The World Without Walls

Year 10 GCSE student Terri Nıc Poılín imagines what the view would be like if the “peace wall” were removed, using cardboard as a canvas. The piece was part of the Coláıste Feirste art show in An Chultúrlann.

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Copyright © 2017 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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I Spy

You can see (or imagine) all of east Belfast with the help of the guide-post in the middle of Lisvannon Community Garden: Stormont to the east, factories to the south-west, and Harland & Wolff to the north-west.

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Copyright © 2017 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Sailortown

A nautical-themed mural in Short Street providing a “Welcome to Sailortown”, including a speedy seahorse, a lobster, and a hammerhead shark. The mural was sponsored by the Community Arts Project and painted last (2016) summer by residents led by artists from Seedhead Arts (report from Clanmil Housing). Here is video of (former) residents describing life in the area (from @AndrewJMolloy).

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Copyright © 2017 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Luminaries And Legends

Famous faces and landmarks from east Belfast, including, in the foreground, guitarists Gary Moore and Eric Bell (from Thin Lizzy). Included in the bottom right is the artist himself, Dee Craig. For a complete list, see the info board, below.

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Copyright © 2017 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Fáılte Go Dtí Ard Eoın

“Welcome to Ardoyne.” Updated images of a 2014 series of panels in Ardoyne Avenue, celebrating the neighbourhood and reproducing some well-known images from the area. The years have not been kind, with the top layer of brick coming off in many places, including the eyes of boxer Eamonn Magee (?).

For the originals, see Growing Up Too Fast.

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The Legends

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A modern sprayer remembers ‘the legends’ of yesteryear: a footballer celebrates (perhaps from the former Willowfield FC which won the Irish Cup in 1928 or the current Willowfield Parish) and a H&W workers tucks into a sandwich.

The mural to the right of the image can be seen in My Anchor Holds.

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Copyright © 2017 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The Past Is A Foreign Country

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This image of London-/Derry in days-gone-by is on the outside of the walls of Derry, looking in. The brickwork of which it appears to be the portal is also fake; in fact, this is a covered walkway leading from Bishop Street to the Fountain.

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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Carrickfergus Castle

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The initial Carrickfergus Castle was built in 1177 and today functions as a major tourist attraction. The foot soldier in chainmail and kettle hat in the image above can be seen (in statue form) at the castle, along with a variety of other soldiers from the Norman and English forces that held the castle throughout the centuries.

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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Local Heroes

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Five images from the Local Heroes at the Creggan shops: James McLean (footballer), Tony O’Doherty (footballer), David McAuley (Special Olympian who lit the flame to open the 2003 games in Dublin), Charlie Nash (boxer), and Aileen Reid (triathlete) (and, in a separate post, swimmer Liam Ball). The murals were painted by Karl Porter and Donal O’Doherty from UV Arts.

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Big Daddy’s Funeral

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The Royal Ulster Academy Of Art’s Art In The City exhibition, which runs through October and November, puts (reproductions of) 12 works of art on the Belfast streets. The work shown above is Dan Dowling’s Big Daddy’s Funeral – the funeral is happening just left of the bus, outside St Patrick’s Cathedral in Donegall Street, which is where the painting itself can be found.

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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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