“In this together. No one left behind. Ireland thanks you.” Essential workers – “NHS – Store Workers – Call Centre Workers – Transport Workers – Factory Workers” – have carried on working for the last seven weeks despite the lockdown to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
Next to The Great Hunger.
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Copyright © 2020 Sabine Troendle (web | Fb)
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Coronavirus places ordinary people such as health-care workers and employees of essential businesses in extraordinary times. This new Mount Vernon mural thanks NHS staff by depicting them as supermen and -women in disguise.
In the background is Prepared For Peace, Ready For War.
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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The lower part of Hogarth Street (in Tiger’s Bay) was demolished almost a decade ago and the 20 new houses are almost completed. The homes are being built by Apex Housing Association, which says that “The houses will be modern, functional and attractive; and with public transport links, community and shopping facilities all on your doorstep, the location of Hogarth Street is ideal.” Not so ideal for taigs, though: In case the painted kerb-stones and Ulster Banners weren’t sufficient to get the message across to any Catholics who were thinking of moving in, the graffiti on the left of the street makes it clear that the area is solidly loyalist. It was washed over in reddish paint a few days later.
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Public Health England last Friday issued guidelines for reusing personal protective equipment (PPE) when stocks of fresh gowns, goggles, gloves, and masks run out. In response to concerns from local health workers, First Minister Arlene Foster has given assurances that the policy will not be adopted here (iTV | BelTel) but the on-going coronavirus pandemic means that the search for PPE continues. A quarter million gowns were transferred from Northern Ireland to England this week without any firm date for their being returned in kind (BelTel). The Orange Order, on the other hand, was able to make a contribution of masks and aprons via lodges both north and south (NewsLetter | Irish News). The mural is perhaps based on this banner.
The image below shows the mural at the time of its official launch on April 18th; it was added to the following week.
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Copyright © 2020 Sabine Troendle
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Murals and street art in support of the NHS have been painted on walls all over the province in neighbourhoods on both sides of the religious divide. The chalk drawing above (“NHS Forever”) is in Oceanic Avenue in CNR north Belfast, next to the United Irishmen mural.
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Letter-boxes in nationalist west Belfast have sometimes been painted green (e.g. 2016), though blue and not green is the official colour of Ireland. The box shown above, across from the Royal Victoria Hospital, is blue not for Ireland but in support of NHS workers during the coronavirus pandemic.
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Sylvester’s (Fb) on the Antrim Road at the Waterworks had its shutters painted with a positive message during the Coronavirus epidemic. “Stay safe”. (Update: Sylvester’s closed down in this location and took over half of the space at Manny’s in November.)
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“Donegall Pass says a big thank you” to the NHS with a blue balloon. For the UVF mural in the background on Charlotte Street, see 100 Years Apart.
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Copyright © 2020 Sabine Troendle (web | Fb)
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Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 