The Stella Maris Hostel (in Garmoyle Street) provides services to homeless alcoholics. Above their door is this mosaic of St. Brendan, off “crossing the Atlantic 600 AD” to discover (what would later become) North America (though perhaps it was only the Faroes or the Canaries or … ) in a boat clad in nothing more than leather.
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Yesterday (29 January, 2014) marks the 50th anniversary of Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove, currently#42 on IMDb’s list of greatest films. (See the image below, which includes Slim Pickens as T. J. “King” Kong riding a bomb to mutually assured destruction. Peter Sellers intended to play the role, alongside his three others; see also this New Yorker magazine retrospective “Almost Everything in “Dr. Strangelove” Was True”.)
The movie retains its relevance in 2014, as evidenced by this stencil in Fountain Street, protesting the use of drone technology by the US in the mideast and Pakistan. Next the stencil of a cowboy riding a drone are the words “The Drone Ranger Tour 2014 – Pakistan, Afghanistan, Yemen, Syria”.
As can be seen in the wide shot below, this piece is next to the Obama ‘I See You‘ (and round the corner from the ‘Don’t Drone Me, Bro‘ stencil).
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The area known as the Pound Loney is featured in a long mural in Durham Street. The Pound Loney is Divis or the lower part of Divis on either side of Cullingtree Road; a “loney” is a lane and originally a natural path, in this case next to a stream beside the sheep-pound that existed before the area was developed for housing (Old Belfast Districts).
The mural features many of the place-names, landmarks, and personalities of yesteryear, including the Arcadian cinema on Albert Street – left of centre in the full shot below; see also the two images below of the Arcadian in happier days and in 1969, at the start of the troubles (images from Cinema Treasures and the Belfast Forum). Also featured are the Divis tower block, the Blessed Virgin mural, Barney’s mill, McGahan’s pub, Saint Peter’s. The streets include Barrack St, Galway St, Cullingtree Rd, Scotch St, Christian Place, Derby St, Castle St, Pound St, Nail St, Currie St, Albert St, Brook St, Jude St, Hamill St, Divis St, Milford St and Massereene (Row or Path or Walk) in Divis flats. If you can identify any of the characters in the mural, please leave a comment.
Previously: Lampost swinging | Mickey Marley’s Roundabout | Saint Peter’s
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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At the very top of the Whiterock Road, which is to say, half-way up Sliabh Dubh/Black Mountain, there are two shrines (wide shot below). The shrine to the Virgin Mary includes the apocalyptic prayer shown above: Mary, mystical rose, mother of the church, help the holy father of all bishops, all priests and all religious. Intercede for the sorely-pressed church of our times. Pray for the threatened world into which satan’s hot breath is blowing. Draw us all to your immaculate motherly heart. You are the mother of pity. Amen.
Previously: The BVM Supports POWs
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The stained-glass window shown above is on the stairs in An Chultúrlann. It was designed in conjunction with the Windsor Women’s group (Ionad Na mBan Windsor) to commemorate the fact that the place was formerly a Presbyterian church (1896-1982 Eaglaıs Preıspitéıreach, Broadway). The broken white lines which form the cross also stand for road markings. The glass also features the sun, a burning bush, a rainbow, and a Celtic shield. Unveiled June 22nd, 2012.
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Here are two more pieces of loyalist graffiti, possibly by the same hand.
The first – “Flag protesters jailed, terrorists bailed” – is in Glenvale Street, just off the Woodvale Road.
The second – “PSNI women beaters” – is further along Woodvale Road at Enfield Street.
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Graffiti in Lenadoon. In existentialist mode: “If nothing is, free are we.” Or perhaps “If nothing is free, are we[?]”
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Here are two of the three painted side of a large electrical box in the Highfield estate, adjacent to a new memorial garden. Above is a board commemorating British army service personnel from WWI to the recent/current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. On the other side of the box, and pictured below, the ‘thumbs up’ soldier is painted. For background on the ‘thumbs up’ image below, see the entry Help For Heroes.
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01637 [X01588] X01591 X01640 [X01592] [X01593] in support of help for heroes aa veterans army benevolent fund the best royal british legion thiepval tower cenotaph
“No vote, no voice” and “Vote Unionist”. Here are two pieces of loyalist graffiti concerned with (as they see it) under-representation in the political process. The first is at the corner of Springmartin Road and Ballygomartin Road (“Bobby Sands died 4 fuck all” can be seen underneath). The second is on the Forthriver Road at the Glencairn Day Centre.
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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“Strength for today, bright hope for tomorrow.” A “Willowfield community” strong man lifts a barbell of “friends” and “family” as he gets in shape. Below, a “Jesus” tag and a wide shot of both pieces, at the top of London Road.
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Copyright © 2014 Extramural Activity
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Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 