The Universal Declaration Of Human Rights was declared 70 years ago, on December 10th, 1948. emic (web) and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Council teamed up to mark the occasion with this CNBX/HTN18 piece of street art. (Replaces SimKardashian.)
Below is another new emic ‘hand’ – compare with Hands and A Lifeboat From Despair.
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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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“Up the gangbangers.” Hoods from the New Lodge Road (some recent disturbances: Belfast Live | Irish Times | BelTel | Irish News) leave a graffiti message on top of Ed Reynolds’s (web) mural, seen previously in The Old New Lodge, On My Wedding Day, St Patrick’s and Faces From The Past, the last of which includes an image of the mural getting a coat of anti-graffiti varnish.
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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Northern Ireland last night beat Israel 3-nil in a soccer “friendly” at Windsor Park. Gael Force Art took to Sliabh Dubh (Black Mountain) to support Palestinians and the BDS Movement, saying there’s “nothing friendly” about Israel’s human rights record (the full GFA statement is here). Other protests – and counter-protests – took place elsewhere in the city (BelTel).
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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Three members of the Miami Showband were killed in 1975 at a fake check-point set by members of the UVF’s Glennane Gang. The explosion during the incident did not kill the musicians (as the graffiti on the poster above in loyalist east Belfast suggests); they were shot. Rather, a bomb exploded prematurely as it was being planted on their van, killing two of the attackers – see Boyle & Somerville – prompting the shooting spree (WP) that left three of the five band-members dead.
For the mural in the background, see Please Pay Here.
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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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These UDA 2nd battalion D company boards are in the lower Kilcooley estate, Bangor. This piece is co-branded as “North Down/West Belfast”, even though it is only metres away from a (North Down/East Belfast) North Down Defenders board. See Ulster Defence Unions for more on the tensions between the rival UDA factions.
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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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A simple commode stands in the Glen Estate, Newtownards, below rival UDA and UVF graffiti.
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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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“Níl an ní is áılle – súıl ghléıgheal [sic] an lınbh – slán faoınár gcúram níos mó!” [The most beautiful thing – the sparkling eye of a child/the bright hope of a child – is no longer safe in our care!] This Bóthar Chluanaí/Springfield Road graffiti seems to be a response to the recent vote in the Republic Of Ireland removing the constitutional protection of unborn children (see Yes & No). There has previously been Irish-language graffiti in favour of abortion: Ceart Gınmhıllte Anoıs!
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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X06025 X06026 Buíochas le Mícheál agus Seosamh.
The wall of the Royal (on the Falls just above Springfield Road) continues to serve as a prime spot for graffiti. “IRA – here to stay” is connected with the recent controversy over “IRA” lettering and an assault rifle (Belfast Live) mounted on flagposts both here (Irish News) and on Divis Street (see Life In The Old Dogs Yet).
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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Larne man and member of the Continuity IRA or Irish Republican National Congress (IRNC – see Join The IRNC and Maid Of Erin; also IRPC, who now have a Fb page, as does the Free Niall Lehd campaign) member Niall Lehd was initially arrested on explosives charges in 2014 (BBC-NI) and given early release in 2016 (An Phoblacht). He is associated with Ciaran Maxwell, who says that he became a republican bomb-maker out of fear (RTÉ | Express). He was returned to jail in March (Irish News).
Below is a wide shot from 2018-02 showing the advertising hoarding that appears to be disused and (another shot of) the ‘RIP Jamie’ graffiti below.
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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Work continues at the site opposite The Sunflower (Union Street and Kent Street). Nine murals (at least) were lost when the building was torn down but the substantial hoarding is providing artists with a temporary canvas. Above are sunflowers by Conor McClure (web | Fb – see previously More Wolf Than Woman | Spring Wings); below are pieces by TMN crew members – MASH and “Skynet“.
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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 