Ahed Tamimi

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Ahed Tamimi is a young Palestinian activist famous for slapping and pushing two Israeli soldiers in 2017, when she was 16 (footage at NBC News), after her cousin was hit in the head by an Israeli bullet. She was arrested soon after (USA Today) and served seven months (Al Jazeera | Guardian). She was also arrested last (2023) November (Al Jazeera) and released about three weeks later as part of a prisoners-for-hostages swap on November 29th (BBC).

The mural to Tamimi (above) is in Catherine Street, Newry. Also included (below) are an older mural with the cartoon character of resistance Handala (WP) in front of a Palestinian flag with the words “Let this child return home”, and a Connolly-Costello IRSP (Fb) board.

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Fıonn Mac Cumhaıll

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In Irish mythology, Fıonn Mac Cumhaıll/Finn MacCool became wise (when still a boy) because he sucked on the thumb he burned while cooking the Salmon Of Knowledge for his master Finegas (Laud 610). The salmon, in turn, had gained the knowledge by eating nine hazelnuts that fell from nine trees into Tobar Segaıs/Tobar Chonnlaı (Dındshenchas – Boand II and Sınann II). The hazels belonged to Crimall The Sage and … that’s as far back as sources appear to go.

The knot-work dogs are Fıonn’s hounds Bran and Sceólang.

“Newry 2020” is not the place and date of the creation but the name of the initiative (Fb) that brought JMK (Jonny McKerr – ig) to Newry to paint this mural in Edward Street in 2023, with support from Newry BID (web), and the Newry, Mourne, And Down district council (Fb) (Newry.ie).

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Welcome To Bowtown

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Here are some more UVF boards (in addition to those seen in 2022’s Bowtown UVF) that have been added along the length of Abbot Drive. Both “East Belfast” and “North Down” rival factions are included.

The “Lest we forget” board in the final image has been seen before, but has been moved to the location shown after being in the memorial garden.

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In Alliance With The Republican Movement

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This is an election-campaign sticker in High Street, Newtownards, alleging co-operation between the Alliance party (whose signature colour is yellow) and the IRA, whose signature colours are the colours of the Tricolour (News Letter premium).

A similar campaign was waged in 2019 (Dunfermline Press | Jersey Evening Post).

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Times Change

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Despite the quote “Times change; we need to change as well” (attributed to Nelson Mandela, though perhaps only from Francois Pienaar in the film Invictus) the riot going on in black-and-white is not from the past (as in this east Belfast mural) but the present, and in particular from the 2021 riots on Lanark Way (BelTel) which is the site of this new mural. Similarly, the mural depicted in the background of the riot scene is not from the past – it was refreshed in 2022 and continues to loom over Mount Vernon and the off-ramp from the motorway – see Prepared For Peace, Ready For War.

The mural thus asks young people to decide between two visions of present-day life: the grey world of violence and the colourful world of programmes from R-City – Communities Integrated Through Youth (www.rcitybelfast.com), including “one-one mentoring”, “leadership for life” (QUB), and “SHE” [Supporting Her Empowerment].

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Older But No Wiser

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Steeple Veterans flute band is a part-time band drawing on “veterans” or “old boys” of the Steeple Defenders (which used to have a board nearby). The “older but no wiser” tag-line is exemplified by the fact that they dress up in costume each 12th for the return leg of the day– in 2023 they adopted Jurassic Park as their theme, with members dressed as dinosaurs, park rangers, and explorers. The black ribbons in the bottom corners are perhaps in memory of member David Johnston, who died last year (2023) (Belfast Live | BelTel).

Also included (below) is a tribute to Elizabeth II on the occasion of her platinum jubilee, a few months before she passed away in September, 2022, added next to the Somme mural seen in Ulster Volunteer Forces.

Seacash Drive/Parkhall Road, Antrim.

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Fidei Defensor

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“His majesty King Charles III D.G.Rex.F.D. [Dei gratia rex; fidei defensor – King by the grace of God; defender of the faith]” successor and son of Queen Elizabeth II (1926-2022) and father to William, the current Prince Of Wales and Baron Carrickfergus (no “of”).

Each of the corners of the board shows a quarter of the royal standard, including, in the bottom left, a ‘maid of Erin’ flag representing the kingdom of Ireland, which has been present in the standard (of England, of Great Britain, of the United Kingdom) since 1603. Shortly after partition (1922) it was used as the banner of arms of the Irish Free State and later adopted as the arms of Ireland and of the President but it continues to be used in the UK royal standard. (For a history of the royal standard, see Prothero, Faul, & Grieve one | two.)

Thalia Street, south Belfast

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