Yesterday we had ‘Barcelona Past’ in the form of Patrick “Don Patricio” McConnell (The Don); today we have ‘Barcelona Present’, in the form of Lionel Messi. The Argentinian forward is shown in front of the Spanish League cup, which Barcelona won this year (2014-2015) with a goal from “La Pulga” (“the flea”) – Messi is 5’7″ but four-time world player of the year.
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Here is part of the new Patrick O’Connell, “Don Patricio”, mural at the bottom of the Whiterock. As a player, the Dublin-born O’Connell started with Belfast Celtic before moving on to various English and Scottish clubs, including a period at Manchester United at the time of WWI. He then went on to manage a string of Spanish clubs. As manager of Barcelona during the Spanish civil war, he accompanied the club on their tour of Mexico and the United States. The money from the tour saved the club from bankruptcy but 12 of the 16 players went into exile in Mexico and France. (WP) Barcelona returns to the US this month (2015-07) for games against the LA Galaxy, Manchester United, and Chelsea. (FCBarcelona)
The newspaper in the mural above crams all of this news onto one page: “Civil war erupts in Spain – Barcelona bombed”, “Football suspended – President [of FC Barcelona] Josep Sunyol assassinated” [by Franco’s troops] (WP); “Irishman O’Connell takes players on tour – FC Barcelona saved from extinction”; “Funds lodged in Switzerland”. In the bottom left-hand corner of the newspaper is Robert Capa’s famous photograph of ‘The Falling Soldier’, purporting to show a Republican soldier at the very moment he is struck by a bullet and dies. The image is now thought to have been staged (WP).
The image on which the portrait is (perhaps) based can be seen in this Irish Times article on O’Connell.
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South Belfast MP Robert Bradford was assassinated by the Provisional IRA in Finaghy at a meeting with constituents; the caretaker of the community centre, Ken Campbell, was also killed by the fleeing attackers. Taking place in late 1981, with the hunger strikes having ended only a month before, the killing was noted around the world and raised fears of broad civil unrest (BBC | NYTimes). The board above serves as a substitute for an earlier mural to Bradford on the adjacent gable wall. See below for a wide shot of Oak Street with the Bradford board between the repainted Cemented With Love and No Surrender Club.
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X02673 X02677 my role is to say harsh things oft-times, but to bathe the sharp sword of my word in heaven, to temper what I say with love and lead people from their folly to a life of fuller service with their king for seven violent year from 1974 to 1981 unionist mp for south belfast an outspoken champion for liberty in ulster unafraid to speak his mind despite the danger he faced daily from terrorist death threats finally they murdered him while he was on constituency duty doing the special work god had called him to do one of the worst political assassinations in recent british history sent shockwave around the world
June 15th saw the official ‘Arts For All’ launch of a mural shown all the way back in January. For the launch, artist Jonny McKerr added backgrounds to the cross-maker and bugler on the low wall in front, and the information-board in the centre was added. For background and the images on which the mural is based, see The Home Front.
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X02678 X02679 X02680 this mural shows images from the years 1912-1918 show what was happening at home and on the battlefield during the first world war and the years leading up to the war it is estimated over 16 million people died and 20 million were wounded one of the bloodiest in history two million horses reflects people’s lives changed part of a battle keeping communities going images decided after a lengthy consultation and research process study visits local aspects of life during those years women were employed range of jobs not previously had access to welder belfast shipyard workers went on strike for improved terms and conditions in 1917 throughout ireland left their families behind fight for king and country important medical care delivering coal to homes and factories keep industry alive battle of the somme 1st july 18th november 1916 on the banks in northern france over 1,000,000 were wounded or killed in human history irish soldiers 36th ulster division suffered more than 5,000 casualties on the first day employed to make crosses to mark the graves buried in unmarked graves bugler played the last post in british army camps to signal the end of the day when the duty officer returned to the field badhes of the 19 regiments from the island of ireland 80,000 cases of shell shock affected the poet sigfried sassoon the past is just the same and war’s a bloddy game have you forgotten yet? look down and swear by the slain of the war that you’ll never forget
Oak Street is a fitting place for a mural about the Siege of Derry, as the oak leaf, shown to the left and right of the board above (and in the wide shot, below) is a symbol of the town, “doire” meaning an oak grove. The gates to the city were locked by thirteen apprentices, against the wishes of Governor Robert Lundy who wised to surrender the city. When the deposed king James II and his army arrived and demanded the surrender of the city of Derry, the cry from within was “No surrender!” The city was then besieged for 105 days until relief arrived in the form of ships of the navy of the newly crowned William & Mary.
