Hands Across The Yard

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This mural expresses solidarity between Irish republican and Palestinian prisoners of war. It was painted by a local artist in collaboration with Carlos Latuff, a Brazilian political cartoonist. There’s a picture of Latuff and the local artist in front of the mural, as well as his cartoon version, here. (Update: he also drew a cartoon on the wall of a café in Belfast city centre.) He also visited Derry.

Northumberland Street, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00586 solidarity pows

Green, White, And Bronze

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This is the new Michael Conlan mural, on Violet Street, painted by Marty Lyons. It is notable for how quickly it went up (Conlon (and Barnes) won medals on August 11th), for the sponsorship (by the Beehive and McPeakes), and for the artists’ signatures (below the McPeakes label – click on the image to enlarge).

Boxing is organized on an all-island basis (WP), though at the Olympics boxers can choose to fight for either Ireland or GBNI.

At London 2012, Ireland won four medals in boxing. Conlan, Barnes, Katie Taylor (gold) and John Joe Nevin (silver).

(P.S. The Nevins are travellers (WP) and Mr and Mrs Nevin could not find an establishment in Mullingar where they could watch the fight – they had to go out of town to a pub where they weren’t known. )

Here’s a picture of the mural in progress. (Replaces the Celtic mural.)

Other Olympians: In London, a mural of Usain Bolt. In the U.S., a mural was painted of gymnastic champion Gabby Douglas. Irish/Northern Irish Olympians in Belfast. Anti-corporate Olympics mural.

Violet Street, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Just The Ticket

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These are just a few of the panels that are part of the long, long, mural in Stroud Street by Ed Reynolds (steadyhanded.com), “assisted by William McKee Strong, June 2012” – McKee appears as the man putting money into the parking-ticket machine, which is real, as is the street-light pole incorporated in the mural above. (There are a few seconds of footage of children swinging on a light pole at the 1:25 mark of this youtube video.)

The third image is based on a photograph by the celebrated Belfast photographer Bill Kirk whose exhibit ‘Sandy Row 1974’ was at the Red Barn Gallery September-October 2011. At 6:50 in this youtube video one can see the original photograph of the Elliots.

Commissioned by the Belfast City Council, in consultation with the Sandy Row Community Forum and the Residents’ Association. The Tele had a write-up of the work: The Singing Butcher.

Stroud Street, Sandy Row, south Belfast

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00583 X00588 sandy row 1907, tram workers sandy row at the albion Alex Higgins Joe Hillerby Alanna Audley-Murphy Ruby Murray James Johnston Joe Bambrick

Local History From Local People

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“Get the real story – local history from local people – take a black taxi tour – West Belfast Taxi Association – 40 years unbroken service”. The tours of “local” history are of course aimed at non-locals as part of the ‘dark tourism’ or ‘Troubles tourism’ boom.

Here is the Getty Images photo of British Army soldiers on the Falls Road in 1969, on which the mural is based.

International Wall, Divis, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Never Actually Existed

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The new WARN (West Against Racism Network) mural on International Wall.

On the left, an Irish family in front of a window reading “No Irish need apply” is stereotyped as jagged-toothed, shillelagh-wielding hunch-backs in the style of Punch and other magazines’ portrayal of the Irish. The Punch portrayal is described, and Punch named explicitly, in the song ‘Do Me Justice’ a.k.a. ‘Here I Am From Donegal’. (Lyrics | audio: Frank Harte (full song) | Len Graham (clip).) They also carry a copy of “The Big Begorra” – a play on The Big Issue, a newspaper published on behalf of, and sold by, homeless people. “We’re projections of 19th century anti-Irish prejudice—we’ve never actually existed.”

The treatment of the Irish is used as an analogy for the the Roma (WP): “Whereas I, ethnoid steriotypus their creator, have existed since time immemorial. My latest target—the Roma! I hope you’ll swallow all the lies I concoct.”

“Hey—what was the outcome of the harassment of the Roma newspaper sellers?” “The evening edition collapsed!” – this is a reference to the Belfast Telegraph‘s decision to cease printing an evening edition.

This mural does NOT contain a reference to the ‘Free Marian Price’ (WP | FB) campaign, which all of the other murals on the international wall currently (summer 2012) do. In the lower right is the signature of political cartoonist Ian Knox, a.k.a. Blotski (WP) – Marty Lyons and a Short Strand artist were also involved – and date (9 August, 2012 – for Féile 2012 (pictures of the launch).

(Replaces a black-and-red ‘Oppose Racism‘ mural, which replaced the Liam MacCarthy Cup mural.)

International Wall, Divis Street, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00581 No Irish need apply; we’re projections of 19th century anti-Irish prejudice—we’ve never actually existed;west against racism network’ big begorra issue; whereas I ethnoid steriotypus their creator, have existed since time immemorial; my latest target—the Roma!; I hope you’ll swallow all the lies I concoct; Hey—what was the outcome of the harassment of the Roma newspaper sellers?’ the evening edition collapsed!

Bundoran Banksy

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“Copyright is for losers © TM – Banksy”. A “Banksy”, about Banksy, in Bundoran.

The statement on the left appears on the printer’s page inside the cover of Wall And Piece, but is immediately followed by “Against his better judgment, Banksy has asserted his right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 …”!

For Banksy, see banksy.co.uk, WP.

Related: (the real) Banksy’s Olympics works, Hackney Welcomes the Olympics and Going For Mould.

See also: Belfast Banksy

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Askatasuna

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This is a new mural in support of the Basque country and in particular political prisoners, unveiled today as part of Féıle 202 in Beechmount, west Belfast. The designs to the left and the right are described in a comment below – thanks BasqueMurals.

Previous Basque mural on Divis St, lower Falls.

Below, a young traditional singer from the Basque country singing at the launch of the new mural.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00576 X00577 saoırse; askatasuna; belfast basque solidarity committee; free all basque political prisoners

Maghaberry Dirty Protest

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“Support the Maghaberry “Dirty Protest” 1981-2011″. Republican prisoners in Maghaberry began a dirty protest of throwing urine and excrement onto prison landings, as well as not washing or shaving, to protest forced strip searches (BBC).

See previously: Maghaberry Concentration Camp.

Beechmount Ave/Ascaill Ard Na bhFeá, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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