Belfast south

Belfast Melt

Extramural Activity1 Comment

“Together building a united community” (“T:BUC” for short) is an Executive-Office strategy (pdf) aiming (among other things) at “good relations” for children and young people. The web page details various programmes that fall under this initiative, including youth camps that bring together children from different religious communities.

The piece shown combines wild-style writing with graphics of landmarks (The Big Fish, Albert clock) and “hello” in various languages, including Irish.

With support from South Belfast Alternatives (web) and Flour Power sandwich shop (web) – “home of the Belfast Melt” – both in Donegall Pass.

Between Posnett Street and Chambers Street.

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Copyright © 2023 Cathal Woods
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Our Identity

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The Ulster Unionist Council organised the signing of the Covenant in September, 1912, and in January 1913 voted to bring together the militias that had been formed in various places into an Ulster Volunteer Force. One of these was a South Belfast battalion that had formed in 1912 (History Ireland). Hence, both “1912” and “1913” are given as dates for the creation of the battalion. When the Volunteers were integrated into the Ulster Division for the Great War, the South Belfast Volunteers joined the 10th battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles.

Of course, the boards above and immediately below concerning the 1912/1913 Ulster Volunteers serve double duty alongside the three other boards shown here which concern the modern UVF and the current protests against Brexit/NI Protocol/Windsor Framework.

The advertising hoarding has been informally re-purposed by the UVF for several years, and its de-commercialisation is now complete with the addition of this printed board.

“Loyalist Village says No! to an Irish Sea border.” “The prevention of the erosion of our identity , our culture and our heritage. We will preserve this no matter the cost. We will not be the generation to fail Ulster.”

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Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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This Area Needs Social Housing

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According to Housing Executive figures, only 405 social houses were built in 2022-2023, compared to a projected a need of more than 24,000 homes (ITV). Belfast City Council’s ‘Local Development Plan’ has set a quota of 20% social and affordable housing for developers (Inside Housing).

There have been calls for more housing in various areas of Belfast; see previously: Every Generation Needs Regeneration | Is This Our City? | Homes!!! | Build Homes Now.

These images are from Sandy Row – on the former site of Gilpin’s – and Donegall Road – on waste ground at Monarch Street – both in south Belfast.

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Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Our Most Gracious Sovereign

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“In loving memory of our most gracious sovereign – Queen Elizabeth II 1926-2022. God save the Queen.” The platinum (70th) jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II, celebrated in June, 2022, was followed a short time later by her death, on September 8th. These two boards in Maldon Street, mark the two events.

Replaces a Ruby Murray board and the info board that went with the John Darren Sutton painting of King Billy in Tavanagh St.

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Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Lagan Kingfisher

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These are the two sides of the electrical box next to emic’s large wildflowers mural, presumably also by emic (ig). Above is the kingfisher on the Collingwood side and below are the flowers the embankment side. The kingfisher or cruıdín is common throughout Ireland (BirdwatchIreland), including Belfast. Here are two videos of kingfishers on the Lagan: Tom McClean | Tony Dalton.

Here is a Visual History page of electrical boxes in Belfast.

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Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Horsey Hill

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The Lagan river between Belfast and Lisburn was made navigable in 1763 after seven years of work. The remaining distance between there and Lough Neagh (and the coalfields of east Tyrone, which were connected to Lough Neagh and then Portadown and Newry) required a canal, which finally opened on January 1st, 1794. The were 27 locks on the route between Belfast and the lough, and horses walking on the tow-parth would pull the barges up river (WP | Lagan Valley | Lagan Navigation has photographs of horses at work). Horsey Hill was perhaps the site of stables in south Belfast; it is now the name of the alley that continues on towards the river from the Ukraine sunflower mural off Harrow Street in the Holylands.

Forward South Partnership/Connor McKernan’s video about the history of the Holylands, including Horsey Hill, can be seen on youtube.

Painted by Daniela Balmaverde (ig) and DMC. At the bottom of Horsey Hill, along the embankment, are Animals Two By Two.

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Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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A Citizens’ Assembly

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The Citizens’ Assembly is a group of 99 randomly-chosen Irish citizens, plus a chair, that considers large-scale issues over the course of months. It began in 2016 by taking up the Eighth Amendment on abortion, the “pensions timebomb” fixed-term parliaments, voter turnout and referendums, and climate change – it is not restricted, like its predecessor the Constitutional Convention, to constitutional issues (WP). The 2020-2021 Assembly considered gender equality and biodiversity loss. Sınn Féın called for an Assembly on Irish unity at its November (2022) Ard Fheıs (Irish Examiner | Derry Journal | youtube panel) and Belfast City Council passed an SDLP motion to recommend that the Taoıseach form an Assembly (News Letter); in December, the Dublin City Council approved a measure calling for an Assembly to consider the topic (SF).

“The Irish government should establish a citizens’ assembly on Irish unity/tıonól na saoránach ar aontú na hÉıreann.” Sınn Féın’s preferred outcome of such a process is given at the bottom of the board: “#Time4Unity/Am d’Aontacht”. The images show the board in north Belfast (Limestone Road).

The “Bill Of Shame” (on the left of the wide image) is the legislation to forbid prosecutions for legacy killings.

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