The board shown above celebrates 50 years of the No Surrender Club South Belfast (1963-2013) a club affiliated with the Apprentice Boys Of Derry.
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X02674 X02675 X02676 The Siege of Derry, 1688 – 1689, April 18 to July 28 played a key role in the victory of the Williamite forces in Britain and other parts of Europe. The success of William III and the Glorious Revolution effectively stopped the rise of a tyrannical Empire under Louis XIV of France and his ally the deposed king of England, James II. The theory of the divine right of Kings was replaced by reforms created by King William III and Queen Mary, establishing the supremacy of parliamentary democracy and its freedoms which continue to this day. during the war of the three kings showing the jacobite fortifications and position of the boom across the foyle gold mask of the sun king vita veritas victoria protestant nobles stewart dynasty prince of orange convention parliament abdicated battle of the boyne kingdom of england scotland ireland londonderry toleration of roman catholics dissenters cousin dutch citizens walls of derry but the cry was siege of 105 days duly initiated in apprentice boys’ memorial hall shutting of the gates rules and ritual roaring meg siege key
“Our wood goes, your windows go” – a message from the Bawnmore Zulus at Longlands Court/Arthur Road bridge in anticipation of August “festivities”.
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The ‘Cemented With Love’ mural on Oak Street (Donegall Pass) has been repainted for the 2015 marching season. According to the painted note in the bottom left corner, it was originally painted in 1989 on the 25th anniversary of the erection of the arch in nearby Lindsay Street. The mural shows William of Orange rearing back his horse in the Boyne river while a Jacobite soldier in green, white, and gold expires on the shore (shown below along with a close-up of William and horse).
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X02670 X02669 X02668 X02671 Lindsay St arch erected 1964 holy bible william of orange launched 2015-06-19
The New Lodge youth centre has received a make-over, with kids’ drawings of purple pencils, yellow flowers, pink buses, and red circles. Even the security wire at the top has been included in the gaiety.
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Every day, men would line up in schooling pens on the various docks of the port of Belfast to be hired by foremen. As mentioned on the left-hand side of the board above (recently erected on the New Lodge side of the Duncairn “peace” line) the rise of the shipping container in the 1970s spelled the end of the docker: “from 3000 listed dockers in 1970, the number had fallen to 280 by 1985.” Author and poet John Campbell recalls his first day on the docks in 1952, unloading cement, in this NVTv video.
See previously: Unite The Union | OBU | International Workers’ Day
Lepper Street, New Lodge, north Belfast
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“This artwork celebrates the unique contribution that generations of dockers have made to the port and City of Belfast.”
“It was a physically demanding job, the hours were long, the conditions were tough and the availability of work was not constant. Without the Dockers, however, the Port of Belfast would not have been able to grow. / Transportation of goods by containers led to a revolution in working practices at Belfast Docks and the number of dockers decreased dramatically. From 3000 listed dockers in 1970, the number had fallen to 280 by 1985. Behind these figures lay the human story of vast social changes in the harbour area as well as the gradual dissappearance [sic] of an entire community who had earned their living from the sea and also through the loading and unloading of ships. These were the Dockers and their families, many of whom lived in Sailortown. / The workforce of dockers spanned both traditions. Red button and Blue button. Dockers had a common allegiance to the Port of Belfast which provided a living for men and families from both communities. / The work was backbreaking, yet the Docks educated us about life, integrity, discipline, about standing up for our rights, about having pride in our identity as working men, as Dockers. / The Dockers[‘] working environment was repressive and hazardous with large numbers experiencing industrial injuries. Others lost their lives or were badly injured in horrific accidents at work. Many suffered chronic long term illnesses, others died prematurely having contracted asbestosis. Many Dockers became politically aware in the formation of trade unions and social reforms. The Dockers Trade Union, Irish Transport and General Workers[‘] Union (ITGWU) organised by Jim Larkin (1909) and James Connolly (1910-11) celebrated its centenary in 2009.” OBU one big union
The tall ships will be in Belfast July 2nd to 5th for the start of a race that will take them to Norway and then to Denmark. The first of about 80 ships have already arrived. The mural above is on the quay-side of the Rotterdam bar. The design, by 16 year-old Daniel Hamilton, is the winner of a Belfast Telegraph competition.
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