Work by DMC (Dermot McConaghy Twitter | Instagram) at the harbour, an underwater version of the “Invertigo” piece he did the week before (with JMK (Twitter)) CNB15 in Lisburn.
16 towns and town-lands of south-east County Antrim are named in this recent UFF mural: Rathcoole, Rathfern, Monkstown, Shore Road, Whitewell, Glengormley, Greenisland, Carrickfergus, Whitehead, Ballycarry, Ballyclare, Larne, Newtownards, Antrim, Antrim, Ballymena, Braidside.
This mural was painted in late summer, 2015, on a wall that had been blank since at least 2008. In 2006, it bore a UDA mural, for which see M03060 (by Peter Moloney).
Sea horses constitute the genus hippocampus, or horse sea-monster, so-called because they appear to be a hybrid of a horse’s upper body with the lower body of an fish or dolphin. The specimens shown in today’s three images are work by Emic (Fb | Web) – who also did We Borrow The Earth From Our Children — on ‘harbour promenade’ next to the Big Fish.
This is the middle wall on the site of the former Andersonstown RUC station, which has undergone three changes in recent months. The longstanding Fıanna sunburst (see X00350) was painted over with IRPWA stencils (Stop strip searches, End Internment, Justice For The Craigavon 2) which in turn were largely covered with writing by DAZE (see the image below). Most recently, a large Fıanna banner, shown above, has been placed over the wall.
The mural shows a line of fir trees rather than steel gates but the robins on the spiked rail above give away that we’re on the “peace” line separating loyalist west Belfast from nationalist north Belfast and that the road is still closed. “Seasons Greetings” Belfast-style.
UPDATE Jan 3rd: a similar trompe l’oeil piece by Breandán Clarke could be found at this location previously, showing cars parked on the street (via Old Belfast Photographs/Glenravel History).
“Like a bird on a wire, like a drunk in a midnight choir, I have tried in my way to be free.” – Leonard Cohen Bird On The Wire
The Provisional IRA emerged from a split in the IRA in the wake of sectarian unrest in 1969. The Derry battalion became the Derry Brigade (An Brıogáıd Dhoıre) in 1972 when the number of people wishing to become volunteers swelled in the aftermath of Bloody Sunday. It is estimated that 1,000 Derry Catholics (2% of the population) were imprisoned for IRA activities in the 70s and 80s. (WP) The image above shows a mural with Cú Chulaınn, an oak leaf with crossed rifles, and a lily. In the centre is a board commemorating volunteers from the 1st battalion — an identical board can be found on Westland Street; see Spirit Of Freedom – and below are a commemorative standing stone and dolmen a short distance away.
An old mural of King Billy crossing the Boyne, which was covered over first by a mural of President Theodore Roosevelt (see M01532) and then a mural of scenes from the old Fountain area (see Past The Gaol), has re-emerged on the wall in Wapping Lane.
For the original version, see M00939. Before the King Billy mural, there was one to Michael Stone from 1989 – see M00627.
The Connswater community garden is called “In The Meanwhile” (one of four in east Belfast operated by Groundwork NI to make use of empty ground in the ‘meanwhile’). A field-mouse(?) and a robin share the hedgerow peaceably in the mural that serves as a backdrop. The work is by Friz. The garden has its own Facebook page. For some background see this Irish News article.
Slí Na Gaeltachta (The Gaeltacht Way) is a 2.5-mile trail of twenty-six “art and heritage” stops from the city centre to the Whiterock Road in west Belfast. A gaeltacht is an Irish-speaking region.
See previously: Onwards – memorial mural to Clive Dutton, author of the Dutton Report calling for the regeneration of west Belfast by (in part) developing its Irish-language identity.