Here is another mural, this time in west Belfast, in the campaign demanding a response to a shortage in low-income housing. For more, see previously, Equality Can’t Wait.
Loyalist paramilitary flags went up in the Skegoneill area of north Belfast last week and drew the response above. The area is mixed (Catholic, Protestant) and the adjacent Glandore area is Catholic.
“Fıann [sic] James ‘Pavlo’ O’Neill died close to this spot while on active service, aged 17. Born 21st December 1958 – died 12th February 1976. Fuaır sé bás ar son na hÉıreann. 1958-1976”. Jim O’Neill was killed in during an IRA arson attack on a furniture warehouse on the Antrim Road near the New Lodge – Gerry Fitt’s house next door might have been the ultimate target (Belfast Child). The local flute band is in part named after him – see O’Neill-Allsopp Memorial Flute Band.
A shortage in low-income housing is highlighted in the #buildhomesnow campaign which has put up lots of small boards (such as the one in the image below, on Divis Street) and the mural shown above, which is in the New Lodge. The site of the old Mackie’s factory is one particular location the campaign says could be redeveloped. (See articles from BMG and Participation & Practice Of Rights.)
Two animal pieces: in the second, below, the giraffe and the monkey roam free among the flowers; in the first, the tiger (painted by Friz web) is caged behind some railings along Donegall Street Place.
Local artist Friz teamed up with London painter ARTiSTA* to produce this new mural outside the (recently-saved-from-demolition) Sunflower bar (replacing KVLR’s Pizza Pipe). Artista painted the violin with legs on the left while Friz painted the girl on the right wearing winged headphones. Work-in-progress shots can be seen on the Sunflower’s Fb page.
Tony Taylor, an RNU leader and former IRA man in Derry, remains in Maghaberry prison after having his license revoked in March of this year. (See Free Tony Taylor.) Sinn Féin last week again called for Taylor’s immediate release of Tony Taylor (youtube). The Cogús mural above is in Beechmount Avenue.
In quick succession to the Easter Rising centenary mural in the same spot, there comes this 32 County Sovereignty Movement mural, with the island of Ireland in green, white, and orange, and (representing prisoners) barbed wire and a candle.
Érıu/Éıre of the Tuatha Dé Danann, queen of Ireland, (as depicted by Richard J King) is at the centre of various representations of republican women. Along the top are Ann Devlin, Betsy Gray, Mary Ann McCracken, Countess Markievicz, Nora Connolly?, and Winifred Carney. Suffragettes, the modern IRA, and Cumman Na mBan are depicted, as are Máıre Drumm at the Falls Curfew, Tom McElwee’s sisters carrying his coffin, and Molly Childers and Mary Spring Rice running guns on the Asgard. There is also an unusual ‘four provinces’ in the corners.
The wide shot (below) shows the James Connolly mural below (seen previously in 2012) and the (recently added) 1916 centenary board – for which see Ag fíorú na poblachta.