Be Not Afraid

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“Greater justice was her ideal and it was her ultimate achievement. Her courage and sacrifice saved many from the scourge of drugs and other crime. Her death has not been in vain.” Veronica Guerin was a Sunday Independent journalist who investigated drug trafficking in Ireland. She was shot and killed in 1996 while sitting at a traffic light on the Naas dual carriage-way by members of John Gilligan’s gang riding a motorcycle (WP).

The bronze bust, by sculptor John Coll, is in the grounds of Dublin Castle (Statues). “Unveiled by the Taoiseach, Mr Bernie Ahern, TD, 22nd June, 2001.”

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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Reject The Crown

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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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Forever Young

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On this date twenty years ago (November 11th, 2001 – Remembrance Sunday) sixteen year-old Glen “Spacer” Branagh was killed by the premature blast of a pipe bomb he was carrying during a riot with New Lodge nationalists. He was affiliated with Tiger’s Bay First flute band – which held a memorial parade for him on October 16th (youtube) – and the UDA/UYM – for which see the old “Young Guns” mural on the site of the current Duncairn community garden. Distant relative Kenneth Branagh was also born in Tiger’s Bay (An Phoblacht), before leaving at age nine with his family in 1969 (WP); his film Belfast will be released in the USA tomorrow.

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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Workers Of The World Unite

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“We always knew who was ‘essential’ and who keeps our society going … the working class. Thank you to all our members – keeping the country up and running.” Transport House, built in 1959 and once home of the TGWU, has been vacant and there have been plans to renovate it since at least 2019, without any apparent movement, perhaps due to the expense involved (tw). The modern union, Unite (tw), is supposed to move into it upon completion (tw).

The entrance to the building has been boarded up since 2012. For the previous art on the hoarding, see Unite The Union (one | two). The new (computer-generated and -printed) mural shows a graffitist surreptitiously painting a pro-union message.

Brendan Harkin has a gallery of images of the interior on Twitter.

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Homeless Jesus

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‘Homeless Jesus’ shows a person with crucified feet sleeping outdoors on a bench. It was designed by Canadian sculptor Timothy Schmalz (web). The original is at the University Of Toronto and there are now well over 100 of them at churches and other public sites around the world (WP). This one is outside the Centenary House offices of Salvation Army, in Dunbar Link.

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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Solidarity With Palestine

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The Dome Of The Rock with its golden dome and octagonal walls (WP) provides a background to Palestinian protesters in this Ard Eoın/Ardoyne board expressing solidarity with Palestine. Éıstıgí (Fb) is the youth division of Saoradh (web), and IRPWA (tw) is its prisoner-of-war organisation.

This is a printed board but even so the artwork is in a different style to what has been previously seen, with the two characters drawn in a cartoon/animation style. (See, e.g., End Maghaberry Torture previously in this spot, or Leave Our Kids Alone around the corner in Ardoyne Ave, or The Rising Of The Moon in Derry.)

For the current Kickham’s mural in the background: see The Heart Of Our Community.

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Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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To The Ends Of The Earth

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Here is another collection of images related to the Noah Donohoe campaign – this is now our twelfth entry on the topic. The tarp and painted fencing, below, are from the Antrim Road, in north Belfast; the clothing bin is in bus turn-around just beyond Ligoniel; the sticker is in Dublin.

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First and last images Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
Middle two images Copyright © 2021 Sabine Troendle (web | Fb)
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A Place For Everyone

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“I loved it here, and still miss it. The characters that came into the shop … and I miss the craic!” The advertising hoardings at the corner of Ligoniel and Crumlin roads have been replaced with this community alcove with pavers and a space for “sharing positive stories together” at “the turn of the road” from Ballysillan towards Ligoniel village. The plaque to the UDA’s Bill Reynolds, which stood on the building where he was killed until the building was demolished (see the old plaque) and then replaced with a new plaque next to the hoarding, has been included.

“In loving memory [UDA] Lt. Col. Bill Reynolds murdered [by the IRA] 7-7-87. Always remembered by his family, friends and comrades. Quis separabit.”

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