Here’s a mural by Friz (who was featured painting in east Belfast), on the Cupar Way peace line. This mural went up earlier this (2012) summer, but it is already covered in signatures and messages from tourists, who are encouraged to write on (some of?) the pieces on Cupar Way. There’s a “clean” version on Friz’s own blog.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00609
Graffiti on Northumberland St. in relation to the assassination of Alan Ryan (background: Irish Times, Belfast Telegraph)
Update: Graffiti in Derry (Derry Journal) | in Dublin (Sunday World)
Update #2: Irish Times article on possible reprisal killing.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00602 RIP Alan Ryan, Pushers Out, support the pows, cogus, rnu, http://www.republicannetwork,ie
Graffiti in lower Shankill: “Free the Lower Shankill Six!! Send our prisoners home.”
According to this blog post, this is not political, but refers instead to six fellas done for stealing pallets. (Which perhaps means we can safely enjoy the old joke about the journalist asking the politician, “And what do you think about the Renault 5?”. To which the politician replied, “I think they should be released immediately.”)
To the right is a C-18 swastika.
Previously the “Play” mural and before that the “Can it change? We believe!” mural.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00599 enda C-18 ?? swastika
This is a 2010 mural of Máıre Drumm and the women of West Belfast breaking the British Army curfew of the lower Falls in 1970 (youtube). Drumm was later shot dead in her bed in the Mater hospital where she was a patient (WP).
The mural was unveiled July 4th on the 40th anniversary of the curfew’s end – see p. 28 of An Phoblacht. This version incorporates two of the ‘Free Marian Price’ (painted) “posters” that have been added to most of the murals – see the Visual History page on the International wall. The original can be seen in M05636. A shot of this mural being painted can be found here.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00597 oppression breeds resistance, resistance brings freedom, falls curfew july 1970, dedicated to all those women who faced up to military aggression, free marian price, i ndil chuimhne william burns 3-7-70 charles o’neill 3-7-70, zbigniew uglik 4-7-70, patrick elliman 11-7-70, murdered by the british army during the falls curfew of july 3-5 1970. the curfew was finally broken by the courage and determination of the women of belfast
This mural expresses solidarity between Irish republican and Palestinian prisoners of war. It was painted by a local artist in collaboration with Carlos Latuff, a Brazilian political cartoonist. There’s a picture of Latuff and the local artist in front of the mural, as well as his cartoon version, here. (Update: he also drew a cartoon on the wall of a café in Belfast city centre.) He also visited Derry.
Northumberland Street, west Belfast
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00586 solidarity pows
This is the new Michael Conlan mural, on Violet Street, painted by Marty Lyons. It is notable for how quickly it went up (Conlon (and Barnes) won medals on August 11th), for the sponsorship (by the Beehive and McPeakes), and for the artists’ signatures (below the McPeakes label – click on the image to enlarge).
Boxing is organized on an all-island basis (WP), though at the Olympics boxers can choose to fight for either Ireland or GBNI.
At London 2012, Ireland won four medals in boxing. Conlan, Barnes, Katie Taylor (gold) and John Joe Nevin (silver).
(P.S. The Nevins are travellers (WP) and Mr and Mrs Nevin could not find an establishment in Mullingar where they could watch the fight – they had to go out of town to a pub where they weren’t known. )
Here’s a picture of the mural in progress. (Replaces the Celtic mural.)
Other Olympians: In London, a mural of Usain Bolt. In the U.S., a mural was painted of gymnastic champion Gabby Douglas. Irish/Northern Irish Olympians in Belfast. Anti-corporate Olympics mural.
Violet Street, west Belfast
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00584
“Get the real story – local history from local people – take a black taxi tour – West Belfast Taxi Association – 40 years unbroken service”. The tours of “local” history are of course aimed at non-locals as part of the ‘dark tourism’ or ‘Troubles tourism’ boom.
Here is the Getty Images photo of British Army soldiers on the Falls Road in 1969, on which the mural is based.
International Wall, Divis, west Belfast
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00808
“Suicide Awareness. It’s always too early to quit, live life to the full. A helping hand is near. Love your life, love your community” with the numbers for Lifeline and Suicide Awareness. By Divis Youth Project.
Albert Street, Divis, west Belfast
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2012 Extramural Activity
X05259
This is a new mural in support of the Basque country and in particular political prisoners, unveiled today as part of Féıle 202 in Beechmount, west Belfast. The designs to the left and the right are described in a comment below – thanks BasqueMurals.
Previous Basque mural on Divis St, lower Falls.
Below, a young traditional singer from the Basque country singing at the launch of the new mural.
Click to enlarge
Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00576 X00577 saoırse; askatasuna; belfast basque solidarity committee; free all basque political prisoners
“Support the Maghaberry “Dirty Protest” 1981-2011″. Republican prisoners in Maghaberry began a dirty protest of throwing urine and excrement onto prison landings, as well as not washing or shaving, to protest forced strip searches (BBC).
See previously: Maghaberry Concentration Camp.
Beechmount Ave/Ascaill Ard Na bhFeá, west Belfast
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00876
Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 