North Of Ireland Armies

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment
2015-07-22 CosgraveHeightsWWI+

Like the array of flags, the adjacent mural of army badges around a burial scene from the first world war features some lesser-seen items. On the left, alongside the Royal Irish Rifles (top left) and the (modern-day) Royal Irish Regiment (at the time of WWI the harp was plain and there was no garland), we see the emblem of the North Irish Horse, a cavalry unit in the Territorial Army. On the right, the emblem of the Royal Irish Rangers (which was folded into the Royal Irish Regiment in 1992) is joined by the star of the Irish Guards (above) and the emblem of the Ulster Special Constabulary or B-Specials (below). Only the Royal Irish Regiment and the Irish Guards remain as regiments of the British Army; “The Horse” now forms squadrons of other units. Of the six, four served in WWI; the B-Specials were formed in 1920 and the Rangers in 1968.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02692 quis separabit lest we forget

None Shall Separate Us

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“None shall separate us from those we have loved and lost. Quis separabit. Honour – loyalty – liberty – sacrifice.” A standing stone has been added to the UDA memorial garden in Cosgrave Heights, next to the plaque to the “Scottish Brigade North Ayrshire roll of honour” that was added (circa 2012) to the pair to the North Belfast Brigade that were present in 2008 (see M04397).

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02919 X02821 [X02920] X02918

You Will Become A Great Nation, Even Many Nations

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment
2015-07-22 CosgraveHeightsFlags+

Genesis 35:11 reads (NIV) “And God said to him, “I am God Almighty; be fruitful and increase in number. A nation and a community of nations will come from you, and kings will be among your descendants.” The flags of Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales, and England are joined in the mural above by those of Australia and (a simplified version of) the Falkland Islands (on the left) and New Zealand and Canada (on the right). The flag flying in the centre is the Royal Standard, flown on the building or vehicle where the monarch – currently EIIR, Elizabeth II Regina, Queen Elizabeth the second – is.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02689

Like Leaves

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment
2015-07-22 DeanClarke+

Treebeard the Ent (from Lord Of The Rings) watches over the young people of north Belfast’s Tigers Bay. Dean Clarke, age 16, hanged himself on November 4th, 2007, after a week in hospital recovering from an overdose of ketamine (which he believed to be Valium). The Dean Clarke Foundation (Fb) was founded by his mother Alison in order to provide activities and outings for young people. (BBC-NI | Tele) The foundation is also involved in the Tigers Bay community garden (see Work Ethic).

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02693 titanic centre hedgehog flowers stone wall

Consolidate The Peace

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment
2015-07-22 LPAHarveyCourt+

As talks were held at Stormont throughout 1997, (leading to the Good Friday (or: Belfast) Agreement in April 1998) paramilitaries on both sides in the conflict began pressing their case for concessions, including the release of political prisoners. The image above is of a 1997 UDA mural that is still in decent condition in loyalist east Belfast: Consolidate The Peace – Release East Belfast’s Loyalist Prisoners. It shows a Long Kesh tower and barbed wire with red hands breaking the chains between handcuffs. For a similar image (which was painted out this week) in nearby Lord Street, see All Gave Some.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02694 we forget them not LPA harvey court

Never At Peace

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment
03612 2016-07-07 Ireland Unfree+

Contemporary Republican stencil containing a trio of classic slogans: Patrick Pearse’s famous closing words at the funeral of O’Donovan Rossa (which was re-enacted this August on its centenary) — “Ireland unfree shall never be at peace”; “PSNI-RUC not welcome”; and – of the greatest vintage – “Tıocfaıdh ár lá. IRA”. Meenan Square, Derry.

02804 2015-08-23 IrelandUnfreeDerry+

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03612 X02804 our day will come

Garden Of Eatin’

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment
2015-07-02 GardenOfEatin+

Badger, hedgehog, squirrel, fox, and owl – along with various butterflies and birds – all inhabit the new community garden at Conduit Street in Donegall Pass. (It’s not all make-believe; the bird box on the tree in the middle is in fact real!) The mural above is the work of Nozzle & Brush.

Click here for work-in-progress shots. And for images of the launch (on April 22, 2015) see the Fb page of the Donegall Pass Community Forum.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02687

100% British

Extramural Activity1 Comment
2015-07-01 RUC Collusion+

For weeks (since April) a whitewashed panel on the International Wall sat empty, before being partly filled in with “RIC – RUC – PSNI”, “RUC -> Collusion covered up by PSNI”, but progress seems to have halted again and a 32-County Sovereignty Movement tarp has been placed on top: Oppose British political policing.

Previously in this spot: End British Internment | Scairt Amach

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02686 in defence of the nation

From Celtic Park To Barcelona

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment
2015-07-01 DonPatricioFull+

The stands of three football stadiums are shown in the background of the Don Patricio mural at the bottom of the Whiterock: Belfast Celtic’s Celtic Park (“Paradise”), Manchester United’s Old Trafford, and Barcelona’s Camp Nou. The Old Trafford stands bear the emblems of the teams Patrick O’Connell played for and managed: Liffey Wanderers (whose shirt is also featured, on the left), Sheffield Wednesday, Hull City (The Tigers), Manchester United, Dumbarton, Real Racing Club de Santander, Real Oviedo, and Real Betis Balompié (also shirt on the right).

Previously about Belfast Celtic: Know Your History | Reaching Out

Also from this mural: The Don | The Flea

2015-07-01 DonPatricioWide+

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02683 X02685 cuando te lleves mi alma no robes mi orgullo when you take my soul, do not steal my pride est. 1891 irish football association limited international champion