This is the Keyworkers mural in front of the Shaftesbury recreation centre (web), created in August 2020 (Fb), in the first few months of the Coronavirus pandemic. A child wearing a mask is watering the rainbow of drivers, NHS, nurses, doctors, social care, community workers, volunteers, and shop workers that arches over the shops and buildings on the Ormeau Road along the Lagan and in front of the City hospital and City Hall.
“Talents have been robbed by addiction, suicide, mental illness” – the shoes of the dead form part of an installation on Stewart Street, around the perimeter of the Markets. The RNU banner off to the right contains the numbers for Pieta House, PIPS, Samaritans, Teen Line, Lifeline, and Breathing Space.
“I am here – a son, daughter, father, mother, brother, sister, husband, wife, partner, lover, cousin, friend, grandfather, family. Why, why, why??? Are you okay? Our love[d] ones. Every day in some small way memories of you come our way. Through [sic] absent you are ever near, still missed, still loved, and ever dear.”
“The families[‘] pain continues!! They continue to struggle in silence: each loss has had a ripple effect throughout our community! Through the travel of time the pain remains the same!!!”
“It’s OK not to be OK – mental health illness is an invisible illness – breathing space – open up when you’re feeling down”
Below the shoes: “Dream big – smile – be thoughtful – respect – caring – love – be you – support – family”
The final image is from the nearby Friendly Street: Believe in yourself – Be kind – Something inside so strong – Positive mental well-being
Ballynafeigh is the neighborhood just across Ormeau bridge, containing Annadale flats and surrounding streets – home to Ormeau Road UDA/UFF and Ballynafeigh Apprentice Boys flute band (Fb). The mural shown above was painted by Daniela Balmaverde (web) with help from local volunteers and presents imagery from non-Western cultures along with slogans on tree-trunks: “Cultural dialogue”, “Celebrate identities”, Shared neighbourhood”, “Community development”, “Tolerance”, and “Respect cultural diversity”. Welcome to Ballynafeigh.
The mural is at the southern Ormeau Road entrance to Ormeau park opposite Candahar Street. The Brigada Ramona Para mural was previously in this spot.
‘Peace Players’ is an organisation that runs cross-community sporting events, including the basketball “interface league” that Noah Donohoe took part in – he is pictured here wearing his Peace Players shirt. It renamed one of its annual awards as the ‘Noah Donohoe Spirit Award’ (tw). He also played U-14 basketball at Belfast Phoenix (Fb) and the club created a scholarship in his name (Belfast Media).
The mural is at the Shaftesbury rec centre in lower Ormeau.
So sayeth the entablature above the entrance to Ballyhackamore Gospel Hall on the Upper Newtownards Road (which dates back to 1919). The Lord may be sought there during services on Sundays and Bible study on Tuesdays; the Tesco express next door is open seventeen hours a day, seven days a week. “The wages of sin is death, the gift of God is eternal life – Romans 6:23”
“In loving memory of Seamus, murdered by death drivers 3rd August 2019. Deeply regretted by his wife, children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, brothers and sister.” This memorial plaque is on some railings on the Whiterock Road, close to the spot where Seamus Conlon was hit by a car as he attended a funeral. One Michael Loughran was sentenced to 10 years: after a night of alcohol and cocaine, he had stolen his uncle’s car and had been “joy”-riding for 90 minutes before losing control and crashing (BelTel).
“Ná heıseachadtar Assange – Don’t extradite Assange” – in December of last year (2021) the British court of appeal ruled (NYTimes) that WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange could be extradited to the USA to face charges relating to the publication of the Chelsea Manning leaks of US operations in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2010. His fate is now in the hands of UK Home Secretary Priti Patel (Al Jazeera). The Sınn Féın board shown above is at the Falls Road-Glen Road roundabout.
“It’s okay not to be okay” – These are the shutters of Beep’s ice-cream and sweet shop (Fb) on the Woodstock Road, painted last October in support of mental health in the community.
Antrim Ladies (web) play in the county’s traditional saffron but also have a pink strip supporting the current organ donation campaign (featuring Dáithí Mac Gabhann – see previously Yes I Do).
Below: “We are in this together” on the shutters of the Upper Springfield Resource Centre.
Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 