Murals of Northern Ireland

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Murals of Northern Ireland

• A sampling of some of the pride murals located in
  Belfast and Londonderry (Derry),
• Northern Ireland
• Keith OConnell
• Penn High School Summer 2004

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What are the murals?

• The murals are a means of expression by those who
  are Unionist (Protestant) or Republicans
  (Catholic) particularly in the Northern Ireland
  cities of Belfast and Londonderry (Derry).

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What is the purpose of the murals?

• The murals are a way to segregate space or
  display resistance. They also are used to contain
  memories of those who have died in battle, or
  even to voice opposition.

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What are the different types of murals?

• Catholic murals

• Protestant murals

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Murals in Belfast

• Protestant Mural in Belfast City
• 30 years of Indiscriminate Slaughter by
  So-Called Non-Sectarian Irish Freedom Fighters

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Battle of the Somme The Battle of the Somme in
1916, where the 36th Ulster Division suffered
heavy casualties fighting for Britain in the
first World War.
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Shankill Road (Protestant)
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Shankill Road-Union Jack and Anti-Sinn Fein Mural
Sinn Fein is the political voice of the IRA.
Most Protestants view this partnership as one
that cannot be trusted, as depicted in this mural.
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Shankill Road- Empty Lots

• These empty corner lots are found throughout the
  Shankill Road area in Belfast. They provide a
  meeting place for young people and also where
  bonfires are held to commemorate battles from as
  far back as the 1600s.

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UYM Ulster Young Militants Ulster Will Always
Remain British No Surrender
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Belfast- Falls Road (Catholic)
All things must come to Pass as one So hope
should never die There is no height or bloody
might That a freeman cant defy Bobby Sands
Many Catholic murals in Northern Ireland also
tell stories of people and battles won and
lost. Sands was a young Catholic Republican
who went on a 66 day hunger strike, dying a
martyr to Catholics particularly in Belfast.
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Catholic Murals tend to paint pictures of
historical events as a way to remember their
struggle. These mural depicts the Irish Potato
famine.
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Murals- Londonderry (Derry)
Depending on who you ask, the city actually has
two names. Derry, as the city was known by
Catholics, was changed by those loyal to the
Union to Londonderry. Nevertheless, murals dot
the landscape in this city as well, particularly
in the Catholic Free Derry section of the city.
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Battle of Bogside Mural This mural shows a
young boy holding what is known as a petrol bomb.
The Battle that took place in August of 1969 is
depicted in several Republic murals in the
Bogside (Free Derry) area of the city.
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Bloody Sunday Mural The events of that took
place in Derry on January 30th, 1972 are
remembered in this mural. 14 people were killed
by British soldiers who opened fired on the
crowds gathered for a peaceful civil rights
demonstration.
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Londonderry Murals- Similar messages to one found
in Belfast are found in many Unionist murals in
Londonderry. No Surrender is a common theme in
most of these murals. Notice that even the
street sign are painted in red, white, and blue.
These are the colors of the Union Jack are found
on the street curbs as well in the west bank
neighborhoods of Londonderry.
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Irish Alzheimer's

• According to our local guide, the bonfires and
  murals found throughout Northern Ireland,
  celebrating victories or remembering those lost
  in battles is a perfect example of Irish
  Alzheimers. People in Northern Ireland forget
  everythingEXCEPT THE GRUDGES.

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Conclusion

• The murals are a striking reminder of the
  historical conflict between the Catholics and
  Protestants in Northern Ireland.
• They help to define the urban landscape of
  cities like Belfast and Londonderry. Their
  existence helps to provide symbolic artifacts of
  events that help to explain the current situation
  between the groups.

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Symbol of the Future?
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Works Cited
Conflict Archive on the Internet
(CAIN) http//cain.ulst.ac.uk/index.html Special
thanks to the West European Studies National
Resource Center for the opportunity to research
this topic in depth