political

Arkansas ’57 – Ardoyne ’01

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This Ardoyne mural connects the Holy Cross blockade (WP | Scannal RTÉ) to desegregation in the U.S.A. in the wake of Brown v. Board Of Education (WP).

The left panel is a rendition of an iconic image of Hazel Bryan hectoring Elizabeth Eckford, one of the Little Rock Nine (WP), in Little Rock, Arkansas.

In the central panel, red sweaters on b&w background might be a reference to Schindler’s List.

The right panel is a reproduction of a photograph of the terrified Eirinn Flood on her way to Holy Cross (Belfast Media).

This mural was later (2009) imitated on the International Wall, Divis Street.

Estoril Park, Ardoyne, north Belfast

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Copyright © 2004 Cathal Woods
X00044 everyone has the right to live free of sectarian harassment, it’s black and white, arkansas ’57, ardoyne ’01

Families Of Displaced, Dispersed, Distressed

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This is a 2002 mural commemorating the death of the Queen mother, HM Queen Elizabeth. “Salute our sovereign, now we part/To us our queen was dear/Because she had a soldier’s heart/And man she did not fear/Her soul forlorn she will not scorn/Where her worth is known/No rebel hate will harm this state/The bible and the crown”

At the Shankill Road end of Conway Street, west Belfast.

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Copyright © 2004 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Betting Office

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“Ulster Day. Sir Edward Carson (WP) signing the covenant (WP). Belfast City Hall, 28th September, 1912.”

This is the first of three panels on this wall that together trace the history of the Ulster Volunteers; see also the second (Carson and the Ulster Volunteers) and third (women defenders while the men fight in Europe).

Below is a shot of the full scene in the courtyard of the Rex bar, two weeks away from the 12th

Moscow Street/Shankill Road, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2004 Cathal Woods
X00049 X00050 1912, lest we forget, 36th ulster division, battle of the boyne, 1st july 1916, ycv, uvf, rex bar est. 1865 moscow street

H-Block Martyrs

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The large board on the left commemorates the 10 dead hunger strikers (WP) and two blanketmen. “No greater love” echoes John 15:13.

There are also two smaller boards on the right: first, “Same old mural, same old force” with the three-in-one figure of RUC, Orange Order, and loyalist paramilitary under a traffic “No” symbol; second, an interesting board alleging collusion between the RUC and the UDA and UVF in north and east Belfast.

Oldpark Road, north Belfast

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Copyright © 2004 Cathal Woods
X00063 h-block martyrs 1981

Let Erin Remember The Days Of Old

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Here are some images of the exposed interior of the (old) Michael Dwyer’s GAA club on Grosvenor Road, Belfast, along with two (earlier) images of banners inside the club. The mural and first banner are of Ireland personified as a female with harp and wolfhound (and wearing green, white, and orange). The second banner is entitled “Who fears to speak of [17]98” (from the 1843 song) – Dwyer was also known as “The Wicklow Chieftain” for his exploits in the rebellion and the years following.

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Copyright © 2004 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The Dividing Wall Of Hostility

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This is the Cupar Way “peace” line in 2004. Note that the wall only has two (vertical) parts – a third tier will later be added that almost doubles the height of the barrier. It also has very little art – in 2009 both state-funded agencies and wild-style writers will take to the wall. (See the Visual History page.)

The two pieces that can be seen here show a dove in barbed wire with a quote from Ephesians 2:14 (“For He Himself is our peace who has made the two one and destroyed the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing in His flesh the law with its commandments and regulations. His Purpose was to create in Himself one new man out of two, thus making peace and in this one body to reconcile both of them to God through the cross by which He put to death their hostility. He came and preached peace … For through Him we both have access to the Father by one spirit.”) and a mural for New Life church, which is in the no-man’s land between the Northumberland street barricades.

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Copyright © 2004 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00039

Britannia

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“The Union flag, or Union Jack, is the national flag of the United Kingdom and it is so called because it embodies the emblems of three countries united under one sovereign – the Kingdoms of England and Wales, of Scotland and of Ireland. The flag consists of three heraldic crosses, those of St Patrick, St George and St Andrew. The Welsh dragon does not appear on the Union flag. This is because when the first Union flag was created in 1606, Wales by that time was already united with England and was no longer a separate principality.”

One of fourteen panels in Thorndyke Street, east Belfast. For a list of entries for each panel, see East Belfast Historical And Cultural Society.

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Copyright © 2004 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Defending The Community

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This (ninth) panel shows UDA paramilitaries (the UVF was formed in 1965, the UDA in 1971) standing guard in front of a barricade of sand-bags.

One of fourteen panels in Thorndyke Street, east Belfast. For a list of entries for each panel, see East Belfast Historical And Cultural Society.

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Copyright © 2004 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01642 [X00015] [X00016] ulster news people take stand against republican tyranny july 1972 bloody friday 9 killed 130 injured by pira bombs june 1970 2 dead 28 injured people shot like flies by provo gunmen the city is saved civil and religious liberty for all better the grave than slavery their sacrifice our freedom united kingdom ulster to britain hitler attacks belfast unity solidarity their loyalty betrayed out of the ashes new life