We The People

A colourful mural on Sráıd Brighton (Brighton Street, Falls at Broadway) from the organization Pobal.

“ar scáth a chéıle” is a shortened version of  “Is ar scáth a chéıle a mhaıreann na daoıne”: it is in each other’s shadow (or, as here?, umbr(ell)a) that the people exist; figuratively “no man is an island” or as Dimitry put it in Dostoevsky’s The Brother Karamazov, “we are all responsible for all”.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00681 conflict resolution services, 217 falls rd, belfast, ag abhcóıdeacht ar son na gaeılge, pobal: advocacy for the irish language, forbaırt pobaıl, community development, taıghde, research, faıreachán, monitoring, straıtéıs, strategy, cearta & ceılıúıradh, rights and revelry, ealaíon, arts, reachtaíoch, legislation

Memory Chair

The chair and shoes in the foreground of the David Ervine board are a bronze sculpture, shown above. There are a number of (sculpted) items on the seat of the chair: a ticket for the Titanic, a little (prayer?) book with a poppy on the cover, and a pipe.

According to the Belfast Telegraph, the whole is meant to symbolize the industrial and cultural heritage of the area and the pipe is David Ervine’s pipe. The pipe would also tie him to Gusty Spence (cited in this republican mural about collusion), who also smoked a pipe. The prayer book would be for Protestantism, the poppy for loyalism and service in WWI, and the ticket for the shipyard. As for the boots, they appear to be of a modern design, but are perhaps meant to symbolize the working class, today and yesterday.

Both the sculpture and the board are by Ross Wilson.

Montrose Street South, east Belfast

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Titanic Lifeboat

Part of a colourful new mural about the Titanic, on Beechview Park, outside Coláıste Feırste. It was launched together with a mural depicting 19 Irish/Northern Irish Olympians. The Olympian mural starts of the gate of Coláıste Feırste, runs up a slight slope, and at the corner the Titanic mural continues. (BBC report on the launch.)

According to the Belfast City Council, the murals “which were funded by Belfast City Council, the Department for Social Development and the PSNI, have been developed in partnership with Beechview Residents’ Association, Coláıste Feırste and the Upper Springfield Community Safety Forum.”

Click here for other Titanic-related posts.

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Sporting Giants

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19 of Ireland/Northern Ireland’s Olympic medal winners are honoured in a new mural outside Coláıste Feırste (whose motto – “Is Gael Mıse” – can be seen in the final detail shot), an area also known as the Giant’s Foot, and below a mural about the Titanic, recorded separately: one | two.

The 19 are: Fred Tiedt, Tony Byrne, Sonia O’Sullivan, Ronnie Delaney, Paddy Barnes, Wayne McCullough, Michael McCourt, Mary Peters, Freddy Gilroy, Pat O’Callaghan, Michael Carruth, Kenny Egan, Ben Suth, Bob Tisdall, Hugh Russell, Katie Taylor, John Caldwell, John McNulty, John Tracey.

BBC report on the launch.

There was a mural celebrating Michael Conlan’s Olympic bronze earlier in 2012.

Beechmount Park, west Belfast

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is gael mıse, ıs fearr an tsláınte ná na táınte

Our Brave Defenders

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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The Bone

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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[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

Free The Shankill Six

Graffiti in lower Shankill: “Free the Lower Shankill Six!! Send our prisoners home.”

According to this blog post, this is not political, but refers instead to six fellas done for stealing pallets. (Which perhaps means we can safely enjoy the old joke about the journalist asking the politician, “And what do you think about the Renault 5?”. To which the politician replied, “I think they should be released immediately.”)

To the right is a C-18 swastika.

Previously the “Play” mural and before that the “Can it change? We believe!” mural.

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Titanic Town – South Belfast

This is a May 2012 mural celebrating workers at Harland & Wolff and the building of the Titanic (and Olympic) 1908-1911 on the gable wall of Allen’s Tours (Allen’s Furniture)

The artist is Ed Reynolds, whose site contains images of him at work on the piece (steadyhanded.com). The painting is somewhat reminiscent of Magritte’s 1959 Le Mois Des Vendages.

Combermere Street, (Donegall Rd. just before Sandy Row), south belfast

The left-hand “title” and two details follow below …

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00595 X00600 X00594 X00601 funded by belfast city council titanic workers, this mural was developed under belfast city council’s titanic community engagement project with support from titanic foundation. thanks go to sandy row community forum, local residents and artist Ed Reynolds.