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Socialism Is Neither Protestant Nor Catholic

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“Socialism is neither Protestant nor Catholic, Christian nor Freethinker, Buddhist, Mahometan, nor Jews [sic]. It is only human. We of the Socialist working class realise that as we suffer together we must work together that we may enjoy together. We reject the firebrand of capitalist warfare and offer you the olive leaf of brotherhood and justice to and for all.” From part 6 of Connolly’s Labour, Nationality And Religion in 1910. The mural is in Beechview Park, across the street from Áras Uí Chonghaile/James Connolly Visitor Centre.

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Welcome To West Belfast

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Tourists to West Belfast/Feırste Thıar are given a tour of the sights on a black taxi tour: (clockwise from left) the entrance to Milltown Cemetery at the edge of Andersonstown, a trio of murals (the Bobby Sands mural on the side of the Sınn Féın offices; the Easter Rising mural in Beechmount Ave; the Acht Anoıs fáınne on Divis Street (also in Ardoyne)) with a march taking place, Cultúrlann McAdam-Ó Fıaıch, gaelic football and hurling, Divis tower, Conway mill, and the Falls library. This is the third such tourist mural in the area, after one at Divis tower (Gateway To West Belfast) and one on the offices of Fáılte Feırste Thıar (Go West! | Fáılte Feırste Thıar | The Conlan Revolution).

Replaces Willowbank Huts from the centenary mural.

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Áras Uí Chonghaıle

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James Connolly worked in Belfast from 1910 or 1911 to 1916 as a labour organizer, before being executed on May 12th, 1916, for his part in the Easter Rising. He lived in Glenalina Terrace on the Falls Road (An Phoblacht | the plaque over the door) a few blocks above the visitor centre in his honour which opened in spring 2019. (There is video from each of the Official Opening and the Grand Opening, which NVTv also covered extensively.)

The new mural shown here is on the International Wall on Divis Street, next to Welcome To West Belfast and Merdeka.

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Ulster Tourist

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In 1777 Viscount Enniskillen built Bundoran Lodge as a summer home (now called Homefield House) and set a trend that made Bundoran town one of Ireland’s top resorts. To accommodate the increase in tourism, hotels sprung up, including the 1830 Ulster Tourist House. The building still stands, but has long since ceased to function as a hotel.

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In The Heart Of This Vibrant City

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“Gardiner Square” will be a new development at the junction of Gardiner and N King streets, where a Union Flag now flies. The promotional materials for the development tout Belfast’s business potential and promise that  it is a “short walk” to the “highly anticipated Tribeca Project“. It’s not clear whether the flag will still be flying when the units open. (See previously: the plethora of UVF boards in the Village in response to the on-going redevelopment of the Village (from 2012 to the present).

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Manny’s N Belfast

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The “N”orth Belfast Manny’s now matches the city centre location, with a mural featuring local faces and places, even down to the inclusion of a vintage mural, in this case the old Joe Doherty mural from the New Lodge Road in the late 80s. Among those included are a trio of boxers – Carl Frampton, Ryan Burnett, and Paddy Barnes (the latter two went to school together at Bearnageeha) — and media personalities Eamonn Holmes and May McFettridge (John Linehan). Locations include the New Lodge towers and Manny’s itself, including the plaque to Dana and Kevin Fitzpatrick who were hit by death-drivers.

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Fáılte Feırste Thıar

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“Welcome to West Belfast.” The sights of nationalist west Belfast are depicted in (part of) a new mural by Mickey Doherty and Marty Lyons on the side wall of the tourist office. From left to right: The (2015) Bobby Sands mural in Sevastopol Street, tourists being introduced to the IRA D Company memorial garden on the lower Falls by Peadar Whelan, Conway Mill, Divis tower, RISE at the bottom of Broadway (better known as the “Balls on the Falls”), the Falls library, the “international wall” in 2012 (with marchers in support of a nondescript international cause, crocodiles for the Irish language, and gay rights), St Peter’s pro-cathedral, a black taxi, the Connolly statue outside Comhaırle Phobaıl an bhFál, and the model for the new Casement Park stadium.

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Go West!

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As you head west along Falls Road, you will pass by the three landmark buildings depicted in the mural above: Clonard Monastery, Cultúrlann McAdam-Ó Fıaıch (opposite this mural and the offices of Fáılte Feırste Thıar), and the entrance to Milltown Cemetery at the edge of Andersonstown. For the parts of the mural in Brighton Street, see The Conlan Revolution and Fáılte Feırste Thıar.

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