Thatcher Graffiti

2013-05-15 ThatcherNappy+

This graffiti at the junction of Hawthorn Street/Sráıd na Sceıthe and Cavendish Road exulting in the death of Margaret Thatcher is just below a board memorialising the three IRA members killed in Gibraltar (one of whom, Dan McCann, lived in the street). (Previously: Ding Dong | Thatcherism | The Real Criminal | Rot In Hell | Rust In Peace)

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01096 gibraltar, vol: mairead farrell sean savage dan mccann executed by the british s.a.s. 6th march 1988; oh! cold march winds that pierce the dark you cry in aged tones for souls of folk you’ve brought to god but still you bear the moans oh! weeping winds this lonely night my mother’s heart is sore lord of all breathe freedom’s breath that she may weep no more! bobby sands

Sister Soldiers

2013-05-15 CummanNamBan+

Republican mural in Sráıd Na Sceıthe/Hawthorn Street at the junction with Cavendish Street celebrating the lives of Winifred Carney and Nora Connolly. “They stand for the honour of Ireland, As their sisters in days that are gone, And they’ll march with their brothers to freedom, The soldiers of Cumann Na mBan.” Below is a 1965 video of Connolly talking about her life (1893-1981 (WP)) and her father James Connolly, who was executed after the 1916 rising. Carney, who grew up and lived in Belfast, was inside the GPO with Connolly. After the rising, she returned to Belfast, married a Protestant, and continued to advocate socialism (WP).

Previously on Extramural Activity: 1916 Easter Rising Inside the GPO | Outside the GPO

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The Courage And Sacrifice Of The Hunger Strikers

The Clowney Street phoenix, which dates back to 1981 (see The Oldest Murals), has been repainted, and above, the blanketmen painting (see 1981-2011) has been replaced with a montage of photographs from the period, including prisoners on the blanket and dirty protest, the funeral of Sands and of McDonnell, and three pieces of graffiti: “Thirty thousands can’t be wrong” (Sands’s election to Westminster), “Bobby Sands murdered 1.17 am 5th May 1981”, and “My position is in total contrast to that of an ordinary prisoner. I am a political prisoner.”

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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We Only Want The Earth

2013-05-11 LarkinClose+

Irish labour leader James (Jim) Larkin in Donegall Street Place (the entry below the John Hewitt) adorned with an G8 protest placard. Larkin organised strikes in Belfast in 1907 (WP). According to the antig8protest twitter feed, a festival is being put on in Belfast to rival the G8 meeting in Enniskillen (see previously: G8 Cover-Up).

The pose is based on the (unattributed) image shown last, below.

2013-05-11 LarkinWide+

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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1913 Lockout Larkin

The Ulster Connection

2013-05-09 RangersConnection+

A mural in east Belfast listing local players who have played for Rangers, in Glasgow, Scotland. Featured in the centre is S. English, who scored 72 goals in 81 appearances, including 44 in the 1931-1932 season. Additional player plaques have been added since 2008, as well as the dedication in the lower right corner: “In memory of Moses McNeill, a teenage boy of Ulster-Scots stock & his brothers and friends who in 1872 formed a football team in Glasgow that today is known around the world as the Rangers Football Club “.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01089 we are the people in memory of moses mcneil a teenage boy of ulster-scots stock & his brothers and friends who in 1872 formed a football team in Glasgow that today is known around the world as the rangers football club, 50 title

Free Stephen Murney

2013-05-09 StephenMurney+

The advertising hoarding at the corner of Divis Street and Northumberland Street continues to provide incongruouscounterpoints to the material below it. Stephen Murney is an éirígí activist currently in prison on terrorism charges (BBC-NI). On the left are the outstretched arms of Jim Larkin, whose statue was featured two days ago.

2013-05-09 StephenMurneyleft+

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Ballymurphy Memorial

2013-05-06 BallymurphyMemorial+

This is a memorial stone on Springhill Avenue in Ballymurphy to deceased republican volunteers from the area. This stone can be seen in the middle distance in first image in the post White Line, Black Flag.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
this monument was erected by the republican people of greater in proud and loving memory of all those volunteers from the area who gave their lives in the fight for irish freedom unveiled by gerry adams 12th may 1985 i ndíl [ndıl] cuımhne [chuımhne] i gcónaí ag na poblachtánaıgh ón cheantar barr clunaı also of the civilians who died at the hands of the british army r.u.c. u.d.r. and loyalist extremists mcparland kane maguire meehan sloan mccormick campbell magee dougal mccrudden clarke parker quigley mulholland o’rawe mccartland mulvenna pettigrew bryson teer stone mcgrillen tolan mcwilliams delaney o’neill jordan doyle mccracken mcgeown plough sunburst

White Line, Black Flag

2013-05-05 HungerstrikersAbu+

The anti-Thatcher slogan on Black Mountain above Ballymurphy was replaced with “Hunger Strikers Abú”. May 5th was the anniversary of Bobby Sands’ death in 1981 and a “white line” protest took place – marchers walk down the white line in the middle of road – with participants bearing Sands’ image and carrying a black flag.

2013-05-05 WhiteLineBlackFlag+

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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