painted wall

We Await In The Shadows

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Ten years after ending its armed campaign, the Red Hand Commando in 2017 applied to be de-proscribed, on the basis that it had given up its arms in 2009 and transformed itself into an ‘old comrades association’ (see the emblem in the bottom left of the wide shot) (BBC | NewsLetter).

According to this mural, however, B company is ready to reform in response to those who “play with peace”, fifty years later (or so – the mural claims the group was founded in 1970; other sources give 1972 (WP cites Peter Taylor).

“50 years has passed/We were forced to don our masks/Don’t play with peace/Or attack our land/We await in the shadows/B Coy Red Hand.” The photo reproduced is of a Red Hand Action Group in Beresford Street, in the Shankill, west Belfast.

Replaces the ‘99.9% need not apply‘ RHC mural.

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X06861 X06862 derrycoole way rathcoole

Jonathan Rea

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Jonathan Rea, riding for Kawasaki, became Superbike World Champion for a fifth consecutive time with wins in the final three stops of the year, in France, Argentina, and Qatar (WP). He grew up in Ballynure, near Ballyclare. (Belfast Live has a profile.) This mural, by Noel Morrison (Fb), is in Blenheim Drive in the Westwinds estate, Newtownards. (BelTel has a write-up. BBC Bikes has video showing Morrison adding “2019” to the mural after Rea’s recent win.)

The mural replaces The Union Jack. There is a small piece to rider Joey Dunlop at the shops – see The Pride Of Ulster.

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X06860 X06859 housing executive westwinds social and cultural

Volunteer, Brigadier, Ulsterman

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Tommy Herron was kidnapped and executed in September 1973, perhaps by members of his own East Belfast UDA brigade in a dispute over money from a robbery (Holland | BelTel | Irish Times | Lost Lives 938) though others allege it was by the security forces (BelTel), perhaps the SAS or MI5. These BBC News videos (one | two) give a sense of the perplexity of the case; a HET inquiry years later was inconclusive (Irish Times). His 18-year-old brother-in-law, Michael Wilson, had been killed by the UDA at their shared house in June, perhaps in a case of mistaken identity, perhaps as an informer (WP | Lost Lives 877).

Despite the internal conflict over Herron’s position and profiteering, 25,000 people attended his funeral and hearkened to the words of the Reverend Ian Paisley (AP video | Patterson images). The AP video shows ranks of UDA volunteers marching in the procession; the mural was launched with (two) masked UDA volunteers flanking speaker Dee Stitt (for whom see previously Welcome To The Jungle) (BelTel).

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X06858 X06856 [X06857] kilcooley estate 1937-1973

The Jokers

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Stephen Mulhern of ITV’s game show In For A Penny was filming in Belfast in early September (Belfast Live) and a mural to mark the occasion was attempted in Stephen Street – perhaps sarcastically, as he is named “Steve Mulhon” which sounds like “mo thóin” [my arse] (not to mention the “What a massive cock” graffiti). In any case, the mural has quickly been replaced by a work by Visual Waste (ig) who did the Joker and Derkz (ig) from Windsor, Ontario, who did Cat Woman.

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Merdeka

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Merdeka! Independence! West Papuans live under Indonesian rule since 1962 when United States, in the guise of the UN, “entrusted” the territory to Indonesia in exchange for a captured CIA pilot (WP). Leader-in-exile Benny Wenda is shown here against a backdrop of the flag of (independent) West Papua, the Morning Star, shown here hanging vertically.

The adjacent mural expresses solidarity with the Syrian Kurds – see Rojava Offensive.

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X06839 X06840 divis st Mickey Doherty

Looking After Each Other

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The former Ardoyne IRA memorial garden is now Ardoyne Youth Club’s ‘Garden Of Hope’, launched by Mayor John Finucane and actor Tim McGarry (‘Da’ from Give My Head Peace) on September 10th to coincide with World Suicide Prevention Day – see second image, below. (The celtic cross went to the new (2017+) memorial garden between Bulter Walk and Herbert Street; the plaque’s location – see final image – is unknown.)

“Be strong enough [to stand alone, smart enough] to know when you need help, and brave enough to ask for it” is a quote from financier Ziad Abdelnour (whose ‘strong’ promises of return on investment made him the subject of an investigation by the [US] Securities & Exchange Commission). It is used here in modified form in this anti-suicide mural encouraging Ardoyne youth (and others) to seek help for depression from Lifeline, PIPS, Samaritans, Lighthouse, Bridge Of Hope, Extern, Suicide Awareness And Support Group, .

The other quote – “I believe that the basic attribute of mankind is to look after each other” – is from Fred Hollows, New Zealand-born ophthalmologist, initially famous for treating trachoma in Aborigines.

X04492 2017-09-19 Missing Memorial+

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X004492 berwick ave it’s OK not to feel OK and it’s absolutely OK to ask for help

United’s Big Lily

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“Big Lily” is a giant (~40′ x 30′) Manchester United flag created by Whitehead man Keith Norris in 1999 as a gesture of friendship towards a fellow United fan from Belfast from the ‘other side’, Martin ‘Faceman’ Cleary. It has subsequently travelled the world – the flags shown are of Catalonia, Japan, Australia, England, the United States, Italy, Northern Ireland, Ireland, Germany, Poland, Scotland, Russia, Brazil, Spain – uniting United fans and being used to raise funds for anti-racism charity Kick It Out and Unicef. The mural is situated in no-man’s land on Northumberland Street and features the Orange lily of unionism and the Easter lily of nationalism. (Carrickfergus Times | Belfast Live | SignBigLily.com)

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X06815 X06816 Marty Lyons Global flag of friendship. United’s Big Lily. Manchester United FC, Stretford end on tour