Hill Or High Water

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The Community Rescue Service (web | Fb) respond to calls about missing persons on both land and water. They were involved in the search for Noah Donohoe and in distributing PPE during the pandemic.

The mural was painted by Mickey Doherty – see the ‘in-progress’ images below – and reproduces a Philip Magowan photograph and a photo of founder Sean McCarry (Belfast Live) from the CRS web site. It is sponsored by Cab Tours Belfast (web). It was launched on November 27th. It replaces the Fidel Castro memorial mural.

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For Noah

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Four files to be presented in the inquest into the death of teenager Noah Donohoe are being assessed for redaction under the principle of ‘Public-interest immunity’ (BelTel | RN), which has added fuel to the speculation that the PSNI is “hiding Noah’s killer”. Noah would have turned 16 today, November 25th. The campaign for answers in his case continues, with a “carcade” tonight down the Antrim Road from the zoo to Carlisle Circus (NBN), and continued graffiti and stencilling, as shown here. The stone (above) is near the Ballysillan end of the Hightown Road; the graffiti is in Turf Lodge; the stencil (bottom) is in the middle Falls.

Previously: This is now our 14th post on Noah.

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The Modern Order Of Hibernians

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A Penal law of 1695 forbade the practice of Catholicism and “dissenter” forms of Protestantism –anything other than Anglicism, forcing people and priests to worship in secret. Although the precise date of the founding of the Ancient Order Of Hibernians is shrouded by the existence of various other Catholic fraternal and defensive organisations such as St Patrick’s Fraternal Society and the Ribbonmen – the AOH history page gives 1838 in Pennsylvania – the order traces its roots back to Penal times and in particular to the Defenders in 1784, which arose to protect Catholics from the (Protestant) Peep-O-Day Boys and in defiance of Penal laws forbidding Catholics to bear arms (WP). The Belfast division (58) of the AOH is in Clonard Street.

For Penal laws, see previously: An Raıbh Tú Ag An gCarraıg? in Glen Bawn | The Mass Rock in Ard Eoın | Penal Days/Laethanta Na Péındlíthe in Andersonstown

For the Belfast AOH, see previously: Stand United Or Hang Alone | The Mainspring.

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The Maidens

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The Maidens was originally a pair of lighthouses built on a pair of rocky islets (also called the Maidens) about 9 km from Ballygally, first made operational in 1729. One tower was abandoned in 1903 and the remaining tower was automated in 1977 (WP).

“Audrey Kyle is a watercolour artist from Islandmagee and draws inspiration from the area’s rich maritime history and beautiful scenery. Her painting shows one of the Maidens Lighthouses off the coast of Islandmagee, along with a Schooner and the Princess Victoria. This is to demonstrate maritime history both old and new. One of the local stories related to the Maidens is from 1830s when the Assistant Keeper of one lighthouse fell in love with daughter of the keeper of the other. He would visit his love by boat, until the girl’s father found out and he forbade them to meet. The story ends with the couple eloping to Carrickfergus on the mainland.”

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Dire Wolf

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Dawn Aston’s (ig) wolf in High Street, Larne, is inspired by the dire wolves in Game Of Thrones (BelTel) and ties that to the disappearance of wolves from Ireland: “Local legend claims that the last wolf in Ireland was found dead in 1712 near a village near Camlough and that the locals rejoiced to be finally rid of the beast, which had taken their livestock and given their children nightmares.”

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Taigs Of All Stripes

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“Taigs” of course are Catholics but targets apparently also include Muslim women and LGBTQ supporters (the skeleton on the right is wearing a “rainbow” gansey).

The images are from Larne (attempting to reach its potential) but the stickers appear to originate in Scotland (e.g. Daily Record).

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Update: a shot of the sticker in better condition

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Potential

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The old Poundstretcher in Larne was in Lower Cross Street, in a building once home to the Savoy cinema, but the site has been vacant since 2016 (Cinema Treasures) as are many other properties in the town. Mid & East Antrim council promises to “realise our potential” and has tried to brighten up an abandoned site in Dunluce Street with images of the canopy of colourful umbrellas installed in the two streets ahead of the Spring Festival in 2019 (Larne Times).

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Covid-Era Canvases

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A tribute to the NHS on a vinyl sticker in the newspapered front window of The Bear & The Doll (formerly Titanic, formerly Frames) – which closed in March last year (2020) in the distinctive style of London artist Nathan Bowen (ig | web store) who has been working on closed-up buildings and construction hoardings during the pandemic.

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