Belfast

Language Rights Are Human Rights

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“Is Gaeıl sınne” [we are Irish-speakers]. Pobal mural on Northumberland Street promoting the work in abhcóıdeachy/advocacy, cearta/rights, forbaırt phobaıl/community development, straıtéıs/strategy, taıghde/research, faıreachán/monitoring, ealaíon/arts, carried out in Teach Uí Chorráın in Ionad an Dá Spuaic [Twin Spires], and the “Tá” campaign for “acht na Gaeılge” an Irish-language act.

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Copyright © 2011 Peter Moloney
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IRA Final Salute

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“30th anniversary of the hunger strike. 5th May 1981. IRA final salute. IRA Vol. Bobby Sands, MP Fermanagh South Tyrone.” Gerry Adams watches on as a funeral volley is fired over Sands’s coffin. Whiterock Road, Belfast by Lucas Quigley. Also new is the plaque naming the wall as “Dorothy Maguire Corner”, after the 19-y-o shot in 1971, a member of Cumann Na mBan.

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Copyright © 2011 Peter Moloney
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Changing Faces

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“The Changing Faces artwork is a project that has been undertaken by a group of young people from Impact Training. They looked to their surrounding area where they explored and documented how it appears in 2010. What is the Shankill? What does it look like and what does it mean to youth culture now? Murals have been something that has been prevalent in the community for many years. Times change, opinions soften and people can begin to build a changing face.” On the left is a selection of details from murals with familiar subjects: King Billy, hooded gunmen, the red hand of Ulster, Carson, the Queen Mother; on the right are four panels on the theme of the red hand of Ulster in youth culture (clockwise from left): with wild-style writing from the Cupar Way “peace” line and soccer, with pop music, with It’s All Good by Dublin artist Maser, and with a (two-handed) warrior. “Don’t push away our culture … learn it and embrace it.”

For more on the attempt to put community art on the Cupar Way “peace” line, see Visual History 10.

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Copyright © 2011 Peter Moloney
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Peace By Piece

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In 2010, south London writers Stylo, Mear, and SoloOne – members of the Vopstars krew – were among the artists invited to Belfast for the 2010 Meeting Of Styles, to paint – for the first time – pieces that were the full height of the concrete portion of the wall. Shown above is a somewhat vandalised image of the “Peace By Piece” work by Stylo and Mear – Stylo’s sig has been painted over by local artist NOTA of the TMN krew. Along the top it reads, “The real high score – 2010 – .. visions of peace .. – .. for the pieceful helpers: Ricky, Pickle, ?Curty?, Jonny, Brandon, Dylan, G???, Demi, Lee, Shayanne, Rosy, Katy”.

The wild-style writing on Cupar Way is next to several piece of state-sponsored ‘community’ art. In addition, both types of art must contend with the tours that encourage tourists to leave a (patronising) message on the wall in black marker, thus reducing everything on the wall to disposable and temporary art. For more on the art on Cupar Way, see the Visual History page about the fate of State-Sponsored Art On Cupar Way.

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Copyright © 2011 Peter Moloney
M06492

Charge From Thiepval Wood

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The mural replaces one to the UVF’s Platoon 5 , A Co., and the memorial stone is dedicated to it (and not to the WWI soldiers from the 36th (Ulster) Division who died in the charge from Thiepval Wood, July 1st, 1916): “This stone is dedicated to the memory of the fallen volunteers of No. 5 platoon A company 1st Belfast battalion Ulster Volunteer Force. ‘As poppy petals gently fall/Remember us who gave our all/Not in the mud of foreign lands/Nor buried in the desert sands//In Ulster field and farm and town/Fermanagh’s lanes and Drumlin’d Down/We died that violent death should cease/And Ulstermen might live in peace’ Lest we forget.” For the side walls, see Thiepval St.

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Copyright © 2011 Peter Moloney
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Nothing About Us Without Us Is For Us

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“The title of this artwork reflects a slogan used internationally, where social and political change has been paramount. It is understood that such change emerges only through true and thorough consultation with the community and that is the wish of residents of Lower Shankill – the affect [sic] social change move forward through collaboration with decision makers and government at every level. This digital installation has been created by artist Lesley Cherry who has worked intensively with the Lower Shankill Community Association and members of the community to produce hundreds of positive images which reflect the need for change and consultation within that process, the ensure a better future for all. As part of the Re-Imaging Communities Programme, led by the Arts Council of Northern Ireland, this artwork replaces previous murals of The Malvern Street Arch, [and before that] The Queen Mother [probably intended is the QEII golden jubilee mural] and [before that] The Scottish Brigade [this mural was three walls to the right; prior to the QEII mural was a UFF mural].” Hopewell Crescent.

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Copyright © 2011 Peter Moloney
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