City/Town

Can The Centre Hold?

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In 2017 the New Lodge anti-internment bonfire was removed by the Housing Executive based on concerns that it was too close to buildings (BBC-NI) and in 2018 community negotiations arranged for it not to be built at all, in exchange for tickets to a Féıle concert (Republican News | IRSP). But the bonfire is back this year, built directly on Queens Parade, and with it the anti-social behaviour that is thought by some (e.g. Alex Maskey) to be the real reason for the bonfire. “Such is the lawlessness,” reports the Irish News (one | two), that youths minding the fire have been seen powering an Xbox from a lamppost. Also, four nights of rioting (NewsLetter | iTV). In response to the growing attention, the graffiti above (“Our wood goes, this centre goes”) has appeared on a wall of the North Belfast Family Centre, along with graffiti threatening Sinn Féin councillor JJ Magee (see image below; Magee commented on the 2016 bonfire dispute in this Slugger article) and against any contractors who might be hired to remove the materials. As of 7 p.m. last night, the bonfire was still in place. If it has not been removed (by the Department Of Infrastructure) it will be lit tonight.

For the phrasing, see previously: Our Wood Goes Your Windows Go in Longlands.
For threats against contractors, see previously: Masked Republican Mercenaries.

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X06739 X06743 X06740 [X06741] [X06742] “JJ we know your address”

One Of Ulster’s Finest

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“In memory of Gary McCann (Magoo) – one of Ulster’s finest. GBNF [Gone but not forgotten].” In addition to being a Linfield supporter, McCann was also a volunteer in the Village UVF. He died in 2016. See The Battalion Of The Dead.

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The Loyal 36th

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“Off to France our boys were sent. All gave some, some gave all – In memory of the loyal 36th.” The first phrase might come from the Rangers’ song ‘We’re Coming Down The Road‘. The second phrase dates not to WWI but the Korean War in the 1950s (Reference). Kitchener Drive, the Village.

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Parkside

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The new homes in Parkside Gardens were completed in March 2018 (in the same style as the award-winning houses in Parkend), but the security fencing separating Newington from Mountcollyer remain. The “park” in question is Alexandra Park, believed to be Europe’s only park with a “peace” line running through it (BBC) – see previous posts from 2011 and 2013.

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In The Heart Of This Vibrant City

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“Gardiner Square” will be a new development at the junction of Gardiner and N King streets, where a Union Flag now flies. The promotional materials for the development tout Belfast’s business potential and promise that  it is a “short walk” to the “highly anticipated Tribeca Project“. It’s not clear whether the flag will still be flying when the units open. (See previously: the plethora of UVF boards in the Village in response to the on-going redevelopment of the Village (from 2012 to the present).

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Kingdom Of The Pretani

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“Pretani” is the Brittonic version of the Greek term “Prettanoi”, possibly borrowed from the Gauls (WP), for the inhabitants of the two islands now known as Ireland and Britain, and “Cruthin” the Gaelic term. According to the eponymous web site, Dalaradia was “was a kingdom of the Cruthin in the north-east of Ireland and parts of Scotland in the first millennium” with the Cruthin being (more narrowly than above) a people in Antrim and Down with (in the middle of the mural) “the field of Crewe Hill, with the Ancient Crowning Stone of Ulster Kings” (REACH) in Glenavy (pretani.co.uk).

The WP page on the Cruthin notes, “The name Cruthin survives in the placenames Duncrun (Dún Cruithean, “fort of the Cruthin”) and Drumcroon (Droim Cruithean, “ridge of the Cruthin”) in County Londonderry, and Ballycrune (Bealach Cruithean, “pass of the Cruthin”) and Crown Mound (Áth Cruithean, “ford of the Cruthin”) in County Down. These placenames are believed to mark the edges of Cruthin territory.”

The towers of Rathcoole can be seen underneath the slogan “Respect, heritage, culture.” They also famously appear behind a trio of hooded gunmen in a Rathcoole mural.

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Welcome To The Shankill Road

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This is the new ‘Welcome To The Shankill (Road)’ mural in Gardiner Street, which replaces the one that had been there since (at least) 2009 (see Welcome To The Shankill).

The mural is a version of the old Beverley Street ‘welcome’ mural (by Blaze FX), with the same four panels (parades/bonfire, blitz, sports, murals) and the same three hands. But instead of “Proud, Defiant, Welcoming” we now have “Proud, Resilient, Welcoming”. (I Am Not Resilient in the lower Shankill complains that the word is used to justify neglect and/or maltreatment.)

It escaped no one’s notice that, although the number of languages expressing a greeting is now much greater than the original ten, Irish is not included among them. Also Ulstèr Scots. (Also French, for some reason. Polish is included – “Witamy”). (See similarly “No Irish” in the lower Shankill estate but also All Flags Are Welcome in Divis, which omitted the Union Flag.)

The claim that the Shankill area dates back to AD 455 is used in The Original Belfast. The claim was made by the Greater Shankill Partnership.

Despite the appearance of bricks, the main panel is not in fact a mural but a board.

Held over from the old mural are the two strips of ‘famous faces’ on the left and right (see below).

Images of the July 10th launch from sponsors Alternatives.

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X06703 X06704 X06705 SignLink NI with local youth; norman whiteside baroness may blood william conor henry montgomery wayne mccullough jimm wornock james cunningham johnny mcquade

Same Difference

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Photographer Stephen Wilson’s exhibition ‘Same Difference’ shows images from two churches only 100 metres apart on the Donegall Street – the Catholic St Patrick’s (web) and the Protestant Redeemer Central (web).

The photographs, and images of them on display in the two churches, can be seen at the exhibition’s web page.

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