The anti-Thatcher slogan on Black Mountain above Ballymurphy was replaced with “Hunger Strikers Abú”. May 5th was the anniversary of Bobby Sands’ death in 1981 and a “white line” protest took place – marchers walk down the white line in the middle of road – with participants bearing Sands’ image and carrying a black flag.
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“In Memory of the Belfast men who fought against fascism with the international brigade, Spanish civil war 1936 – 1939.” The colours of the international brigade (red, yellow and purple – here a lighter violet colour) serve as a background.
The board shows Belfast socialists walking at Bodenstown, 1934 as part of the annual Wolfe Tone commemoration, held each year in June. Tone, an Anglican and the founder of the United Irishmen, is buried in the Bodenstown graveyard. Sources report, however, that there was an attempt to exclude these marchers, from “Shankill Rd Belfast Branch”, from part of the 1934 commemoration. The reasons given vary: they were carrying a non-standard banner, they had communist leanings, and, they were Protestants. (See Paddy Byrne | WP1 – though a different banner is mentioned | WP2 – see “legacy” section | WP3 – see fn. 1).
The plaque to the right reads: “In memory of all those who fought in Spain against Fascism 1936-1939. This mural was erected by Teach Na Fáılte Republican Ex-Prisoners Support Group and Belfast City Council. It was unveiled on April 20th, 2013 (irsp.ie). Signed “[Fra] Maher 2013”.
Northumberland Street, west Belfast.
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X01079 X00828 Original photo of the marchers, at An Phoblacht.
Irish-language signage from Belfast City Council at the corner of An Bealach Leathan/Broadway and Bóthar na bhFál/Falls Road. On the left you can see the English translation of the central board’s “Ag tógáıl Béal Feirste feabhsaıthe”: “Building a better Belfast”. The building shown to the right and left of the centre is proposed for the site.
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Two side of the same peace line, with new, near-identical street-art on each side. Above, the view from the Protestant (Woodvale/Shankill) side; below, the view from the Ardoyne side.
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Black-and-white and colour versions (see below) of graffiti on Divis Street celebrating the death of Margaret Thatcher. The power of the state lives on, however, in the surveillance camera atop the pole. (Previously: Rot In Hell | Living Like Animals | Thatcher The Real Criminal | Thatcherism | Rust In Peace.)
“Ding-dong! The witch is dead” (from The Wizard Of Oz) (youtube) went to #2 in the singles charts in the aftermath of Thatcher’s death.
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In addition to the seven signatories of the Proclamation of an Irish Republic, 9 other leaders of the Easter Rising were executed in the wake of the rebellion. The portraits of all 16 are part of this new mural (on boards) of Walter Paget’s painting The Birth Of The Irish Republic. (For Paget’s painting, see the painting’s Visual History page.) In order of appearance, the 16 (with links to their WP pages) are …
(Left-hand side)
In Lake Glen Drive, on the side of the Felons’ Club, Andersonstown, west Belfast
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“Thatcher The Real Criminal” on Black Mountain, overlooking the Springfield Road, with a Mo Chara Kelly mural in the foreground, commemorating the deaths of five people shot by British army snipers in 1972.
This picture was taken on April 18th; on April 19th the lettering on the hillside had been removed.
Recent posts related to the death of Margaret Thatcher: Rot In Hell | Rust In Peace | Living Like Animals.
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X01054 springhill westrock massacre, paddy butler 39, david mccafferty 15, margaret gargan 13, john dougal 16, fr. noel fitzpatrick 40, belfast’s bloody sunday on the 9th july 1972 the british army murdered 5 irish citizens and severely wounded 2 others; it’s time for the truth
A small sign of progress, perhaps: these new gates at the bottom of Howard Street are see-through and reveal the hills in the distance. For comparison, see the solid yellow gates on the Cupar Way (Shankill) side.
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A broken-down car at the top of the Westlink in the shadow of Divis flats, beside a poster reading “Poverty capital of the six counties. Nearly half of all kids here live in poverty. Stormont isn’t working for them! Equal rights and equal opportunities … cherishing all the children of the nation equally – Proclamation of 1916”.
(Previously: Isn’t Working)
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A bilingual board encouraging tourism in CNR west Belfast. The attractions listed are múrphıctúrí [sic], títhe [sic] phobaıl agus reılıgí, ceol agus damhsa, ıarsmalaınn poblachtach, nádúr, ealaín agus cultúr, gaırdíní chuımhneacháın, spóırt Gaelach, ár staır le blıanta beaga [murals, churches and cemeteries, music and dance, republican museums, nature, arts and culture, memorial gardens, Gaelic games, recent history].
By Rısteard Ó Murchú in Nansen Street/Sráıd Nansen, west Belfast/ıarthar Béal Feırste.
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Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 