I’ve been meaning to post a few images of some of the wall murals that are seen here in Northern Ireland and more specifically, in Belfast.
There’s is a lot of history here to do with the ‘Troubles’ and in the past most murals were to do with Paramilitaries on both sides of the conflict.
In recent years we have seen a slow change from this towards messages of peace and greater understanding. Some have been painted over and replaced with historical images relating to the local community.
On my way back from the exhibition on Sunday, I had the camera in the car and I jumped out and look a few quick snaps at the bottom of the Newtownards Road in Belfast. This was, and in some ways still is, an interface area where conflict occurs between both sides.
I thought this was rather inspiring.


You can see the shipyard cranes in the background. This area was were many of the workers came from to work on the Titanic. They have changed another gable wall to remember this feat.

Sadly, we still see the negative from both sides in the form of paramilitary murals. Slowly but surely I hope to see these changing to the far more inspiring ones above. The area has to be commended for the obvious changes taking place. Well done.

Thanks! Great to see, especially for a “son of the Irish Diaspora.” (Hope that’s not a politically loaded term there)
Peace has a much better chance of lasting when it comes up from the grass roots, as demonstrated here.
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Not at all, I have family who would count themselves in this, Australia, Canada, America… 80 million Irish in the world 🙂
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I lived in Derry for a few years in the late nineties. These sorts of murals, as well as the flags and painted kerbs were present in many areas and took a while to get used to. Great to see that something that was an expression of fear and anger can now also express hope and pride.
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