social

Maximum Penalty

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A fine of 500 pounds and eternal damnation. Belfast City Council first made various Belfast street “alcohol-free” areas in 2007. A full list of streets can be found in this 2012 pdf. The placard shown in the image above is on the Falls Road, outside the Royal. The grounds of the hospital are also included in the list of areas. About 50 people a year receive a summons (2016 minutes). How many of us, annually, are refused entry at the pearly gates is unknown.

In a similar style, from 2014: Ye Must Be Born Again.

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Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Drop The Rents

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RSYM/IRSP/INLA (Xitter) are campaigning for landlords to keep their rents at the LHA (Local Housing Allowance, a.k.a. housing benefit) levels (set by the Housing Executive). They assert that it is exploitative for private landlords to use the housing shortage as a reason for higher rents.

Beechmount graffiti.

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Give It Back, Thief!

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Saturday’s protest (BBC | Irish Times | in September there was also a wake BelTel) against the cyanobacteria in Lough Neagh (map) included the hand-drawn banner shown above, which is based on a Soviet poster ‘Be vigilant’, probably via its use in internet memes (Google Images | 2014 Irish version). In this case, the “thief” is the Earl Of Shaftesbury, the owner of the bed and soil of Lough Neagh who is open to selling it but not to transferring ownership gratis (BBC).

There is a similarity between this style of image and the earlier one seen in republican muraling, such as Stad Maggie Anoıs (1986) and England Get Out Of Ireland (1989) (and which was also recently used by Kneecap in Hawthorn Street). It would appear that both slogans “Put it back, thief” and “England, get out of Ireland” were used with this (latter) style of image – see Stad Maggie for links.

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Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Always Anti-Fascist

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The Easter lily and the red star mark this graffiti-art-style slogan in Durrow Park, Derry, as republican-socialist; RSYM = Republican Socialist Youth Movement (Fb), IRSP = Irish Republican Socialist Party (web), AFA = Anti-Fascist Action (Fb)). There is a small “Victory to Hamas” graffito to the right.

For the large Arm Saoırse Náısıúnta Na hÉıreann (INLA) board, see Serious Trouble.

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Copyright © 2023 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
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Belfast Melt

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“Together building a united community” (“T:BUC” for short) is an Executive-Office strategy (pdf) aiming (among other things) at “good relations” for children and young people. The web page details various programmes that fall under this initiative, including youth camps that bring together children from different religious communities.

The piece shown combines wild-style writing with graphics of landmarks (The Big Fish, Albert clock) and “hello” in various languages, including Irish.

With support from South Belfast Alternatives (web) and Flour Power sandwich shop (web) – “home of the Belfast Melt” – both in Donegall Pass.

Between Posnett Street and Chambers Street.

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Copyright © 2023 Cathal Woods
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Stand Together

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“Is your private or social landlord failing to finish repairs in your home? Don’t stand alone, stand together – join the Tenants’ Union in Ardoyne. CATU Belfast. beflast@catuireland.org”

CATU – “community action tenants’ union” – was formed in 2019 and its slogan – “we only want the earth” – comes from James Connolly’s poem of the same name.

The Belfast branch is on Facebook.

For the mural in the background, see What Is A Free Nation? For the slogan, see also Our Demands Most Moderate Are.

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Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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This Area Needs Social Housing

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According to Housing Executive figures, only 405 social houses were built in 2022-2023, compared to a projected a need of more than 24,000 homes (ITV). Belfast City Council’s ‘Local Development Plan’ has set a quota of 20% social and affordable housing for developers (Inside Housing).

There have been calls for more housing in various areas of Belfast; see previously: Every Generation Needs Regeneration | Is This Our City? | Homes!!! | Build Homes Now.

These images are from Sandy Row – on the former site of Gilpin’s – and Donegall Road – on waste ground at Monarch Street – both in south Belfast.

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Every Generation Needs Regeneration

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These BUILD (web) boards highlight areas of waste ground in the Shankill area: “Every generation needs regeneration” (above) is next to waste ground on the Shankill Road/Boundary Street; “our children deserve more than dereliction” (below) is next to waste ground in Tennent Street; the third site (with skip) is in Townsend Street/Dayton Street; the fourth (with the tarp) is on Peter’s Hill below the new Drummer Boy mural (see Shankill Drummer and The Little Drummer Boy). The final image is from the other side of the Crumlin Road, in Cliftonpark Avenue.

Previously: an unused site on the Shankill above Lanark Way in #BuildShankill | bottom of Tennent Street see Our Children Deserve More.

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Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Copyright © 2024 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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