Belfast

Ballymurphy Memorial

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2013-05-06 BallymurphyMemorial+

This is a memorial stone on Springhill Avenue in Ballymurphy to deceased republican volunteers from the area. This stone can be seen in the middle distance in first image in the post White Line, Black Flag.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
this monument was erected by the republican people of greater in proud and loving memory of all those volunteers from the area who gave their lives in the fight for irish freedom unveiled by gerry adams 12th may 1985 i ndíl [ndıl] cuımhne [chuımhne] i gcónaí ag na poblachtánaıgh ón cheantar barr clunaı also of the civilians who died at the hands of the british army r.u.c. u.d.r. and loyalist extremists mcparland kane maguire meehan sloan mccormick campbell magee dougal mccrudden clarke parker quigley mulholland o’rawe mccartland mulvenna pettigrew bryson teer stone mcgrillen tolan mcwilliams delaney o’neill jordan doyle mccracken mcgeown plough sunburst

White Line, Black Flag

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2013-05-05 HungerstrikersAbu+

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.

2013-05-05 WhiteLineBlackFlag+

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Belfast Such As Is

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2013-04-05 SuchAsIsWide+

Belfast in all its glory, such as [it] is: signs forbidding the posting of bills, a sign forbidding public consumption of alcohol, flyers scraped off an electrical box, double yellow lines forbidding you to park, with a car parked there nonetheless, a rusted postie’s box … and graffiti. Camden Street. Medium-range and Close-up views below.

2013-04-05 SuchAsIsMedium+

2013-04-05 SuchAsIsClose+

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Copyright © 2013 Ronan Woods
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Volunteering

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2013-05-05 TrekTheMournes+

Two of the UVF flags put up to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the formation of the UVF still flying (on May 5th) above the black-and-white UVF mural in Carrington Street at the junction with the Ravenhill Road. The flags were supposed to come down directly after the parade on April 20th (BBC-NI) but there is now confusion as to who is responsible for their removal.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01085 formation of the UVF east belfast battalion for god and ulster trek the stunning mourne mountains oxfam trailfrekker samson goliath masked

For What??

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2013-05-05 RememberLaMon+

Graffiti on Carrington Street, in east Belfast: “Remember The La Mon bombing. 13 Protestants killed. For what?? Sinn Fein vote!” The La Mon hotel and restaurant, outside Belfast, was filled with civilians enjoying dinner-dances at the time it was bombed by the IRA in February 1978 (WP).

The same graffiti appeared in Ravenhill Avenue and Clara Street.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Break The Connection With Capitalism

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2013-05-01 Anti-Fascist+

“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.

X00828 2022-03-19 Anti-Fascism plaque+

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Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01079 X00828 Original photo of the marchers, at An Phoblacht.

Béal Feırste Feabhsaıthe

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2013-05-01 Feabhsaithe+

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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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Éıre Nua

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2013-04-30 RoryOBradaighAntrimRd+

This is a recent poster (this one on the Antrim Road near Carlisle Circus) featuring the “Éıre Nua” plan of the 70s and 80s (which remains policy of Republican Sınn Féın, which split from Sınn Féın in 1986) and one of its authors, Ruaırí Ó Bradaıgh (WP). The plan calls for four parliaments, one in each of the four provinces, with a capital in Athlone. A documentary, Unfinished Business, featuring Ó Bradaıgh, can be seen here.

Update: Ó Bradaıgh died on June 5th, 2013 (Irish Times)

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Rolling Out The Red, White & Blue Carpet

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2013-04-28 HolyCrossKerb+

Holy Cross Primary – an all-girls Catholic school – sits in the loyalist Glenbryn neighbourhood, above Alliance Avenue in Ardoyne. The freshly-painted kerb-stones leave no doubt as to the precarious situation of the school, which is well-known as the site of a dispute in 2001 when loyalists attempted to block access to the school (WP).

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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