London-/Derry

VE Day

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May 8th this year (2020) marks the 75th anniversary of victory over the Nazis in Europe, or VE Day. (The war against Japan would not end until August 1945.) Celebrations were muted, however, by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, which meant that people dared not congregate in parades or services to mark the occasion. The bunting above is in Sperrin Park in Londonderry’s Caw, which took part in the socially-distanced street party; the window below, which gives dual attention to both VE Day and NHS workers, is in Alexandra Park Avenue in Belfast.

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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Someone To Watch Over Me

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The outside of Creggan community centre (managed by the Old Library Trust) has been decorated (by UVArts) with a big “thank you” to “all our workers” – particularly nurses, binmen, and postmen – who have continued providing public services during the coronavirus pandemic.

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Copyright © 2020 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
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Thank You NHS

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Link 47 (in the Crescent Link Retail Park, London-/Derry) is currently only doing take-out and delivery but the mural on its side wall supports the NHS workers who have been going to work daily during the coronavirus pandemic.

The mural is by UV Arts (web), who also did Someone To Watch Over Me in Creggan.

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Copyright © 2020 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
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The Gloves Are On

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All three of these murals in support of NHS staff and key workers – from the Waterside, Irish Street, and Caw areas of Londonderry – are the work of  brothers Dee, Mark, and Peter Logan (Derry Now).

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Copyright © 2020 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
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Ar Scıatha A Chéıle A Mhaıreann Na Daoıne

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“We salute our key workers.” The Irish saying “Ar scáth a chéıle a mhaıreann na daoıne” means “the people abide in each other’s shadow”. This version of Free Derry Corner shows an NHS doctor and nurse in the shadow of a pair of wings, hence our title: “scıath” = wing or shield.

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Copyright © 2020 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
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Weeds Shall Overcome

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According to the All-Ireland Bumble Bee Monitoring Scheme, data collected by 80 citizen scientists shows that a third of the bee species in Ireland is threatened with extinction (Irish Times). The mural above from UV Arts in Rossville Street aims to bring attention to bees and to promote the growth of wild flowers.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X06396 X06397 “This mural was designed and created by participants from Zero Waste North West in collaboration with UV Arts CIC and Grow Wild. The project set out to celebrate our native wildflowers and weeds which bees rely on so heavily. There are many different types of weeds, even the most intrusive gives something back, they green over the dereliction we have created, they grow in the most hostile environments – a bombed city, a crack in a wall – meaning that they insinuate the idea of wild nature into places otherwise shorn of it, but most of all they provide a vital food source for our declining bee population. We want to promote and celebrate the role of the humble weed in our society by encouraging people to grow wild, connect with nature, celebrate diversity, and protect the eco-systems that protect our planet.”

Comrades In Arms

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John Meeke signed the Ulster Covenant in Dervock Orange Hall in 1912 and went to war with the Ulster Volunteers. Willie Redmond, brother of John Redmond, had been jailed three times and was a nationalist MP at Westminster when, at age 53, he signed up for service.

Major Redmond went over the top with the 16th (Irish) Division at Messines Ridge and was hit by machine-gun fire. Private Meeke, a stretcher-bearer with the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers in the 36th (Ulster) Division, found and stayed with Redmond under heavy fire, taking two bullets himself.

Redmond would die that night. He was awarded the Legion Of Honour by the French. His East Clare seat was taken by Éamon de Valera. Meeke survived after several surgeries. He was awarded the Military Medal by the British. After the World War, he joined the Specials and LOL 1001 in Benvarden before dying of TB in 1923 (NALIL | Irish Times | WP | BelTel).

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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