Murals are featured as part of an invitation to explore/taiscéal and take a tour/turas of west Belfast, on the office of Fáılte Feırste Thıar (in its second location: moved from 221 Falls Road to 243 Falls Road – and later again to 217 Falls Road). This BBC article describes a 1999 Fáılte map to help tourists get around.
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Copyright © 2009 Peter Moloney
M04939
The power station below Divis tower, rather than the so-called International Wall a little further up the road, is becoming the starting point for (republican) west Belfast. Visitors from around the world are greeted in a variety of languages. The board is sponsored by Gort Na Móna Historical Society. Above it is a Fáılte Feırste Thıar [Welcome To West Belfast] tarp: “Promoting west Belfast tourism”.
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Copyright © 2009 Peter Moloney
M04901 M04902
“Over 40 years ago, the presence of this flag on this street unleashed a vicious campaign of discrimination and violence against this community lasting decades … 45 years on this flag can flow freely from every corner… all flags are welcome on this road and so are you … fáılte go dtí west Belfast .”
The incident referred to is the “Tricolour Riots” of the 1964 Westminster election campaign, in which the IRA’s Billy McMillen (shown in the middle) stood for office. Armed police raided his Divis Street headquarters and removed a Tricolour in the window. An Phoblacht has an account of the election and events. Here is news video from 1964 of charges subsequently brought against 70 people. The US Stars & Stripes is included prominently in the array of flags, but the Union Flag is absent. Coıste’s website is now coiste.ie rather than .com.
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Copyright © 2009 Peter Moloney
M04900 [M4897] [M04898] [M04899]
“Reject sectarianism – join Fıanna Éıreann” – republican (CIRA or RIRA) graffiti in Rockmount Street, Belfast.
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Copyright © 2009 Peter Moloney
M04895
Here is a close-up of the plaque on the James Connolly mural in Rockmount Street, Belfast. “This plaque is dedicate to the memory of James Connolly, trade unionist, socialist and revolutionary who was executed by the British Army on 12th May 1916 in Kilmainham gaol, Dublin. Unveiled by Bridie Croston.” For background on the mural and a picture of it in better condition in 2006 see M03108.
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Copyright © 2009 Peter Moloney
M04894 M04893
The Ulster Banner and St Andrew’s Saltire fly (temporarily) from the top of the Lanark Way bonfire.
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Copyright © 2009 Peter Moloney
M04824
“Saor Uladh” [Free Ulster] below the plaque to the IRA’s Finbarr McKenna in Crocus Street, Belfast.
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Copyright © 2009 Peter Moloney
[M04822] M04823
2009 image of the Guernica mural on the so-called ‘International Wall’, update with a pair of falling bombs on the right. Above, a Nazi bomb falls on Guernica in 1937; below, an Israeli bomb falls on Gaza in 2009.
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Copyright © 2009 Peter Moloney
M04820
“Everyone has the right to live free from sectarian/racist harassment!!!” Arkansas ’57 – Ardoyne 2001 – South Belfast ’09. This is a smaller and updated (and cruder) version of the ‘It’s black and white‘ mural in Ardoyne. That original put the abuse of the Little Rock Nine after Brown v. Board Of Education (‘Arkansas ’57’) in parallel with the abuse of students attempting to get to Holy Cross primary (‘Ardoyne 2001’). This update adds the treatment of residents in lower Ormeau during the Orange marching season, a controversy that began in 1992: see Postcard From The Edge | Trade Off?
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Copyright © 2009 Peter Moloney
M04819
“Providing a community transport system for over 40 years.” The West Belfast Taxi Association (WBTA) have had a mural on the International Wall since at least 2006, offering tours of west Belfast and the murals in particular.
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Copyright © 2009 Peter Moloney
M04818
