Paddy Duffy Collection

Under Ben Madigan

2024-07-082026-08-29Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Here are four north Belfast landmarks that are still standing in the shadow of Cavehill, though not all of them are in great shape. From left to right:

Chapel Of The Resurrection (as seen from Innisfayle Park – Street View), originally built in the 1860s as part of the Belfast Castle estate and from 1938 until 1972 a (public) Church Of Ireland chapel (WP), after which it was left derelict until recently being turned into luxury apartments (Property News) as part of “Donegall Park Gardens”;

the Bellevue steps (official title, the “Grand Floral Staircase”) – the currently overgrown steps and a vintage photograph of the steps in happier times can be seen in Everyone Wants To Eat – leading to Floral Hall, which now provides storage space for the zoo – full history at ‘Lord Belmont’ | BelTel;

Belfast Castle;

(perhaps) the former Fortwilliam Park Presbyterian on the Antrim Road (News Letter | BelTel) – once Belfast’s tallest spire (BelTel) – which in 2019 became Immaculate Heart Of Mary/Eaglaıs An Ċroí Ṁuıre Gan Smál (web) saying only the (Catholic) Latin mass.

The art is on the walls of UPS estate agents’ at the top of Cavehill Road, north Belfast, by Danni Simpson (web) and Karl Fenz (web), who also did the swan, the fox, and the squirrel on other local establishments.

In 2003 there was “Shove ur dove” was graffiti-ed on the shutters.

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Anatomy Of Oppression

2024-07-032024-07-25Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

In May and June, Palestinian artist Taqi Spateen (web | ig) toured various cities in England and Scotland (Leeds, Glasgow, Bristol, Stroud, London) as part of the Bethlehem Cultural Festival, producing a wall-painting at each stop. Thereafter, he came to Belfast, where he painted three pieces, beginning with this small piece on the side of the Sunflower bar in Kent Street, showing a person with a head encased in concrete trying to hammer themselves free.

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Never Forget, Always Remember

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The grenade at the heart of the ‘Grenadier’ emblem is an old spherical grenade, with a spout of fire; the classic “pin-and-pineapple” design dates to 1915 (WP Mills Bomb). Various regiments then put a symbol on the surface of the grenade (see e.g. East Belfast Volunteers); here, the Ulster Grenadiers flute band (Fb) have added Carrickfergus castle flying a Union Flag to the grenade at the centre of a new board erected on June 7th, 2024 (youtube video of the launch).

The battles listed on either side of the central emblem are battles in which the 36th Division took part, though by that time, grenadiers were not a specialised unit and each infantry platoon (of about 60 men – Schilling) would have both hand-grenade and rifle-grenade sections (Reddit) equipped with 100+ grenades (The World War).

For the 3rd battalion of the Ulster Volunteers, see The Central Antrim Regiment.

St Bride’s Street, Carrickfergus, next to and dwarfing the community mural seen in Meditate – Don’t Medicate.

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It’s Coming Back

2024-07-032024-07-17Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Welcome to Carrickfergus, a host town of “The Twelfth” 2024. It’s coming back to our home town. Join us on “The Twelfth” to help celebrate the 334th anniversary of The Battle of the Boyne.”

Carrickfergus was one of nineteen host towns for Twelfth “demonstrations” this year (GOLI); the parade went from the top of Sunnylands, through the town, and out to the grounds of the rugby club (GOLI). “It’s coming back” is perhaps in reference to the fact that Carrickfergus is the town where William III landed in 1690 before making his way to Belfast, Lisburn, and the Boyne – see June 14th, 1690.

Irish Gate roundabout, Carrickfergus

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The Landing

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The image above is of William III landing at Brixham in Devon, England, but the central panel (immediately below) and the fake “blue plaque” celebrate the 1690 landing of William at Carrickfergus. The postcard reproduced in the central panel, as well as an old Londonderry mural which also reproduced it, can be seen in the Peter Moloney collection. For details of the landing, and William’s subsequent travels to Whitehouse, Belfast, Lisburn, and the Boyne, see June 14th, 1690.

