#Gaza

2014-08-21 #GazaDetail+

A young woman dressed in the red, black, and green of Palestine secures her keffiyeh, preparing for defiance rather than expressing her modesty – a detail from a new mural in Balfour Avenue (shown below) with a graffitist in a red-and-white keffiyeh (the colours of the PFLP – see previously: The Popular Front) writing “Free Palestine”. An ‘anti-fascist action’ flag flies in the background.

Previously: Leila Khaled wearing a keffiyeh – traditionally a male garment – in the style of a hijab – a woman’s garment (WP).

2014-08-21 #Gaza+

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02101 X02100 antifaschistische aktion

An Phalaıstín/Palestine

2014-08-19 Ghearleanuint+

Pro-Palestine board outside the north Belfast Sınn Féın office on the Antrim Road showing a bloody hand-print and the face of a crying child: “Stad leıs an ghéarleanúınt – ag tacú le cearta na Palaıstíne” : “Stop the persecution – supporting Palestinian rights”. The close-up of the hand and face, below, is taken from an English-language version of the board in Beechmount Street. The third image is of the same board at the Glen Road/Andersonstown Road junction.

2014-09-06 PalestineBaby2+

2014-09-28 CeartaNaPalaistine+

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
gaza X02094 X02170 X02250

Building An Ireland Of Equals

The aspect of Cave Hill commonly known as Napoleon’s Nose is shown sheltering the people of Newington, surrounded by heroes and emblems of the past – Bobby Sands, Wolfe Tone, and in the centre, Winifred Carney. This republican mural is both internally directed (at Newington and the New Lodge) and externally, being on the main Antrim Road (Oceanic avenue, on the side of the Sınn Féın office) which is a main artery between the city and points north.

“Ag aontú Caıtlıceach, Protastúnach agus Easaontóırí.” – “Uniting Catholic, Protestant, and Dissenter.” In An Argument On Behalf Of The Catholics Of Ireland (1791), Wolfe Tone of the United Irishmen wrote, “To subvert the tyranny of our execrable government, to break the connection with England, the never-failing source of all our political evils, and to assert the independence of my country, these were my objects. To unite the whole people of Ireland, to abolish the memory of past dissensions, and to substitute the common name of Irishman, in place of the denominations of Protestant, Catholic and Dissenter, these were my means.”

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02458

The Most That Man Can Give

2014-08-18 LindsayWWI+

Computer-generated board in Lindsay Street showing a map of the northern end of the Western Front and images of soldiers marching, on horseback, and in the trenches: Donegall Pass remembers 1914-1918 the great sacrifice. Lest we forget. Here are commemorated the many local men who during the Great War of 1914-1918 gave the most that man can give: life itself for God for King and Country.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02090 36th ulster division those who fell basset dewar dunlop gourley hall halliday hamilton hayes hazlett jess jones kitson kydd mcallister mccollam mckissack mcwilliams motherwell nixon patterson scott wright yates the day break and the shadows flow away st mary magdalene parish

Mıse Éıre/I Am Ireland

2014-08-18 NewLodgeCLG+

The local New Lodge GAA club Cumman An Phıarsaıgh is named in honour of Patrick Pearse, executed after the 1916 rising. The club’s new mural features footballers contesting a ball and Pearse’s image appears at the centre of a celtic cross along with part of his 1912 poem Mıse Éıre in the bottom corner (shown below in a close-up). Painted by Lucas Quigley and Michael Doherty. Replaces New Lodge 2000.

Mıse Éıre: Sıne mé na an Chaılleach Bhéarra.
Mór mo ghlóır: Mé a rug Cú Chulaınn croga.
Mór mo náır: Mo chlann féın a dhíol a máthaır.
[Mór mo phıan: Bıthnaımhde do mo shíorchıapadh.
Mór mo bhrón: D’éag an dream ınar chuıreas dóchas.]
Mıse Éıre: Uaıgní mé ná an Chaılleach Bhéarra.

I am Ireland: I am older than the old woman of Beare.
Great my glory: I who bore Cuchulainn, the brave.
Great my shame: My own children who sold their mother.
[Great my pain: My irreconcilable enemy who harasses me continually.
Great my sorrow: That crowd, in whom I placed my trust, died.]
I am Ireland: I am lonelier than the old woman of Beare.

2014-08-18 NewlodgeCLGScroll+

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
1951 X02091 X02092 New Lodge Road

Ulster Will Fight

2014-08-18 LindsayCovenant+

“It is needful that we knit together as one man, each strengthening the other, and not holding back of counting the cost” – Ulster [Unionist] Council Resolution 1912. The Council met on September 23rd and 471,000 people signed the covenant (figures here) on or around the 28th – Ulster Day – led by Sir Edward Carson.

For another board featuring similar images, see Covenant Of Hearts. In the same row of boards: Anthem For Doomed Youth

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02089 will be right we won’t have home rule just under half a million men women september 28, in protest at the home rule bill introduced by the british government in that same year sir edward carson was the first person to sign at belfast city hall londonderry protestant churches craigavon signers were all unionists against the establishment of an irish parliament in dublin own blood to show their faith and dedication to the covenant

Anthem For Doomed Youth

2014-08-18 LindsayArmistice+

“But in their eyes shall shine the holy glimmers of goodbyes … Their flower the tenderness of patient minds, and each slow dusk a drawing down of blinds.” Lines from Wilfred Owens’ (1893-1918) ‘Anthem For Doomed Youth‘ on a new board in Lindsay Street.

The text at the bottom reads: “The last three month of WWI became known as the hundred days. Realising they were defeated an armistice was signed by the Germans. Germany finally surrendered and WWI ended on November 11th 1918. The terms of the agreement called for the end of fighting along the entire Western Front to begin a precisely 11 am that morning. Records show that the last British soldier killed in WWI was Private George Edwin Allison of the 5th Royal Irish Lancers. He was killed at Mons at 09:30 am, just 90 minutes before the ceasefire.”

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02088 the war is over germans accept allies’ terms armistice day

Scotland’s Burden

2014-08-17 AlbainEire+

The mural above pairs the emblem of Celtic – a Scottish team – with a former emblem of the FAI – the governing body for the Republic’s national team (and, at the time this mural was painted (2002 according to CAIN), league football in the South). Celtic shoulders the footballing dreams of many Northern Ireland nationalists, which is perhaps why, below the flags of Scotland and Ireland, what should be “Albain agus Éıre” is in fact “Albaın agus eıre”: Scotland and a burden.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02084 club 1888 friendly street saltire association ireland

The Good Road

2014-08-17 Travellers+

Above is a new mural on the Divis Street “International Wall” (Visual History) in support of travellers’ right, featuring horseshoes, musical notation, and a child looking out of a vintage caravan. Sponsored by West Against Racism Network (WARN – web | Fb) and Springfield Charitable Association (web).

The image that the artists were working from for central portion of the mural – a 2009 photograph by Mark Stedman – can be seen still taped to the wall.

Replaces the “Say No To Racism” mural from June.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02086 An Munıa Tobaır [Tober] Women’s Choir