Big Blues Club

03212 2015-12-04 Political Policing Bands+

Here are two images related (perhaps indirectly) to the prosecution of members of the Young Conway flute band for playing The Famine Song/The John B. Sails (WP) outside St. Patrick’s church in Donegall Street during the parade season in the summer of 2012. On Tuesday (December 1st), the thirteen band members had their April convictions quashed. (Telegraph) Above is graffiti on Lanark Way — Stop political policing on band’s men — and below a flyer for a fundraiser in support of the legal appeal.

03215 2015-12-04 Fundraiser+

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Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03212 X03215 Our members suffered last year at the hands of the corrupt judicial system that’s now being played out in our courts, the entire membership of our band seen themselves being convicted for doing NOTHING only playing a tune! We had SF/IRA scum giving evidence at our trial that wouldn’t stand up in any normal society. After being convicted all of our members instantly lodged an appeal to fight what we see as a very just cause, we would be most grateful of your support in attending our fundraiser to help pay for this appeal, we hope you can appreciate that the outcome will have very BIG implications for the whole band scene and it’s a fight we ALL need to win, as stated above its a fundraising event therefore a 5 pound entry fee must be applied to all, there will be ballots on the night and a DJ of 80s, 90s, 00s to present day & some of the finest marching bands on show! Many thanks for taking the time to read this and we look forward to your support on the 13th November.  legal challenge friday DJ Rab Proctor beach boys

Your Patronising Slogans

03202 2015-12-01 Fuck You And Your Patronising Slogans+

Included in the black taxi tours of the murals of west Belfast is a stop along the Cupar Way “peace” line and an invitation to take a black marker and leave one’s mark. A designated name-tag with “Hello my name is …” was even painted for the purpose – see the image below. Many sign their names while others leave an inspiring slogan. In the image above alone you can read “Build legacies, not walls”; “It is easier to take a life than protect a life – decide you for peace!”; “A wish for peace, a hope for understanding, a belief in love”; “Don’t let the darkness consume you”; “Love lives longer than hate”; and so on. Bromides such as these have elicited the commentary in white from a local graffitist.

03203 2015-12-01 Hello My Name Is+

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Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03202 X03203 fuck you NOTA none of the above TMN

Boundary Way

03116 2015-10-11 Lower Shankill Box+

The north and west sides of the substation at Boundary Way in the Lower Shankill estate have been repainted, restoring the Union flag (M02467) and “UYM” (M02469) lettering in vibrant red, white, and blue.

The other two sides, which previously featured “UFF” (X00249) and a C Coy. mural (M02466) are now blank and walled in.

03124 2015-10-14 Boundary Way w2+

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Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03116 X03124 boundary way

Street Art

02884 2015-08-31 GlynnRoad2+

Above and below are summertime images of the Main Road in Glynn, just south of Larne, County Antrim, marked with the union jack and flags of Scotland, Northern Ireland and England and Orange symbols such as the crown, a key (for the Siege of Derry, rather than the crossed keys?), Jacob’s ladder, along with the six-pointed star.

02883 2015-08-31 GlynnRoad1+

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Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02884 X02883 No surrender God save our queen Aughrim + Boyne + Enniskillen + Derry ulster

He Sowed That We Might Reap

02871 2015-08-26 SeanDolanSociety+

The Derry branch of the 1916 Societies (Fb) is named after Sean Dolan, an IRA volunteer interned at the outbreak of WWII on the prison ship Al Rawdah (WP | saoırse32) before being moved to Crumlin Road gaol. He was released on grounds of ill health shortly before dying in 1941 at age 28 in Derry. The title of today’s post comes from Dolan’s gravestone, which is in Ardmore (findagrave).

It was the 1916 Societies that hoisted an Irish tricolour from the roof of Stormont in June 2015 (BBC).

The wide shot below shows the 1916 board next to a Fıanna roll of honour and an IRSP O’Hara-McCreesh hunger-strikers memorial (see Socialist Volunteers).

02869 2015-08-26 RacecourseRdWide+

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Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02871 X02869 racecourse rd derry

Waked & Buried

02855 2015-08-26 DevineRathkeele+

“In proud and loving memory of Óglach Mickey Devine. Died 20th August 1981 in the H-Blocks of Long Kesh after 60 days on hunger-strike. Mickey was waked and buried from this house [in Rathkeele Way, Derry], the family home of his sister Margaret. Also died 30th March 2005.” For an image of the open coffin within the house, see this An Phoblacht article. Here is a Guardian interview with Margaret (Devine) McCauley.

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Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02855 INLA final last tenth hunger striker

The Picture Of Death

02813 2015-08-24 HawkinStBoard+

The coat of arms of Londonderry involves “the picture of death (or a skeleton) on a mossy stone & in the dexter point a castle” below the arms of the city of London. It is here joined by the flags of Britain, Scotland, and the crimson of the Apprentice Boys, as well as two cannons from the walls of Derry. The board above is in Hawkin Street, above “UDA” (“Ulster Defence Association”) and “KAT” (“Kill All Taigs”) graffiti.

Previously: Vita, Veritas, Victoria

02814 2015-08-24 HawkinStBoardWide+

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Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02813 X02814 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 siege