Two images from the “Rally Against Racism” this past weekend in Belfast, both featuring home-made signs. Above “My Belfast is for everyone!” on cardboard with an image of the Belfast Islamic Centre in Wellington Park. Below, “Seasann pobal na Gaeılge in éadan an chıníochaıs” (The Irish-language community stands against racism.) For background, see The Inaccessible Present.
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Her Majesty’s Prison Belfast, better known as The Crumlin Road Gaol, was visited by the Queen on Tuesday (2014-06-24), probably not at the beckoning of this advertisement on the corner of Divis and Northumberland streets, next to the mural of Kieran Nugent and Brendan Hughes. One of the former residents of the jail, Martin McGuiness, showed the Queen around (which not everyone was happy with – The Guardian).
The jail opened in 1846 (under Queen Victoria, during the Hunger), closed in 1996, was transferred to OFM/dFM in 2003, and opened to the public in 2007 (DSI). Other notable prisoners include seven militant suffragettes (among them Dorothy Evans and Madge Muir, arrested for possession of explosives BBC – includes 6 min. audio | Belfast Suffragettes | WRDA), Eamon De Valera, Bobby Sands, Ian Paisley, and Michael Stone (WP), as well as Tom Mitchell and Phil Clarke, elected to Westminster in 1955 for Sinn Féin while still in prison (An Phoblacht).
Audio tour of the prison from CultureNI | Video footage of the Queen’s visit from The Telegraph.
The (unattributed) photo on which the Kieran Nugent mural is based in included below. See also this BBC video.
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The images below (taken in January 2014) show part of the old Kevin Lynch mural revealed by the removal of the board that was part of the Marian Price mural. The new version of the Lynch mural – shown above – is almost identical to the previous one. It shows Lynch’s likeness framed by the red star and yellow background of the IRSP (Irish Republican Socialist Party) – see also the Mickey Devine mural in Mount Pottinger.
For background information on Lynch – INLA member and hunger-striker – see this entry featuring a Lynch mural in Dún Geımhın/Dungiven.
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“Republican lower Ormeau – PSNI out.”
Graffiti in Dromara Street, south Belfast.
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The bird on the hat on the head of the man playing the piano with the dials and the tubes and the bulbs tweets love. Detail from one of the murals in the car-park/courtyard of Menagerie (web | Fb), on University Street. Painted by Elph (Fb) in May 2012.
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Out-of-this-world work by Scottish artist (Mark) Lyken (Twitter | Fb) – signature at the top, in the middle – on the front of Menagerie (Tumblr) on University Street. Wide shot below.
Previously from Menagerie: The Piano Has Been Smoking | Eyes Wide Shut
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Images of faeries and Peter Pan have been added to the images of flowers in the pocket park along Blythe Street, Belfast.
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Here is another detail long piece on the side wall of Menagerie, of a girl perhaps listening intently to the music been pumped out by from the magical piano (featured previously in The Piano Has Been Smoking).
A wide shot of the whole is below.
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Street art near Menagerie on University Road – there are similar pieces in other locations. If you know the artist, please leave a comment.
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A dachshund looks quizzically at a bottle of buckie (Buckfast tonic wine – fortified to 15% alcohol) left on the wall. Street art by Verz (Fb | Web), officially entitled “Sausage”, on the wall outside the Crescent Arts Centre, just off University Road.
Another of Verz’s ‘Dogs On The Street’ series: Psychedelic Dog
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Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 