graffiti/writing

No Orange Feet At Garvaghy

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A decision to ban Orangemen from marching down Garvaghy Road in Portadown in July was quashed at the end of August because the Parades’ Commission failed to follow proper procedure (BBC). Another application was made to march down the road, past the Catholic estate, and this was granted, with restrictions, for September 27th, re-igniting a dispute that has been largely dormant since 1988.

Since the 27th, there has been a stand-off between (on the one hand) Orangemen from Portadown and elsewhere in Northern Ireland and (on the other) local residents supported by leaders from the CNR community – Gerry Adams, Michell O’Neill, Mary Lou McDonald – and celebrities such as Kneecap (BBC) and Damien Dempsey. There have also been a variety of court orders and appeals. The Appeals’ Court’s session yesterday (October 5th) focused on the Commission’s use of a PSNI statement assessing the impact a parade would have (RTÉ); the court reserved judgment (BBC).

This graffiti in on the Springfield Road, west Belfast.

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Copyright © 2026 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Fight Racism, Not Races

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The chalk grid-lines are still visible but work appears to have ceased on the latest Kneecap-sponsored mural in Hawthorn Street. It joins the four that have been added to the facing walls, one in each of the last four years and all at the time of Féıle (see 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025). The new addition likewise accompanied this year’s performance, at the Uppa Falls concert in the Falls Park on Thursday (August 6th) (BBC).

For the Gibraltar 3 board, see X03944; for the plaque see the Peter Moloney Collection.

Hawthorn Street, west Belfast

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End Criminalisation Of Irish Republicans!

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“End criminalisation of Irish republicans! – RSYM.” A new ‘welcome to west Belfast’ mural is in progress on the first part of the long wall outside the Royal Victoria Hospital, replacing the MASH tag that unceremoniously blocked out a graffito in support of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

For now, however, the longer part of the wall (to the right of gate) remains a message-board for anti-Agreement groups, the latest one being from the Republican Socialist Youth Movement (Fb), the youth wing of the IRSP/INLA.

“Blessed are those who hunger for justice” was discussed in December 2025.

Also visible (on the right of the image above) is a dual-language traffic sign.

Falls Road, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2026 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Forever 11

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These are images of a tribute wall to eleven year-old Mason Keilhauer, who died after being struck by a car on the evening of March 7th (BBC | News Letter). In addition to the large piece of graffiti, photographs and several Rangers shirts have also been pinned to the construction hoarding, which also bears the signatures of many friends and neighbours.

Shankill Road, west Belfast, near the spot where the collision occurred, between Dover and North Boundary streets.

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Drop Allianz

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The campaign urging the GAA to sever its ties to sponsor Allianz (web) began in August 25th, after an update to a 2024 report by the UN urged businesses – including Allianz – to end their ties with Israel (UN | youtube). In response, a letter of protest, signed by 800 former and current players, was delivered to the GAA (RTÉ) but a vote in December retained the sponsorship (BBC | Irish Examiner). Protests have continued (e.g. at the GAA congress), among which is this message written in posters on the hoarding around Casement Park (for which, see Build Casement Now).

Andersonstown Road, west Belfast

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God Won’t Save You, James Reid

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The UVF’s James Reid was arrested in 2022 (Crime World) and is currently awaiting trial on charges of blackmail and cocaine possession and distribution. His attempt to have the charges thrown out was rejected at the start of February (BelTel).

These graffiti are on North Boundary Street (in the lower Shankill, west Belfast) and the Ballysillan Road (north Belfast).

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Copyright © 2025, 2026 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Genocidal Hole

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“Israel is still a genocidal hole”. The peace plan for Gaza was signed on October 9th. Since then, 442 Palestinians have been killed, according to Al Jazeera’s tracker. The amount of food aid being allowed into the strip has improved in January, with 100% of the “minimum caloric need” being met for the first time since October 2023 (UN) but the humanitarian crisis remains “extremely serious” (UN).

This graffiti is at Camberwell Terrace just off the Antrim Road, north Belfast.

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Copyright © 2026 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Blessed Are Those Who Hunger For Justice

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Palestine Action was declared a “terrorist organisation” in July, 2025, after members broke into Brize Norton and spray-painted Air Force planes and breached an Elbit facility near Bristol and caused an estimated one million pounds-worth of damage (Canary) in 2024. (Elbit is an Israeli defence contractor with 16 sites in the UK – WP.)

Eight of the twenty-nine people held on charges related to these events began hunger-strikes in November and December, 2025. They are listed on the placard in the third image: Kamran Ahmed, Teuta Hoxha, Heba Muraisi, Umer Khalid, Qesser Zuhran, Amu Big, Lewie Chiaramello, Jon Cink.

Update: The last three strikers ended their fasts in January, claiming victory when a large government contract went to Raytheon rather than Elbit (CNN | Guardian).

The phrase “blessed are those who hunger for justice” goes back to the 1981 hunger strike, and the “five demands” to the blanket protest.

“The Five Demands: 1. End all censorship 2. Immediate bail 3. Right to fair trail 4. De-proscribe Palestine Action 5. Shut Elbit down.”

The “Green Brigade” is a group of Celtic ultras (web) – see also Ultras At Work.

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