Speed limits in Northern Ireland are set by the Department Of Infrastructure/An Roinn Bonneagair after consideration of all relevant factors. The residents of Tern Street, Belfast, have instead used a decades-old mode of public communication – wall painting – to ask motorists to slow down around the sharp turn just off Dee Street.
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A six-week lockdown beginning on December 26th was approved last night by the executive, which said the current situation required an “urgent intervention” (BBC). The lockdowns are difficult for everyone, not just financially but psychologically. (See previously: Home Is Where The Hurt Is.) This Broadway graffiti suggests that the lockdowns are promoting suicides, though there do not appear to be data yet suggesting an increase in suicide during the pandemic. ‘Action 61’ appears to be a fringe protest group.
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North Belfast is experiencing a housing shortage (Build Homes Now) which means people are willing to go the extra mile for homes, which doesn’t always go down well with the locals. The graffiti shown in today’s post appeared in mid November in the majority-PUL area of Skegoneill, near the junction with Glandore Avenue and (CNR) Ashfield. Police called the graffiti a “hate incident” (QRadio).
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Gratitude for NHS and other front line staff has been in no short supply throughout the pandemic but the cost of the pandemic last month led UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak to moot a pay freeze for public sector workers (BBC). After widespread outcry, including the People Before Profit (web | tw) campaign shown here, he two weeks ago declared that salaries of a million nurses and frontline staff would not be frozen but declined to specify an increase (Nursing Times | iNews).
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This is a “People Before Profit” (web) poster (at the Waterworks) in support of a ‘Northern Ireland Trade Union Freedom’ bill being brought forward by MLA Gerry Carrol (Irish Legal). The bill has its own Facebook page.
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On March 24th, the Mater Infirmorum hospital closed its doors to all but Covid patients, partly enabled by a dramatic fall in emergency cases once the coronavirus struck (Irish News). In October, ICU care was moved from the Mater to the City; non-ICU Covid cases are still being treated in the Mater (Belfast Trust). The ICU beds in the City and in Altnagelvin were full last week (BelTel), as cases resurge. The carved statue in the Mater is the creation of Belfast City Sawmill (Fb) in Ballinderry (BelfastLive has in-progress shots).
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Emigration of Irish nations outstripped their returning counterparts for most of the 2010 but stabilised in 2018 (Irish Times). (Migration data for NI nationals could not be found.) This Connolly Youth Movement (cym.ie | ig) sticker on Northumberland Street street sign encourages young people to stay and work for change at home.
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“Grá mór” [lots of love] on an electrical box in Ardmoulin Street. Artist unknown.
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Writing by worldsend23 (ig) in North Street, Belfast.
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“Belfast thanks our NHS”. Northern Ireland entered a two-week “circuit breaker” lockdown at midnight last night in response to recent increases in coronavirus hospitalisations that have taxed the health system (see previously Mother Of The Sick). These marionettes in NHS uniforms are on their bike heading for home, or for work, via the Duke Of York. “Come in soberly, drink moderately, depart quietly, and call again.”
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Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 