Murals in Northern Ireland

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Murals in Northern Ireland have become symbols of Northern Ireland, depicting the region's past and present political and religious divisions.

murals in Europe
. It is believed that almost 2,000 murals have been documented since the 1970s. In 2014, the book, The Belfast Mural Guide estimated that, in Belfast, there were approximately 300 quality murals on display, with many more in varying degrees of age and decay. Murals commemorate, communicate and display aspects of culture and history. The themes of murals often reflect what is important to a particular community. A mural therefore exists to express an idea or message and could generally be seen as reflecting values held dear to that community.

In

36th Ulster Division are equally common.[1]

History

A Loyalist political mural in Derry circa 1920

Murals can be described as a mirror of political change, as they have been painted throughout the last century and display all important historic as well as political developments in the scope of unique wall paintings. In 1908

loyalist paramilitaries, a fixture that remained following the peace process although alongside an increase in commemorative murals.[3] Republican murals, while often drawing upon the likes of Bobby Sands and the IRA, are less squarely militrastic featuring a broader repertoire that extends to Celtic mythology and international revolutionaries; their scope includes style, ranging from "anti-fascist propaganda to commercial film posters".[3][4]

Murals are for the most part located in working class areas of Northern Ireland, primarily in Belfast and Derry. Arguably the most well-known and easily identified mural is that of Bobby Sands, on the side wall of Sinn Féin's Falls Road office. A close second is the collection of Irish republican and international-themed murals which are located at what is known as 'The International Wall', also in Belfast. In Derry, Free Derry Corner, where the slogan "You Are Now Entering Free Derry" was painted in 1969 shortly after the Battle of the Bogside, is prominent. Free Derry Corner has been used as a model for other murals in Northern Ireland, including the "You Are Now Entering Loyalist Sandy Row" mural in Belfast, which was a response to the republican message of Free Derry Corner, and the "You Are Now Entering Derry Journal Country" mural, which is an advertisement for a Derry publication.

Not all murals in Northern Ireland are directly political or sectarian in nature, with some commemorating events such as the Great Irish Famine, and other moments in Irish history. Many portray events from Irish mythology, and images from Irish myths are often incorporated into political murals. A few murals avoid the subject of Ireland altogether, instead focusing on such neutral subjects as litter prevention and the C. S. Lewis novel The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. In Derry's city centre, a mural depicting the five principal characters from the TV show Derry Girls was painted on the side of a pub,[5][6] with the mural being updated during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and prior to the airing of the show's final series in 2022.[7][8] Murals representing peace and tolerance are becoming increasingly popular with school groups who have children either design or actually paint murals in areas around their schools. With many paramilitaries now involved in community work, there has been a move to decommission many of the hard-edged murals across Northern Ireland (although this trend is reversed in times of tension).[9] This change was further highlighted in 2007, when the Bogside Artists were invited to Washington, D.C. for the Smithsonian Folk Life Festival. The three artists were invited to recreate murals in the Washington Mall.[10]

Examples

Republican

Loyalist

  • A mural in a loyalist enclave of Derry
    A mural in a loyalist enclave of Derry
  • A loyalist mural in Belfast
    A loyalist mural in Belfast
  • A loyalist mural in Belfast
    A loyalist mural in Belfast
  • Loyalist murals on Thorndyke Street, Belfast
    Loyalist murals on Thorndyke Street, Belfast
  • A UDA/UFF mural in Bangor
    A UDA/UFF mural in Bangor
  • An Ulster Volunteers/UVF mural in Bangor
    An Ulster Volunteers/UVF mural in Bangor
  • A Red Hand Commandos mural in Bangor
    A
    Red Hand Commandos
    mural in Bangor
  • A mural in Belfast, commemorating William of Orange and the Battle of the Boyne
    A mural in Belfast, commemorating William of Orange and the Battle of the Boyne
  • A mural in Belfast depicting William of Orange
    A mural in Belfast depicting William of Orange
  • A mural in Belfast showing solidarity with the Portadown Orangemen
    A mural in Belfast showing solidarity with the Portadown Orangemen
  • A mural on Newtownards Road, Belfast depicting the Ulster Special Constabulary and Ulster Defence Regiment
    A mural on Newtownards Road, Belfast depicting the Ulster Special Constabulary and Ulster Defence Regiment
  • A mural in Belfast depicting republican killings
    A mural in Belfast depicting republican killings
  • A mural in Belfast depicting republican killings
    A mural in Belfast depicting republican killings
  • Mural dedicated to James Joseph Magennis in east Belfast.
    Mural dedicated to James Joseph Magennis in east Belfast.
  • Edward Carson
    Edward Carson
  • Loyalist mural in Ballymacarrett Road, east Belfast.
    Loyalist mural in Ballymacarrett Road, east Belfast.
  • Ulster Volunteers mural in Newtownabbey
    Ulster Volunteers mural in Newtownabbey
  • Ulster Volunteers mural in Belfast
    Ulster Volunteers mural in Belfast
  • Ulster Volunteers mural in Belfast
    Ulster Volunteers mural in Belfast
  • World War I mural in Newtownabbey
    World War I mural in Newtownabbey
  • Loyalist mural in Newtownabbey
    Loyalist mural in Newtownabbey
  • A loyalist mural in Belfast commemorating deceased UDA member Stephen McKeag
    A loyalist mural in Belfast commemorating deceased UDA member Stephen McKeag
  • A loyalist in Belfast mural critical of the Good Friday Agreement
    A loyalist in Belfast mural critical of the Good Friday Agreement

Other

  • A mural in a republican area dedicated to George Best.
    A mural in a republican area dedicated to George Best.
  • A mural dedicated to the sinking of RMS Titanic.
    A mural dedicated to the sinking of
    RMS Titanic
    .
  • Northern Ireland association football team mural.
    Northern Ireland association football team mural.
  • Mural commemorating US President James Buchanan
    Mural commemorating
    US President James Buchanan
  • Liam Gillick
    Liam Gillick

See also

References

  1. ^ Maxamillian Rapp: Murals in Ulster: Symbol kultureller Revolution im nordirischen Bürgerkrieg. In: KultuRRevolution Nr. 61/62 2012.
  2. ^ Maximilian Rapp and Markus Rhomberg: The importance of Murals during the Troubles: Analyzing the republican use of wall paintings in Northern Ireland. In: Machin, D. (Ed.) Visual Communication Reader. De Gruyter.
  3. ^
    S2CID 154188559
    .
  4. S2CID 143454753
    .
  5. ^ "Derry Girls immortalised in paint for giant city centre mural". The Irish News. 25 January 2019. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  6. ^ Thomas, Cónal (29 January 2019). "The giant Derry Girls mural has been completed - and here it is". TheJournal.ie. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  7. ^ O'Connor, Rachael (24 April 2020). "Iconic Derry Girls mural gets a makeover to remind people of importance of social distancing". The Irish Post. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  8. Belfast Live
    . Retrieved 12 April 2022.
  9. ^ "Old masters change murals". BBC News. 31 May 2005. Retrieved 28 November 2008.
  10. ^ Taggart, Maggie (22 June 2007). "Painting a New Image of NI". BBC News. Retrieved 28 November 2008.

Further reading

External links

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