mural

About Bloody Time

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The original version of this mural by Dublin artist Wee Nuls (ig | web) was beside Transport House but it was painted over almost immediately (you can see it on Twitter). This new version, at Artcetera (formerly the Red Barn Gallery), is auto-redacted with historical commentary: “You can censor the art … but not the movement”, the movement being for “free period items” in public spaces beyond schools, spearheaded by Homeless Period Belfast. In November, 2020, Scotland became the first country in the world to offer free period products (BBC). In October of this year, Pat Catney (SDLP) in the NI Assembly introduced a ‘period poverty’ bill to expand the availability of menstrual products (BelTel); the ‘Call For Views’ period commenced on Wednesday and ends on December 18th – have your say via NIAssembly.

Wee Nuls also has another piece on this wall: Medusa. The ‘period’ mural is next to Leo Boyd’s ice-cream PSNI land-rover – which started life as Freshly Made For You! (see also Winding Up The Peelers).

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Fair Head

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Glentaisie Drive – site of this mural by Friz (web | tw | ig) – is named for Glentaisie, the glen – one of the nine Glens Of Antrim, at the foot of which lies Ballycastle – and Glentaisie is named for Taise Taobhgheal (Taise the bright-cheeked), daughter of King Donn of Rathlin island, renowned for her beauty, and who lived in the glen with her husband Congal, who had to kill the Norwegian king Nabghdon to prevent her being carried off (Archaeology Ireland). Or so they say. She also inspired the name “Fair Head” for the local cliffs. Or so they say.

In later years (1565), Sorley Boy MacDonnell was taken prisoner by the O’Neill’s after a battle in Glentaisie (WP).

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Life Preserver

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If the ice melts, we’re all in the drink – an environmental message from Spacer (Shane Sutton tw) for Friends Of The Earth (NI) (ig | tw) in High Street, Belfast.

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Women Workers Of The World Unite

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A tribute to the impact women have on industry in Cubist style from French, Dublin-based, artist Claire Prouvost (web | ig | tw) outside Transport House in Belfast (around the corner from Workers Of The World Unite).

You can see video of the artist at work on the piece for HTN on ig.

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The Storyteller

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Local storyteller Hugh Dillon in Castle Street, Ballycastle, by JMK (Jonny McKerr | tw). The original photograph, of Dillon in Leyland Road, Ballycastle, in 1956 and is available at Dúchas.

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Sorley Boy

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Somhairle Buí Mac Domhnaill (Gaeilge) / Somhairle Buidhe Mac Domhnaill (Gàidhlig) / Sorley Boy MacDonnell (English) was so-called (Buí/Buidhe) because of his “yellow” hair. Although his family was from the islands, he was born just outside Ballycastle in 1505 and is known for establishing the Mac Donnells in Antrim and for frustrating the plantation (WP | Tudor & Stuart Perspectives).

The mural was painted by Oliver McParland (web) in North Street, Ballycastle.

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From The Plough To The Stars

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“A free Ireland will control its own destiny from the plough to the stars.” James Connolly explained the significance of “the plough in the stars” (Ursa Major) as a symbol of Irish revolutionary socialism. He and Seamus Costello, heroes of the IRSP (web) are painted on James Connolly house in Chamberlain Street, Derry. Also home to Teach Na Fáilte, the Republican Socialist Ex-Prisoners group.

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Serving Their Community Through Transport

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“In memory of all taxi drivers – public and private – who were murdered by loyalists/British crown forces during the conflict serving their community through transport.” This is the side wall to a larger mural to black taxi drivers which has been in place since 2001, was repainted in 2011, and is again looking in rough shape.

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Brains, More Brains!

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“Gums and tongue” is the name of a zine by London artist The Real Dill (ig), famous for his fabulous cranial interiors. This is his piece for HTN21 in Union Street.

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A Miracle Of Deliverance

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An RAF Spitfire sees off a Luftwaffe Ju87 Stukas over the beach at Dunkirk, France, as British troops are evacuated from the Continent. The fighter plane, designed and built by Supermarine Aviation from 1928 to 1948, became iconic during the Battle Of Britain as the faster counterpart to the Hurricane (WP).

The mural, by Glen Molloy (Belfast Live), reproduces Mark Postlethwaite’s painting, Spitfires Over Dunkirk. Oddly, the mural is on the wall of the Clarawood substation that is not visible from any of the residences.

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