Sandy Row gets ready for 11th Night and the Twelfth with flags and bunting and loyal Orangemen (from lodges 126 and 428) in the windows.
Update: in 2020 the same windows were decorated with graveside mourners, past and present:
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Copyright © 2019/2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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US president Donald Trump followed a three-day state visit to the UK (London and Portsmouth) with a few days in Ireland before briefly stopping in France for D-Day commemorations. In London, protesters gathered in their tens of thousands and the ‘Trump baby’ blimp flew in Parliament Square (gallery of images at CNN) before making its way to Dublin (BBC) for the second leg of the trip. The Trumps were likewise met by protesters when they landed at Shannon Airport (Irish Times) where he met Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and remarked “I think it [Brexit] will all work out very well [for the UK]. And also for you, with your wall, your border. We have a border situation in the United States and you have one over here, but I hear it’s going to work out very well.”
The besieged president would have been welcome, however, in loyalist west Belfast – the Israeli Star Of David and graffiti shown above were added below the Imagine mural between the security gates on Northumberland Street: “President Trump welcome in Belfast. No surrender.”
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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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With less than a month to go until 11th night, bonfire builders are busy collecting materials for their pyres, but although they want people to “dump wood”, they don’t want to become dumps. Thanks to squire93@hotmail.com for this image of the site in the Edgarstown estate (Portadown): “Dump wood – no hedge trees or shit.”
For the mural in the background, see In Answer To The Echo Of Alarm.
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Copyright © 2019 squire93@hotmail.com
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“Frankie + Andy – Village legends.” UVF hitman Andy “Hard To Kill” Aiken died of a drugs overdose in June 2018, six months after the death of his brother Andy (BelTel) who lived in Roden Street (Funeral Times). The graffiti was previously to Frankie alone (Street View).
Aiken was a suspect in the killing Bobby Moffett on the Shankill in May 2010; Moffett had previously been expelled from the RHC for drug use (BelTel).
The referent of “RIP Lee – one love” is unknown. It is perhaps Lee Rigby (WP).
Roden Street/Donegall Road, south Belfast
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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Brennan’s chippie in North Street suffered a fire (and burglary) at the beginning of April that closed the store (Belfast Live). They hope to be open again in two weeks. In the meantime, citizens are urged to be aware of spontaneous combustion “by order of Fire General Bob” (FBG).
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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Irish-language signage was in the news recently after Antrim & Newtownabbey council threatened an 85-year-old Randalstown pensioner with a fine of up to 2,500 pounds if she failed to remove a street sign erected by her granddaughter (Irish Central). So far, no action has been taken by the same council against the Glengormley graffitist who added Irish to the new ‘welcome’ sign on the bridge near the Bellevue Arms, though without translating the placename: “Fáılte go dtí (Gleann Ghormlaıthe).” There is a matching sign at the other end of the area, on Sandyknowes roundabout.
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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Conway Street used to run all the way from the Falls to the Shankill but was divided into two in response to the intense rioting of August 1969. Makeshift barriers were constructed along the Falls at the bottom of Conway Street and others, soon to be replaced by the permanent barrier. Although the so-called “peace” line largely does its job, the wall is itself a form of oppression to those living in its shadow. “No surrender” to the op(p)ressors. Graffiti on Conway Street above (i.e. Shankill side of) the “peace” line.
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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Crusaders – off to a perfect start of two wins – travel the mile and a half across north Belfast to Solitude to play Cliftonville at 3 this afternoon in the north Belfast derby. Today’s images are of the mural outside Seaview and the scene from the run-up to the team’s Irish Cup win over Ballinamallard (BBC-NI). In meetings between Crusaders and Cliftonville, Crusaders lead 151 wins to 84 (WP).
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The re-developed memorial to the 36th (Ulster) Division along the Shore Road (see previously) now includes the emblems of the 10th and 16th Divisions, as well as a large metal plate “in honour of the brave men and women who served on the Home Front 1939-1945: the Ulster Defence Volunteer Force, the Women’s Voluntary Services, the Auxiliary Fire Service, the Air Raid Precautions Wardens. This memorial is dedicated to the thousands of local people who volunteered during World War II and to the York Road Civil Defence Hall which played a vital role in the defence of the citizens of Belfast.”
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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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“William ‘Billy’ Hanna” murdered 21/6/1978. We will remember. Pride Of Ardoyne FB.” On the 40th anniversary of his death, a memorial plaque and cross were mounted at the top of Ardoyne Road to Billy Hanna, founder member of the Pride Of Ardoyne flute band. The word “murdered” is notable: Hanna was shot by the SAS as they ambushed a PIRA attempt to bomb the Ballysillan post office depot. It is alleged that the SAS snipers opened fire without warning and discharged 170 rounds (An Phoblacht); alternative interpretations of the event put the focus instead on Hanna being caught in the crossfire (BBC-NI) or mistaken for an IRA member (Sutton).
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Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 