City/Town

Sic Semper Artificibus In Muris Scribentibus

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Thus Always To Graffiti Artists! These pictures were taken on Thursday (September 13th, 2012) and by Sunday (16th) the graffiti was gone, painted out! Belfast City Council have over this past year or so been diligent in painting out fly-postings – mostly paper ones advertising concerts and other events – but here they have painted out a political message.

The scene is the gateway to the now derelict and abandoned site of the old Sirocco works at Bridge End, on the city side of Short Strand.

You can glimpse the newer bubble-capitalism in the new-build apartments in the distance.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00639 X00640 sirocco, corrupt governments of the world you’re sacked one love, oil boiler scrappage scheme, call now to scrap your old boiler and save money

Our Brave Defenders

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In memory of the dead from the 36th (Ulster) Division in St Leonard’s Crescent (the old Newcastle Street) in east Belfast.

The four main panels show …

the men of the 36th going over the top on the first day of the Somme (1st July 1916),

the “angel of Mons” (WP),

Ulster Tower (This tower was dedicated to the glory of God. In grateful memory of the officers, non commissioned officers and men of the 36th (Ulster) Division, and of the sons of Ulster in other forces who laid down their lives in the great war, and of all their comrades in arms who, by divine grace, were spared to testify to their glorious deeds. “Throughout the long years of struggle …. the men of Ulster have proved how nobly they fight and die” – 16th November 1918 King George V),

and Thiepval Memorial (Dear men and brothers, going out/to fight for Ulster’s need/we hail you with a mighty shout/brave friends, and true in deed.//Your country holds you in renown/your names will never be dead/and some sweet angel has a crown/for each dear, manly head.)

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Up The Shankill And Down The Falls

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This poster is widespread throughout working class Belfast at present. This one is from the Ballysillan Road (though the electrical box has been tagged by someone from the Westland). The posters started going up previous to the announcement of 760 (Guardian) or 920 (BBC) job losses at FG Wilson’s this week. The route involves both loyalist and nationalist areas and the poster refers to the Outdoor Relief Strike (account from nationalist source | brief loyalist account) of 1932. The poster has phone, e-mail, QR, Facebook and Twitter links. The marcher carries … a Blackberry.

Update: Here’s a link for Charlie Cairns’ comment about the threat of prosecution against the posters.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00632 march for a future! emergency action to create jobs, free access to education, no cuts to ema and benefits, 1:30 saturday 6th october @ custom house square, belfast, 80 years after the outdoor relief strike when protestant and catholic workers stood together march up the shankill and down the falls, youth fight for jobs, sponsored by the trade unions unite cwu fbu pcs rmt ucu tssa bectu, all youth community and trade union branches welcome, youth fight for jobs ni

Wolfhill

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Wolfhill is so named because the last wolf in Ireland was supposedly shot there in 1692 (Belfast Hills); this distinction is also claimed by Camlough. The Wolfhill Centre, which is across the Ligoniel Road from this mural, is home to the Ligoniel Improvement Association. On the right of the mural is St Vincent de Paul’s church, which is a little further down the road.

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Copyright © 2010 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The Bone

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The place-name “Machaıre Bhotháın” perhaps gave rise to the name “The Marrow Bone”, the area around where the Park Inn was, between Ardoyne and Oldpark. (Machaıre – a plain, level land; botháın – hut, shed, cabin. Perhaps a reference to cattle grazing in summer pasture).

The three figures at the top are from left to right – Seán Mac Dıarmada (who was from Leitrim but was a boarder for a time in Butler Street), Pól DeLéıgh, Seán McCaughey; the mini-bus driver is Brendan Bradley. The green-and-yellow uniforms are from Coláıste Feırste. Signed “M Doc 2011” (Mıcheál Dochartaıgh).

With support from Glór [An Tuascırt] and the Heritage Lottery Fund.

The Great Hunger was previously on this wall (hence the plough). Ardoyne Avenue.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
[X00526] X00633 Staır na gaeılge in ard eoın & machaıre botháın, glór an tuaıscaırt, teach de leıgh, heritage lottery fund, comhıonanas don gaeılge, club óıge, flax cabs tacsaıthe lín, sıopaí, glasraí, baınne, nuachtán, tobac, fáılte

A Dead End

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Here’s a full-size version of a recent Republican mural at the north end of Springhill Ave. The tower beyond is the Springfield Rd. police station. The “August 2010 Agreement” is an agreement reached between prisoners and authorities about treatment in Roe House, an exclusively republican wing.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00631 implement the aug 2010 agreement h-block 1981 maghaberry 2012 end forced strip searches end controlled movement, stop the torture of irish political prisoners

Marian Price – Whiterock Rd

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This painted board in support of Marian Price (WP) was launched on May 13, 2012. Charges against Price were reinstated on September 5th (Slugger). Owen Paterson (with one “t”) was replaced in mid September (2012) as Secretary of State for Northern Ireland after five months in office.

Whiterock Road, west Belfast

See also Marian Price poster.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00629 free marian price is owen patterson’s political hostage, end internment