Work by Wee Nuls (Nuala Convery | ig | web) in Kent Street, Belfast, for HTN.
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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Mankind Vs Mother Nature
Multiple versions of ourselves, the same but a little different. Work by emic (web) for Hit The North, in North Street, Belfast.
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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The Prince Of Whales
The water is fine. Really good, in fact. Come on in. Work by Francois Got Buffed (web | tw) in Kent Street for HTN.
Previously: 100% Less Hate | Ye Dancin’? | Dangerous Dave | Hi | Dancing In The Streets | Together
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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Uncle George
“In loving memory of our uncle and brother.” A memorial of flowers and cards to “Uncle George” in Ormeau Park.
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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The Power Of Hope
“Don’t be ashamed of your story – It will inspire others.” “You are amazing – remember that.” The Belfast ‘Darkness Into Light’ event for suicide-prevention (a walk to greet the sunrise) was held in Ormeau Park on May 11th, and the park was decorated with lots of inspirational messages and stencils from organisations including PIPS (Public Initiative For Prevention Of Suicide And Self-Harm Fb) and Pieta House (web) (with electric ireland).
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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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UN 194
Tonight’s second round of performances in the Eurovision Song Contest sees the Irish entry take the stage. (The UK’s song has a bye into Friday night’s finals.) The competition is taking place in Tel Aviv, Israel, which has prompted the BDS movement to urge a boycott of the event. Among those lodging a protest are Gael Force Art, who took to Slıabh Dubh last weekend with a large Palestinian flag. Article 11 of UN Declaration 194 asserts that refugees displaced by the 1948 Arab-Israeli war should be able to return home.
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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Make Your Mama Cry
“It’s no lie – drugs will make your mama cry!” Sisters Bridget and Geraldine McKay died within three weeks of each other, one from heroin and the other from prescription dugs (iTV | BelfastLive | BelTel). Between them, they leave nine children behind. The graffiti above is at the Colin transport hub, not far from Geraldine’s Suffolk Road home; Bridget lived in the New Lodge flats.
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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Winding Up The Peelers
After suffering a lot of damage in a fairly short time, the PSNI land-rover-cum-ice-cream-van by Leo Boyd (web) and Laura Nelson (ig) – see Freshly Made For You! – has been stripped off and replaced with this clockwork version.
The PSNI land-rover is a familiar Boyd subject – see Off The Ledge for a list.
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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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If You Listen Very Carefully, You Can Hear Her Breathe
Show Some Love is a campaign by non-profit Another World Belfast (web | Fb | ig) to collect toiletries and underwear for ‘Love Packs’. The organisation takes its name and inspiration from the last line of Arundhati Roy’s Confronting Empire (which was subsequently expanded into An Ordinary Person’s Guide To Empire (p. 86)): “Another world is not only possible, she’s on the way and, on a quiet day, if you listen very carefully you can hear her breathe.” (The last line actually appears to be “On a quiet day, you can hear her breathing.”)
Behind their stencil on the electrical box is the spring 2019 Hit The North piece by artist Emmanlene Blake (web), portraying author and journalist Lyra McKee, who was shot in the head in Creggan (by a gunman from the New IRA) on April 18th while observing a riot from behind police lines. She was taken to Altnagelvin hospital but later died. At her funeral in Belfast, Father Martin Magill was inspired to ask why her death was required in order to make politicians work together. He received a standing ovation (BBC-NI).
Later in the painting process the electrical box was painted over in keeping with the piece (“Here’s to saying goodbye to bombs and bullets”) and a quotation added to the main piece: “It won’t always be like this. It’s going to get better – Lyra McKee.” See the final two images, below.
Kent Street, Belfast city centre
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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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They Said We’d Never Last
Ronnie’s hardware shop in east Belfast, vacant for many years and the site of Our Brave Defenders, was finally torn down last year and a pocket park created with murals commemorating east Belfast volunteers who died in the Great War and the UVF Regimental Band (tw), this year celebrating its 50 anniversary (video of the launch).
See previously: 40th anniversary banner at the same spot (next to the Belvoir Bar at the old Newcastle Street in east Belfast).
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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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