Mural and stencil in Bóthar Chaıtríona (St. Katherine’s Road) in the St. James’s area showing Che Guevara above the words “I don’t care if I fall as long as someone else picks up my gun and keeps on shooting.” The remnants of the former mural – a Celtic design – can be seen to the left of Che’s head.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The Sunflower pub in Union Street has added a sign replicating the graffiti that stood for a long time two blocks further along the street (at the junction with Little Donegall Street): No Topless Bathing – Ulster Has Suffered Enough. An image of the graffiti appears on Flickr user James Hughes’s page. CAIN reports that another version was in Upper Queen Street in 1999. The Union Street graffiti is also the version that inspired a 2005 gallery show of the same name, except that the show had “Belfast” in the title; an image of a “Belfast” version, which is perhaps an altered version of the Union Street “Ulster” version, appears on the show’s page at Green Dog Arts.
The graphics on the rear of the building were done by Malarky (Fb) for Culture Night Belfast 2013.
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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This cheeky stencil gives Jesus a red hand of Ulster for a heart. At the corner of Royal Avenue and North Street.
Update: February 26th, 2014 “Yes I”.
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Copyright © 2013/2014 Extramural Activity
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Above is a new (November 9th, 2013) piece by Damian Walker/Rebel Rebel of the Gael Force Art group (Fb) showing a bleeding poppy with a skull at its centre, under the words “Symbol of British imperialism around the world”. Palestine, Libya, Malvinas, Ireland, Iraq, and Afghanistan are listed as areas under British influence or occupation. At the bottom, in red streaking paint, we have “Britain out of Ireland”
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Beersbridge Road mural by Faigy (web | Fb) on the shutters of Inked tattoo parlour. Faigy did another purple girl for CNB 2013.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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This LPA (Loyalist Prisoners’ Association) mural in Kenbaan Street (at the junction of Castlereagh Road and Street) shows a red hand in barbed wire against a background of the towers and walls of Long Kesh.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Here are two more pieces of the memorial in Kenbaan Street to deceased UDA members. Another panel honours the LPA; these are devoted to the UDA’s 4th (Castlereagh) battalion and its youth wing, the UYM – Ulster Young Militants.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Part mural, part board, this is a new piece honouring Colonel Timothy Thomas Cyril “Tim” Collins, OBE, whose speech to troops on the eve of the Iraq invasion in 2003 is reproduced in part on the right: “There are some who are alive at this moment who will not be alive shortly. Those who do not wish to go on that journey, we will not send. As for the others, I expect you to rock their world. But if you are ferocious in battle, remember to be magnanimous in victory.” (More at WP)
As can be seen from the second image, the piece was sponsored by Charter NI (amongst others). The piece is one of three pieces which have recently been completed (NewsLetter), the other two being Boxing Through The Ages and Past/Future (Lendrick St). It replaces one of the two UDA 4th battalion panels in the set, the other of which can be seen in the third and final image: the piece in its setting alongside the Kenbaan Street memorial and the pink UDA, UYM and LPA murals.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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“Time changes! But the sacrifice remains the same.” Pictured is a board in Ogilvie Street in east Belfast, sponsored by the EU and the Cosy Somme Association, showing, in black and white, a WWI soldier, who is comforting another solider, in modern gear and in colour. The emblems of the 36th (Ulster) division and Royal Irish Rifles are also shown.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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As can be seen from the initial cartoon for this mural, below, it was originally intended to have two hooded gunmen firing a funeral volley, but because of protest by locals (see, e.g. NewsLetter) this was changed to two unmasked men, one of whom is clearly of the WWI era. The Nissen huts and towers of Long Kesh, however, remain in the image, which thus expresses the complex relationship of loyalists (and especially the UVF, whose members Robert Seymour, James Cordner, Joe Long, and Robert Bennett are listed on the left-hand side) to the British army. As Bill Rolston put it: “How could one display visually the value of opposing British policies in the name of remaining British? What could be the symbols of such a schizophrenic message? (Drawing Support (1), p. ii).
The side-wall to the right of shot is painted solid black but otherwise remains unfinished as of the end of 2013.
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 