other – N Ireland

Our Lost Volunteers

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2014-01-12 NArdsPurpleDetail+

Armed masked men, shotgun, automatic weapon, sledgehammer, hand grenade and two pistols, with the flags of Northern Ireland, the UK and the UVF in the background. The plaque reads, “Dedicated to the memory of our lost volunteers who made the supreme sacrifice. Gone but not forgotten”. “Lest we forget” at the bottom. The full mural (below) shows (clockwise from top left) YCV, PAF (Protestant Action Force), UVF (on an Ulster shield), and 36th (Ulster) Division insignia.

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Looking Down The Barrel Of A Gun

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2014-01-09 ArmedReadyClose+

Another UVF mural in the Westwinds estate (Newtownards) in which the traditional motto of “For God and Ulster” has been replaced by “Armed And Ready”. As can be seen in the shot of the whole just below, there are two masked figures, both armed, and one points his weapon directly at the viewer and at pedestrians walking up the footpath, as can be seen in the final shot.

2014-01-09 ArmedReadyFull+

2014-01-09 ArmedReadyWide+

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Beıdh Bua Agaınn Go Fóıll

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The Irish tricolour flies outside Raymond McCreesh House – his birthplace – at Maryville, Camlough.

“Keep on marching, don’t give up – Raymond McCreesh 1957-81. Died after 61 days hunger-strike, H-Block Long Kesh 1981.” The phrase was spoken at the end of a visit with Jim Gibney.

“Beıdh bua agaınn go fóıll” [victory will be ours yet].

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Battling On

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2013-06-04 IntlWomensDay13+

This board in the Bogside is for “International Women’s Day, 8th March 2013 – Battling On: From petrol bombs to yarn bombs.” The woman in the painting – in the style of Banksy’s Flower Thrower (also imitated in Bundoran Banksy) – seems to have a petrol bomb rather than a yarn bomb.

Here is the board for 2011 International Women’s Day, on the wall next to this one.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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G8 Cover-Up

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2013-03-28 EnniskillenCoverUp2+

The Inıs Ceıthleann/Enniskillen face-lift ahead of the G8 summit in June gets under way with this (quite obviously fake) tarp with a photo of Lough Erne superimposed upon it, along the Irvinestown Road.

In the image below, taken from a railing across the street, you can see what Obama and other world leaders must not!

2013-03-28 EnniskillenCoverUp1+

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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No Beef

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2013-02-18 TheBeef+

The can be no beef with this beef. The horse-meat scandal (WP) is now a month old and has “Gone Interrailing” (Spiegel Online) to Britain and the Continent, but the reverberations can still be felt in Ireland and Northern Ireland. This butchers in Inıs Ceıthleann/Enniskillen attempts to reassure its customers by providing the provenance of this week’s beef.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Fermanagh Crannóg

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2013-02-17 CrannogWide+

This might not look like much, but these crannóg remains in Drumclay outside Enniskillen/Inıs Ceıthleann (according to the BBC) “may be the largest house structure of the period ever to be discovered” and archaeologists have said that “their discoveries will re-write the history books of ancient Irish life.” The crannog (a compound – in this case of 30+ houses – on stilts, forming an artificial island) was brought to the public eye last (2012) summer and archaeologists have until the end of this month (March, 2013) to complete their investigations – the find is holding up construction of a road needed for the G8 summit in June. (Previously on Extramural Activity: Putting On The Ritz.)

For more details of the find and efforts to gain more time for excavation, see Robert Chapple’s blog.

Below are images of (first) what is believed to be a game piece and (second) an archaeologist (Cathy Moore) holding up part of a vat/barrel, with an incised rim, and a disc. U.tv has a gallery of some of the more than 4,000 finds from the crannog, including combs, a shoe and shears.

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2013-02-17 CrannogShard+

Detail of the top picture, blown up in size … in the centre, the red circle of tape indicates the location of a house, the square lighter area is a hearth.

2013-02-17 CrannogWideFlat+

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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