Work by Shane O’Driscoll (web) outside the courtyard of the Spaniard in Skipper Street, Belfast, next to Cheba’s galaxy.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
T03404 [T03403]
Seeing Spots
Belfast
Fáılte Go Dtí Rodaí Mhıc Corlaí
A new “fáılte” [“welcome”] mural was painted at the Roddy’s in anticipation of the official opening of the new republican heritage centre/ıonad oıdhreachta poblachtaí (web) which took place on September 28th. Construction of the museum and the adjacent restaurant began in May 2021 with an investment of 1.35 million pounds (Belfast Live). The museum’s exhibits cover republican history from 1798 to the present, and items on display from the Society’s collection include vintage uniforms and artefacts, historic maps and documents, and prison handicrafts.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
T03350 [T03351] T03214 [T03207] T03204 [T03203]
From The River To The Sea
Saoradh (web) took over this wall from graffiti artists (see Visual History 11) and painted their largest piece in support of Palestinian rights, compared to e.g. Resistance Is Not Terrorism | Ireland Stands With Palestine, but after nearly five years on the wall it is beginning to peel badly. The now-destroyed placards to the right don’t help either – see Palestinian Solidarity.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
T03353
#RememberMyNoah
14 year-old Noah Donohoe went missing on June 21st while cycling in the York Road area en route from his south Belfast home to the Cave Hill. His body was found in a north Belfast storm drain six days later and the postmortem showed death by drowning (Irish News). Many details of his last hours remain unknown, however, including how he came to drown in the drain. His mother, Fiona, started a campaign on August 11th on Facebook and Twitter to press for answers and signatures are being collected for a petition into the PSNI handling of the case.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T00889
Bill Of Shame
“Stand against the legacy legislation – state murder is murder! – bill of shame”
The UK parliament adopted the “Northern Ireland Troubles (Legacy and Reconciliation) Act 2023” on Septetmber 6th and it became law on the 18th, preventing future inquests and civil cases. Twenty challenges have been lodged against the bill and a hearing is due to begin on November 20th with a primary focus on whether or not the bill is compatible with the European Convention On Human Rights (ITv | BBC). In the meantime – prior to the May 1st, 2024 deadline — the Springhill-Westrock inquest continues on Monday (RFJ).
This mural showing Lady Justice gagged but with a raised fist, by Iliana Edwards (ig), is on a wall outside the offices of Relatives For Justice (web).
Update: February 28, 2024: The High Court has ruled against the Act (BBC).
See previously: a call to a rally in August.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
[T03205] T03206
Ship Of Fools
Ciaran Gallagher (web) chronicled the various contests for the leadership of the Conservative party involving Liz Truss, Rishi Sunak, and Boris Johnson. The panels originally appeared in Hill Street, outside The Friend At Hand, (e.g. Circling Sharks) but have now been moved to the courtyard of the Dark Horse, replacing the Klondyke Bar. This level of panels ends with Sweet Rockall.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
T03184 T03186 T03187
The Skins
The Inniskilling Fusiliers were recruited from the four Ulster counties of Fermanagh, Tyrone, Derry, and Donegal. In WWI, battalions served in the 4th, 29th, and 10th divisions, as well as in the 9th, 10th, and 11th battalions of the 109th brigade of the 36th division. In WWII (represented here by the Spitfire in pursuit of the Messerschmitt) the Fusiliers served in France, India, and Italy. (Ciroca | Long Trail | WP)
(For a broader history, from the Williamite campaign to modern Afghanistan, see Inniskilling.)
This Tyndale mural appears to have be painted without fanfare in 2022.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
T03182 [T03183]
Leaders Of Unionism Against Home Rule
Carson, Crawford, and Craig are lionised as resisters of devolvement of Ireland to Dublin in the early twentieth century. Despite calling Home Rule “the most nefarious conspiracy that has ever been hatched against a free people” and vowing to fight it by “all means necessary”, including the Ulster Volunteers armed by Crawford’s “guns for Ulster”, Edward Carson “warned Ulster Unionist leaders not to alienate norther Catholics, as he foresaw this would make Northern Ireland unstable.”
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
T03173 T03174 T03175 T03176
Queen Of The Commons
With Voice, Pen, Or Hand
“With voice, pen or hand we will defend our land.” David (Davy) Patterson (12-10-1955 – 03-01-2019) was a member of the 1st East Belfast Rangers Supporters Club (Fb) and Albertbridge Glentoran Supporters Club (Funeral Times). This memorial board is the side-wall to the Somme Society mural (see Their Name Liveth Forevermore) and the Red Hand Commando memorial garden in Hunt Street, east Belfast.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
T03157 [T03156]
