Here is another new piece of Carrickfergus community art featuring the castle (and its blacksmith), along with residents of different ethnicities, kids playing sports, and borders of poppies. At the shops on Hawthorn Avenue in the Sunnylands estate. (See previously: Carrickfergus Castle.)
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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There are 11 faces in the railings of the Royal Victoria Hospital, created by Bruce Williams and Avril Wilson in 2000, one for each decade in age from infancy to 100 years old. The letters “X” and “Y” run along the top of the helically-twisting railings between the portraits, representative of DNA. Included here are the portraits for 20, 80, and 50.
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Queen’s University lecturer in economic history Miriam Daly took over as chairwoman of the IRSP (Irish Republican Socialist Party) after founder Seamus Costello was killed in a feud with the IRA. Daly was shot dead in 1980 by the UDA/UFF in her Andersonstown home in 1980. (Interview with husband Jim Daly.)
A long-standing and much-graffitied 1996 mural, History Is Written By The Winner (painted by son Donal Daly among others) was replaced in 2014 by a Joey Ramone mural for a U2 video competition (Murals Of Innocence). The new board shown in today’s images was launched yesterday (Sunday 2016-12-04) to a crowd of about 200. As the final image shows, the PSNI were also “in attendance”.
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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IRA commander Seán McCaughey spent five years on the blanket in Portlaoise prison and died (in 1946) after 23 days on hunger strike (including 13 days refusing liquids). He is commemorated in Ardoyne because he lived there from the age of five onward. (The Pensive Quill.)
“I have no prouder boast to say, I am Irish and have been privileged to fight for the Irish people for Ireland. If I have a duty, I will perform it to the full with the unshakable belief that we are a noble race and the chains and bonds have no part in us.” Óglach Francis Hughes 1981
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03956 Ardoyne ave RNU óglaıgh na héıreann
emic’s (web) signature piece is the outstretched hand. This new version is surrounded by pro-gay-marriage slogans such as “support love” and “legalise love” and “love equality“.
Also by emic (formerly This Means Nothing): This Means Nothing | Lost In The Music | CameraMan | Through The Fog | Deconstructions | Through The Mists Of Time.
Replaces Elph’s Imaginarium in Garfield St.
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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From Gertrude Street to France and Flanders: young men from the local area who fought and died at WWI’s western front are commemorated in a new mural in Martin Street in east Belfast: G McCune, H. Nabney, J. Burns, W. Duff, J. Fagan, A. Leckey, W. Nabney, M. Scott, R. C. Skillen, J. Watson, R. Harvey, S. Wright. Gertrude Street no longer exists; it was on the other side of Newtownards Road, opposite (the current) St Matthew’s church. The mural bears the emblem of the Gertrude Star Flute Band, which was founded there in 1961. CharterNI were also involved in the mural.
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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“Put a joint together!” – graffiti in Waterford Street. Also visible: GHQ.
Previously: The Seedy Side Of Town
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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UVF volunteer William “Plum” Smith entered Long Kesh in 1972 at the age of 18 for his role in the attempted murder of a Catholic. After his release, he became an ITGWU shop steward, a community organizer, and spokesperson for the PUP. Smith died in June of this year (2016); the message in today’s images appears on the Cupar Way “peace” line.
Short bio from BalaclavaStreet | Gareth Mulvenna tweet of Plum’s bio at age 20 from the Orange Cross | Tele account of the funeral.
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The new replacement board commemorating the Gibraltar 3 (Maıréad Farrell, Dan McCann, and Seán Savage “executed by British crown forces 6th March 1988) uses words from Pearse’s oration at the funeral of O’Donovan Rossa. Not the more common “the fools, the fools …” but “Life springs from death and from the graves of patriot men and women spring living nations” (used previously in Strabane in 1990 – M00860). The board is “dedicated to the memory of Thomas and Edith Haddock”.
Here is the previous board. The border in the image above is from the board before that – see The Gibraltar Three.
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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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In 1955, Ruby Murray — who was born and raised on Donegall Road — had a #1 hit with Softly, Softly (youtube) and it stayed at the top for three weeks. She went on to have six other top-ten hits that year and in one week five of her songs were in the top twenty.
Donegall Road, Village, south Belfast
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Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 