Liberation

Saoradh describes itself as an all-Ireland, revolutionary, socialist, republican party (web) with the IRPWA (web) as its “prisoners’ welfare” department and Éıstıgí as its youth wing. The “revolutionary” is perhaps in reference to its (alleged) association with the New IRA.

Brompton Park/Havana Way, Ardoyne, north Belfast

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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Respect

“Service workers – Community – Environment – Diversity”. The “#GoodForNothing” campaign, launched in 2015 (youtube), aimed to change common perceptions of young people by highlighting their volunteer work.

The piece is by emic (web) working with pupils from Wheatfield Primary school (Alternatives).

Glenbryn Gardens, north Belfast

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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Don’t Look Up

Smile … you’re on CCTV. A “peace line” or “war wall” divides the CNR Newington and PUL Tiger’s Bay along the top of Hallidays Road, and ends with an abandoned building at the junction with the Limestone Road. In 2002, in response to persistent rioting, rather than closing off the road, five cameras were installed on the Limestone Road at the point where the two areas meet (BBC | Community Relations pdf). Once installed, the range and power of the cameras were pre-emptively demonstrated to local youths (Guardian).

According to Forss 2018 (p. 53), the concrete bases were painted by a local youth-group (pdf) circa 2015. These jaunty images, and the mural in the background of the fifth image (When Young People Are United), attempt to present a different vision of the interface to young children going to Currie Primary and the Sunshine play-group.

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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North Belfast Supports The Hunger Strikers

Many of the Palestine Action hunger strikers have called off their strikes, most recently Heba Muraisi, who resumed eating on the 14th (of January) after 72 days (BBC).

Umer Khalid stopped taking solids on January 9th (Al Jazeera) reduced has now begun refusing water. His life-expectancy is measured in days, if he does not reverse course (Guardian | Amnesty).

This washed-out banner is on the Antrim Road, north Belfast, on the railings of the Waterworks.

Update: Khalid ended his thirst-strike after two days (Al Jazeera).

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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Sea And Do

A long wall along Duncrue Street has been painted with five pieces – two by Karl Fenz (web), two by Danni Simpson (web), one by HMC (web) – with design-work – presumably by Rob Hilken (web) – between the representational pieces. The photographs below span a month, as the artists painted at different times in late 2025 and generally had to contend with poor winter weather.

While HMC features a kingfisher, the others make reference to the shipping industry and the harbour as a gateway to the world. Above and immediately below: a vintage dock-worker is seen through a port-hole gazing pensively over one of the H&W gantry cranes and a ship in Belfast harbour. In the other Fenz piece, a crane can be seen in the reflection of the glasses of a visitor to the Titanic Quarter. The one work by Simpson features a cruise-ship (perhaps the Odyssey that was stuck in Belfast for four months – AP), and the compass and globe in the other piece suggest that Belfast is a gateway to the wider world.

October 31st:

December 21st:

December 21st:

November 30th:

November 16th – cartoon over the doodle-grid:

October 31st:

November 30th:

October 31st – blacking and cartoon on top of the doodle-grid:

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The Isles Of Pretani

“Late 19th century gas lamp donated by Pretani Associates, Dr Ian Adamson OBE and Helen Brooker, to the Dalaradia Historical Group to recognise their work on Common Identity. This work promotes one cultural narrative for the British Isles to which all can belong. A narrative which begins by understand the first known name of the islands – The Isles of Pretani. Knowledge brings a light which reveals the way forward towards stability within these islands. Dedicated by Professor Wesley Hutchinson on the 27th November 2019.”

The lamp was unveiled in September 2020 (Pretani Associates). For (a little) more on the claim that the Pretani inhabited both Britain and Ireland, see Kingdom Of The Pretani and the Visual History page on the Influence Of Jim Fitzpatrick.

Shore Road, north Belfast, next to Lest We Forget.

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Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
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Old Comrades Remember

This entry updates the images seen in November’s Lest We Forget, with the addition of six military insignia to either side of the ‘Old Comrades’ board that was added just after Remembrance Sunday.

On the left (top to bottom): Royal Irish Rifles (later the Royal Ulster Rifles), 36th (Ulster) Division, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers; on the right: Royal Irish Regiment, Order Of St Patrick, British Light Infantry.

Shore Road, north Belfast

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Newington Football Club

“NFC – representing our community with pride”. Newington Football Club [Fb], also known as “the swans”, is an NIFL team from north Belfast. The club was “est[ablished] 1979” as Jubilee Olympic FC, and was later Newington Youth Club, before becoming Newington FC c. 2018. A full list of its honours can be found on the club’s WP page.

Atlantic Avenue, Newington, north Belfast

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Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
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Tıthe An Lóıste Nua

The seven “houses” (tower blocks) in the New Lodge are named after figures from Irish mythology: Méabh, Eıthne, Cú Chulaınn, Fınn, Na Fıanna, Gráınne, and Oısín. In the foyer of each house there is a painting of the eponymous hero, painted by Danny D and Marty L in imitation of Jim Fitzpatrick (as is explicitly acknowledged in the Gráınne painting, below): Eıthne is represented by Fitzpatrick’s Palu The Cat Goddess; Na Fıanna are represented by Lugh; Gráınne is represented by Fann. The bulls are by Finbarr O’Connor; Cú Chulaınn is inspired by the Oliver Sheppard statue in the GPO.

For the old names of the buildings, and the pairs of hunger-strikers painted on the tops of six of the seven towers, see New Lodge Flats.

“Fıonn Mac Cumhaıll gained fable knowledge after sucking his thumb which he burned while cooking the magical Salmon of Knowledge. He followed in his father Cumhall’s footsteps becoming captain of the Fıanna. His death at the Battle of Gabhra marked the beginning of the decline in the might of the Fıanna.”

“The Fıanna was the name given to the band of warriors drawn from all over Ireland, under the control of the High King who travelled the country ready to protect it from invaders. The motto of the Fıanna was – Truth in our Hearts, Strength in our Hands, and Consistency in our Tongues.”

“Gráınne, daughter of Cormac Mac Art, High King of Ireland, betrothed to a grey-haired Fıonn Mac Cumhaıll but ran away with the handsome young Dıarmuıd before the marriage took place. She returned to marry Fıonn after Dıarmuıd’s death.”

“Oısín, son of Fıonn Mac Cumhaıll, fought many brave battles with the Fianna. He fell in love with Nıamh and went to live with her in Tír Na nÓg for 3 years. He became homesick and when he returned he discovered that 300 years had passed. He instantly turned in a withered old man and died.”

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Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
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