In Lancasterian Street, replacing a board marking the death of Prince Philip in 2022.

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Stop The Genocide – Save Palestine

2024-07-022026-08-29Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“From the river to the sea Palestine will be free.” The South Link, Andersonstown, murals seen recently (at end of March) in Though An Army Besiege Me, My Heart Will Not Fear have already been repainted, switching images of Israeli weapons for the images of death, suffering, and destruction seen here. According to the Al Jazeera tracker, the Palestinian death toll is approaching 40,000, with almost 90,000 injured.

Also in South Link: Humanitarian Intervention. For a mural of body-bags, see Another Martyr In The Earth.

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To Whom Do We Owe Our Allegiance Today?

2024-07-022026-03-29Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The “hills” and “green fields” in which Kieran Doherty and Joe McDonnell grew up were the streets of the Falls and Andersonstown. By the age of 17 and 19, respectively, their tramping grounds were reduced by internment to cells in Long Kesh and HMS Maidstone; both of them were arrested in 1976 during (separate) IRA bombing missions and ultimately died in the 1981 hunger strike, McDonnell on July 8th, Doherty on August 2nd. (IRIS | Long Kesh)

This trio of RNU (Fb) boards commemorating the pair and the other 1981 hunger strikers is in Bingnian Drive, in Andersonstown – the ten deceased strikers are shown between the words to Luke Kelly’s poem For What Died The Sons Of Róısín (above | youtube) and Francie Brolly’s The H-Block Song (below | youtube).

For A Bleaker Tomorrow

2024-07-022024-11-06Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

One of Lidl’s slogans (and a “corporate responsibility objective” of the company) is to work “For a better tomorrow”. The electoral-style placard above urges “Don’t vote Lidl” and alleges that the company is “funding genocide for a bleaker tomorrow” and that its “policy is to fund apartheid, occupation, genocide” – perhaps through selling Israeli-made goods – particularly wipes made by Lupilu (ig video | Fb video | Fb | Change.org) – and through its parent company Schwarz’s acquisition of an Israeli cyber-security company.

The final image is of a Lasaır Dhearg tarp in Lenadoon: “Israeli goods free zone – there are no products ‘Made in Israel’ for sale in this area”.

Andersonstown Apache

2024-07-022024-08-27Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“I’m just a young fella from Andytown who didn’t give up.” In May (2024) Anthony (“Anto”) “The Apache” Cacace (ig) won the IBF super featherweight title with a victory over Joe Cordina in Saudi Arabia (BelTel). To honour this feat, a mural was painted in South Link, Andersonstown, with Cacace holding the both the IBF and IBO belts. Cacace went to Holy Child primary and starting boxing at the age of 10 at Oliver Plunkett’s (Fb). His father Tony is from Naples, Italy – hence the Italian flag on the right.

On September 21st, Cacace will defend his IBF title, fighting against Josh Warrington in Wembley Stadium (BelTel).

I Will Plant Them, That They May Dwell In A Place Of Their Own

2024-07-012026-08-29Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The two passages cited here have been cited before on the side wall at the junction of the Limestone Road and N Queen St, with images of Orange symbols and Union Flags, in order to promise that Your Kingdom Will Endure Forever. That theme has now been invoked in upper Tiger’s Bay, to celebrate the latest king (Charles III) of the everlasting kingdom demarcated by the shields of the “four nations” in the corners of the main gable, Northern Ireland included.

The people in question in the second book of Samuel are the people of Israel but as with previous scriptural references on the lower wall (Lamentations | Chronicles | Revelations | Psalms | Genesis), the Protestant people in Ireland and Britain are under discussion (though they might also refer to contemporary Israel).

In the King James version, 2 Samuel 7:10-16 the prophet Nathan is speaking to David: “Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime, and as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house. And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.”

In Luke 1:31-33, an angel is speaking to Mary: “And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”