Training Ground

2014-08-24 Carson+

Carson (above) and Craig (below), founders of the Ulster Volunteers and the first two leaders of the Ulster Unionist Party, stand watch at the edge of an outdoor pitch and children’s playground in New Mossley, beneath a flag of the 36th (Ulster) division (see wide shot below). Carson’s profile is shown next to the emblem of the 36th division; Craig is shown next to the flag of Northern Ireland.

2014-08-24 Craig+

2014-08-24 CarsonCraigWide+

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02103 X02105 X02104  edward carson james craig somme thiepval messines fricourt passchendaele st. quentin ypres flanders

#Gaza

2014-08-21 #GazaDetail+

A young woman dressed in the red, black, and green of Palestine secures her keffiyeh, preparing for defiance rather than expressing her modesty – a detail from a new mural in Balfour Avenue (shown below) with a graffitist in a red-and-white keffiyeh (the colours of the PFLP – see previously: The Popular Front) writing “Free Palestine”. An ‘anti-fascist action’ flag flies in the background.

Previously: Leila Khaled wearing a keffiyeh – traditionally a male garment – in the style of a hijab – a woman’s garment (WP).

2014-08-21 #Gaza+

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02101 X02100 antifaschistische aktion

A True Red

2014-08-21 MarketsCliftonville+

Here is a mural in the Markets area of south Belfast celebrating the achievements of local boy George McMullen, who played youth football for St. Malachy’s and St. Matthew’s before joining Cliftonville in 2011 age 20.

On the left is the familiar Cliftonville huddle (see previously: The Red Army). The two poses in the centre and on the left are reproductions of Belfast Telegraph images. The first is from Cliftonville’s 2013 Dankse Bank Irish League-clinching win over Linfield, which the Reds won with a McMullen penalty in the dying seconds; the second in from the same moment in the 2014 campaign: Chris Curran has just scored to put the Reds two-nil up in a game against Portadown that would win them the League for the second year in succession.

Other Cliftonville players have been featured in murals: Joe The Goal in Ardyone and Rory Donnelly in the Bone.

Below is a shot of the piece in development and below that is a wide shot showing the mural’s location adjacent to the End The Siege On Gaza mural.

2014-08-08 MarketsCliftonville+

2014-08-08 MarketsWide+

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X02102 X02056 X02060 mallachy’s mcnally o’kane murray boyce gormley stats to date 2014 485 first team appearances 96 goals scored the penalty against linfield to win the irish league

An Phalaıstín/Palestine

2014-08-19 Ghearleanuint+

Pro-Palestine board outside the north Belfast Sınn Féın office on the Antrim Road showing a bloody hand-print and the face of a crying child: “Stad leıs an ghéarleanúınt – ag tacú le cearta na Palaıstíne” : “Stop the persecution – supporting Palestinian rights”. The close-up of the hand and face, below, is taken from an English-language version of the board in Beechmount Street. The third image is of the same board at the Glen Road/Andersonstown Road junction.

2014-09-06 PalestineBaby2+

2014-09-28 CeartaNaPalaistine+

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gaza X02094 X02170 X02250

Anthem For Doomed Youth

2014-08-18 LindsayArmistice+

“But in their eyes shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes … Their flower the tenderness of patient minds, and each slow dusk a drawing down of blinds.” Lines from Wilfred Owens’ (1893-1918) ‘Anthem For Doomed Youth‘ on a new board in Lindsay Street.

The text at the bottom reads: “The last three month of WWI became known as the hundred days. Realising they were defeated an armistice was signed by the Germans. Germany finally surrendered and WWI ended on November 11th 1918. The terms of the agreement called for the end of fighting along the entire Western Front to begin a precisely 11 am that morning. Records show that the last British soldier killed in WWI was Private George Edwin Allison of the 5th Royal Irish Lancers. He was killed at Mons at 09:30 am, just 90 minutes before the ceasefire.”

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X02088 the war is over germans accept allies’ terms armistice day

The Most That Man Can Give

2014-08-18 LindsayWWI+

Computer-generated board in Lindsay Street showing a map of the northern end of the Western Front and images of soldiers marching, on horseback, and in the trenches: Donegall Pass remembers 1914-1918 the great sacrifice. Lest we forget. Here are commemorated the many local men who during the Great War of 1914-1918 gave the most that man can give: life itself for God for King and Country.

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X02090 36th ulster division those who fell basset dewar dunlop gourley hall halliday hamilton hayes hazlett jess jones kitson kydd mcallister mccollam mckissack mcwilliams motherwell nixon patterson scott wright yates the day break and the shadows flow away st mary magdalene parish

Ulster Will Fight

2014-08-18 LindsayCovenant+

“It is needful that we knit together as one man, each strengthening the other, and not holding back of counting the cost” – Ulster [Unionist] Council Resolution 1912. The Council met on September 23rd and 471,000 people signed the covenant (figures here) on or around the 28th – Ulster Day – led by Sir Edward Carson.

For another board featuring similar images, see Covenant Of Hearts. In the same row of boards: Anthem For Doomed Youth

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02089 will be right we won’t have home rule just under half a million men women september 28, in protest at the home rule bill introduced by the british government in that same year sir edward carson was the first person to sign at belfast city hall londonderry protestant churches craigavon signers were all unionists against the establishment of an irish parliament in dublin own blood to show their faith and dedication to the covenant

Mıse Éıre/I Am Ireland

2014-08-18 NewLodgeCLG+

The local New Lodge GAA club Cumman An Phıarsaıgh is named in honour of Patrick Pearse, executed after the 1916 rising. The club’s new mural features footballers contesting a ball and Pearse’s image appears at the centre of a celtic cross along with part of his 1912 poem Mıse Éıre in the bottom corner (shown below in a close-up). Painted by Lucas Quigley and Michael Doherty. Replaces New Lodge 2000.

Mıse Éıre: Sıne mé na an Chaılleach Bhéarra.
Mór mo ghlóır: Mé a rug Cú Chulaınn croga.
Mór mo náır: Mo chlann féın a dhíol a máthaır.
[Mór mo phıan: Bıthnaımhde do mo shíorchıapadh.
Mór mo bhrón: D’éag an dream ınar chuıreas dóchas.]
Mıse Éıre: Uaıgní mé ná an Chaılleach Bhéarra.

I am Ireland: I am older than the old woman of Beare.
Great my glory: I who bore Cuchulainn, the brave.
Great my shame: My own children who sold their mother.
[Great my pain: My irreconcilable enemy who harasses me continually.
Great my sorrow: That crowd, in whom I placed my trust, died.]
I am Ireland: I am lonelier than the old woman of Beare.

2014-08-18 NewlodgeCLGScroll+

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1951 X02091 X02092 New Lodge Road