Belfast north

Solidarity With Palestine

Extramural Activity3 Comments

The Dome Of The Rock with its golden dome and octagonal walls (WP) provides a background to Palestinian protesters in this Ard Eoın/Ardoyne board expressing solidarity with Palestine. Éıstıgí (Fb) is the youth division of Saoradh (web), and IRPWA (tw) is its prisoner-of-war organisation.

This is a printed board but even so the artwork is in a different style to what has been previously seen, with the two characters drawn in a cartoon/animation style. (See, e.g., End Maghaberry Torture previously in this spot, or Leave Our Kids Alone around the corner in Ardoyne Ave, or The Rising Of The Moon in Derry.)

For the current Kickham’s mural in the background: see The Heart Of Our Community.

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Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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A Place For Everyone

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“I loved it here, and still miss it. The characters that came into the shop … and I miss the craic!” The advertising hoardings at the corner of Ligoniel and Crumlin roads have been replaced with this community alcove with pavers and a space for “sharing positive stories together” at “the turn of the road” from Ballysillan towards Ligoniel village. The plaque to the UDA’s Bill Reynolds, which stood on the building where he was killed until the building was demolished (see the old plaque) and then replaced with a new plaque next to the hoarding, has been included.

“In loving memory [UDA] Lt. Col. Bill Reynolds murdered [by the IRA] 7-7-87. Always remembered by his family, friends and comrades. Quis separabit.”

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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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To The Ends Of The Earth

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Here is another collection of images related to the Noah Donohoe campaign – this is now our twelfth entry on the topic. The tarp and painted fencing, below, are from the Antrim Road, in north Belfast; the clothing bin is in bus turn-around just beyond Ligoniel; the sticker is in Dublin.

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First and last images Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
Middle two images Copyright © 2021 Sabine Troendle (web | Fb)
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Like The Eternal Flame

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“Like the eternal flame your memory will never die.” “Unbowed, unbroken – this garden is dedicated to all our fallen dead from Ardoyne, Bone, and Ligoniel who lost their lives as a direct result of the conflict. We also honour all those people who played an active part in our struggle for Irish freedom. ‘It is not those who inflict the most, but those that endure the most, that shall prevail’ [Terence McSwiney]”. The central plaque shows the pediment and statues on “ard-oıfıg an phoıst” (the GPO in Dublin, 1916) and the Maid Of Erin harp (of 1798). The celtic cross was previously in the memorial garden at the corner of Berwick Road – see Freedom Hath Arisen.

In the distance of the final image is the Sean Mac Dıarmada mural.

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Copyright © 2017 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Perverting The Course Of Justice

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Here is another set of images concerned with the on-going search for answers related to the death of teenager Noah Donohoe and to the PSNI inquiry into his death. It is now 67 weeks since Noah’s death and a new Facebook page has been set up to campaign for justice, and a petition to demand the resignation of Chief Constable Simon Byrne. These images are from the upper Falls and New Lodge areas of Belfast.

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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Genocide In Ireland

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Photography was still in its infancy in 1850 and would not appear in newspapers until the 1880s (LoC). Instead, newspapers used illustrations to bring their stories to life. This board in Ard An Lao (Ardoyne/Bone) – “An Gorta Mór [The Great Hunger] 1845-1851 – The Great Irish Famine” – combines three of them to serve as a background for other images and information.

On the left is Family Being Evicted From Their Home In Rural Ireland.

At the centre is Searching For Potatoes In A Stubble Field from the Illustrated London News. ILN images are a staple of Belfast muraling on the Great Hunger: they were previously used in 1995 (An tOcras Mór in the New Lodge), 1999 (Ireland’s Holocaust on the Whiterock Rd), 2002 (An Gorta Mór in Ardoyne). (Here is a list, with links, of all of the illustrations of Ireland in ILN from the period 1845-1852.)

On the right is food arriving from the USA in the famine of 1879-1880.

See also The Mass Graves Of Ireland.

See also the Visual History page on the Great Hunger in muraling.

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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Continuing Their Legacy

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“This plaque commemorates the centenary of the Easter Rising and the sacrifice of all those men and women who took part. We will remember their unwavering stance against British imperialism and its rule. We will acknowledge their influence on following generations to continue their legacy. In particular we remember all those old republicans from within this area, the Bone, who campaigned through the decades to fulfill the aspirations of the 1916 combatants. (Con Colbert) An Irish martyr who came to be defined by his favourite phrase “For my God and my country” fought on Marrowbone Lane [Dublin], 1916″.

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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Gin Tonic

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Eimear’s Wish (web) last night launched a fundraising and blood cancer awareness campaign selling gin with a bottle raffled to supporters attending the first Irish League match of the new seasons between Glenavon and Portadown; it has the support of many soccer, rugby, GAA, and bowling clubs – this is the tarp outside Seaview on the Shore Road, Belfast. “Crusaders FC & Eimear’s Wish working together to raise stem cell donor awareness in Northern Ireland and create hope for people with life threatening illness.”

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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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