! Belfast City Council have over this past year or so been diligent in painting out fly-postings – mostly paper ones advertising concerts and other events – but here they have painted out a political message.

The scene is the gateway to the now derelict and abandoned site of the old Sirocco works at Bridge End, on the city side of Short Strand.

You can glimpse the newer bubble-capitalism in the new-build apartments in the distance.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00639 X00640 sirocco, corrupt governments of the world you’re sacked one love, oil boiler scrappage scheme, call now to scrap your old boiler and save money

Our Brave Defenders

In memory of the dead from the 36th (Ulster) Division in St Leonard’s Crescent (the old Newcastle Street) in east Belfast.

The four main panels show …

the men of the 36th going over the top on the first day of the Somme (1st July 1916),

the “angel of Mons” (WP),

Ulster Tower (This tower was dedicated to the glory of God. In grateful memory of the officers, non commissioned officers and men of the 36th (Ulster) Division, and of the sons of Ulster in other forces who laid down their lives in the great war, and of all their comrades in arms who, by divine grace, were spared to testify to their glorious deeds. “Throughout the long years of struggle …. the men of Ulster have proved how nobly they fight and die” – 16th November 1918 King George V),

and Thiepval Memorial (Dear men and brothers, going out/to fight for Ulster’s need/we hail you with a mighty shout/brave friends, and true in deed.//Your country holds you in renown/your names will never be dead/and some sweet angel has a crown/for each dear, manly head.)

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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