Belfast west

Upward

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The new arch at Denmark Street and Carlisle Circus, next to the Clifton Street Orange Hall, was a year in the planning, both technical and financial (News Letter). There are seven windows and four flag-holders built into the arch. On the Denmark Street side, we see the emblem of the Association Of Loyal Orangewomen Of Ireland, the breaking of the boom (to end the Siege Of Derry), National Memorial (in the arboretum in Staffordshire), Elizabeth’s platinum jubilee (crown and Bible over rose, thistle, shamrock, daffodil, New Zealand silver fern, and Canadian maple leaf), City Of Belfast Loyal Orange Widows Fund, Orange Order symbols. On the Carlisle Circus side, we see the shutting of the gates (to start the Siege Of Derry), William Johnston (WP), the stained-glass window in Schomberg House to murdered OO members, Pietro Annigonni’s 1995 portrait of Queen Elizabeth on garter day (WP), Wehle’s portrait of Martin Luther, and the 36th Division going over the top.

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Every Child Has The Right To Play

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The mural by Ed Reynolds (Fb) is on aluminum sheets on the side of the community centre in Denmark Street, Belfast, where he also did a WWI board – see Dead Man’s Penny. It is similar to the mural by Reynolds that used to be on a nearby gable (PLAY) in the lower Shankill estate.

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The People’s Monarch

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The long-standing display for Queen Elizabeth II’s sixtieth (diamond) jubilee has been replaced with a new set of images for her platinum jubilee, including a series of panels of colourings by local school-children: “The Platinum Jubilee mural has been created by P7 primary school pupils in the Greater Shankill area to celebrate Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s Jubilee in June 2022. The pupils involved from Edenbrooke, Glenwood, Blackmountain, Springhill, Springfield, Harmony, Forthriver and Malvern enjoyed creating the collage for a once in a lifetime art mural.”

The mural was launched on June 4th (Belfast Live).

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X10456 X10457 X10458 X10461 X10455 Crimea St “The people’s monarch, her sovereign majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.” “Dirige Deus gressus meos – May God grant my steps”. “Princess, queen, mother.” “As this day draws to its close, I know that my abiding memory of it will be, not only the solemnity and beauty of the ceremony, but the inspiration of your loyalty and affection. I thank you all from a full heart. God bless you all. – Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, 2nd June, 1952.”

SPB Way

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Bell Close, at the top of the old Shankill allotments, has been given an alternative name – “SPB Way” – by the Shankill Protestant Boys flute band (Fb) who use the social club previously belonging to the Shankill Homing Pigeon club. The mosaic on the far wall was previously in Carnan St, which was also given an alternative name by the SPB: C Coy St (see M04515).

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Don’t Play England’s Game

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“No extradition! Don’t play England’s game” – after years of legal wrangling, Liam Campbell was extradited to Lithuania on charges of procuring weapons for the Real IRA (BBC | Saoradh). See previously: Silence Is Complicity. Cıarán Maguire was handed over to the PSNI by Gardaí in April 2021 (Donegal Daily).

The boards shown above and at bottom are in Braemar Street (Falls) and Brompton Park (Ardoyne). The small diamond version (also in Ardoyne) is mounted above one of the “Slow – Go mall” signs from Sınn Féın that were described as “intimidatory” by local DUP Assembly member and are perhaps also illegal under the Roads Order (NI) 1993 (Belfast Live).

For the Ard Eoın Kickhams mural, see The Heart Of Our Community.

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Cearta Teanga

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The Identity And Language bill is making its way through the House Of Lords. Here is the web page for the stages of the processes. The “report” stage – when it is open to the whole body for amendment – begins on July 6th; the bill drew criticism from DUP peers during the second reading (BelTel). The graffiti and stencil shown above in support of an Act is on the Falls Road.

The second image is from Divis Street. For Carl Hardebeck, see Music – Light In Darkness.

The third image is from the RVH wall, next to Victory To The Workers.

Previously from this year: A Tale Of Two Protests | Multicultural East Belfast; from earlier: Acht Anoıs | #AchtAnoıs.

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Tennent Street Young Guns

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The only references to TYG appear to be flags and graffiti in this street (Upper Riga Street) going back to 2012, though the stencils shown here claim the group was established in 2007. Please get in touch if you have more information.

There is a mural version of the speeding sign on the Shankill – see Kill Your Speed.

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Families Beyond Conflict

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PUL areas all over Belfast have their own version of this tarp celebrating Queen Elizabeth’s platinum jubilee; the one shown today is in the upper Shankill: “Tennent Street would like to thank her majesty Queen Elizabeth II on devoting 70 years of service to our great nation. God save the Queen.”

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Stand By

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There’s no sectarian muraling yet concerning the Russian invasion of Ukraine, as distinct from pieces in shared spaces by street artists – see Ukraine Has Suffered Enough by FGB | Take These Seeds by emic | Нет войне! by Leo Boyd.

Previously we featured anti-Russian graffiti in east Belfast, pro-Donetsk graffiti in CNR west Belfast (Ireland Supports The People Of Donetsk, updated in My Enemy’s Enemy) and a mixture of pro-peace and anti-NATO pieces.

Today’s post shows a small sample of pro-Ukraine flags in PUL areas, including the Shankill (above, over the Bayardo Bombing memorial; something similar was seen in Ballycarry) and (below) the Village, and on the CNR side, a Russian and a Soviet flag flying from Divis tower (final image).

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