A tribute to the NHS on a vinyl sticker in the newspapered front window of The Bear & The Doll (formerly Titanic, formerly Frames) – which closed in March last year (2020) in the distinctive style of London artist Nathan Bowen (ig | web store) who has been working on closed-up buildings and construction hoardings during the pandemic.
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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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“Stop PSNI harassment of the loyalist community” The PSNI were attacked on Wednesday by youths who blocked Lanark Way (site of this sticker), following a small protest against the NI Protocol. Belfast Live ran a live-blog of the events. Police later suggested that the young people were organised by older people in the community in an attempt to increase tension over the Protocol (Belfast Live) and the threatened collapsing of Stormont by the DUP (BelTel). They were also attacked from the Springfield Road side (BelTel).
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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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“My freedom doesn’t end where your fear begins. Brought to you by: The White Rose.” The White Rose was a Munich resistance group that undertook an anti-Nazi leaflet campaign in 1942-1943, until its leaders were arrested and executed (WP). This White Rose is “a global network [using Telegram] of independent activists, all working in unison to disseminate a much needed counter narrative to the relentless fear mongering, lies and propaganda we’ve all been subjected to since day one of the Covid-19 scamdemic.”
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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Debenhams went into administration on April 9th, 2020 and immediately announced the closure of their stores in the Republic, with the loss of 1,200+ jobs. Workers went on strike for their union-negotiated redundancy, picketing both the front and rear entrances of stores to prevent the removal of stock by liquidators. The strike ended after 406 days when workers voted to accept an (Irish) government re-training scheme of 3m euro (Irish Times); the company was liquidated and all stores closed, including those in the north. The poster shown is on the ILAC centre in central Dublin.
A book on the strike – Tales From The Debenhams Picket Line – is now available.
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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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“Commander in chief of British armed forces not welcome in Ireland – Irish blood on Englands’ [sic] hands. Reject the crown in Ireland.” 32CCSM (web) launched a poster campaign to protest the visit by Queen Elizabeth on October 21st to celebrate the centenary of Northern Ireland. She did not end up attending as she was advised to rest (BBC) (and was in fact hospitalised – BBC); Boris Johnson attended (BelTel). The poster includes the Ballymurphy Massacre mural (originally on the Whiterock Rd and later on the Springfield Rd) and the front page of the Daily Mirror after Bloody Sunday in Derry, 1972.
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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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If we were to guess, humans probably spend more time in simulation – imagining the past, the future, other minds, other situations, with and without the aid of books, games, TV/movies, internet – than in experience, and the pandemic has not helped at all. It’s a weird world, represented by Leo Boyd (web | ig | Fb).
Donegall Street, Belfast.
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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Not anti-mask/vaccine but pro-choice Paste-up on the old Bank Of Ireland building on North Street/Royal Avenue, Belfast, from Feminist Collages Belfast who vow to replace their torn-down messages.
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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Victory to the republican political prisoners from across the ages – “H-Block to Maghaberry” – but also from Ireland to Palestine.
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Four appearances of Jesus in Belfast in 2021: the sacred heart of Jesus on a parking meter; Jesus (previously seen in Glengormley – Nearer My God To Thee – and explained in This Image Is Blessed); and two stickers from the Hightown Road: “In case no one told you today, Jesus loves you” and “Repent – Luke 13:3, Matthew 4:17”.
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Protesters from Donegal were (again) in Dublin on Friday (Journal.ie), pressing their claims for “100% redress – no less” for the cost of repairing houses that were built from faulty concrete blocks that are now cracked and crumbling because of an excessive amount of mica (17% as opposed to the prescribed limit of 1%). Leinster home-owners experiencing similar problems with pyrite were awarded 100% redress but the current scheme for the 5,000+ mica-affected homes in Donegal and Mayo offers only 90% of the cost of repairs (Irish Times) – hence the slogan “parity with pyrite”. Some homes, in Mayo, are currently affected by pyrite (Irish Times).
The stickers shown here are asking for support from Dublin residents. (Previously: support on Free Derry Corner.) They were presumably mounted by Paddy Diver, who is driving traffic to the Mica Action Group.
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Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 