The mural above is on the Newtownards Road at Lendrick Street and shows a bombed-out Ballymacarrett library, St. Patrick’s church (the church itself is visible in the lower right-hand corner) – both were hit by the blitz in 1942 – a police land rover (perhaps representing the “fallen” during the Troubles), and Cuchulainn (perhaps representing the IRA, though Cuchulainn is also a UDA icon – see the bottom of the Visual History page on Cú Chulainn), and Stormont (representing … peace???). Poppies in a field and a H&W crane against stained glass provide a background.
We are supposed to remember the dead because (perhaps) their deaths were unnecessary and misguided as means to peace, at least according to the saying along the bottom (sometimes attributed to Einstein): “Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding” – understanding of the Nazis during the blitz, it seems, and of loyalists and republicans during the Troubles. (If you have a better interpretation, please (please!) leave a comment.)
The mural was imitated on the hoarding around An Cultúrlann on the Falls Road during its renovation (shown below): the left hand side of the side was replaced with images of the Falls library and Bobby Sands mural and Divis tower, and Cú Chulainn on the right was placed in front of the GPO, and the poppies were joined by lilies, and the words translated into Irish. The message here seems clearer, lamenting the CNR dead and calling for understanding of the CNR community (sc. by Britain and the Orange state) though the poppies below include the dead of WWI.
Click and click again to enlarge (to 2250 x 1500)
Copyright © 2013 Extramural Activity
Camera Settings: f32, 1/6, ISO 100, full size 5616 x 3744
Click and click again to enlarge (to 2100 x 1400)
Copyright © 2013 Extramural Activity
Camera Settings: f32, 1/5, ISO 100, full size 5616 x 3744
text: X01280 X01279 war cogaidh, peace síocháin, remember the fallen from war cuimhnígí ar mhairbh an chogaidh, peace cannot be kept by force ní féidir síocháin a choinneáil le fórsa, it can only be achieved by understanding is tríd an chomhthuiscint amháin a bhainfear amach í
is that a loyalist or a republican mural ?
It’s in a loyalist area (Newtownards Road in east Belfast) and the imagery is loyalist (with the possible exception of Cuchulainn). But it is promoting peace and understanding. See also the mural below this one: https://extramuralactivity.com/2013/09/16/a-better-future/
I don’t understand the painter’s goal