community – Paddy Duffy Collection

Fine Heads

2026-03-152026-03-18Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Belfast match-maker Maguire & Paterson made matches under the brands Buffalo, Swift, Bo-Peep, and City Hall (and perhaps others). The factory was on the Donegall Road, on what became, for a time, the site of West Side Stores (and is now a set of houses facing the Park Centre. Here is an aerial view (on Fb) of the factory in 1947, when Celtic Park was still standing.

This tribute to the Belfast match is by Leo Boyd (web) in Beechmount Avenue, west Belfast.

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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Óıge Na bhFál

2026-03-102026-03-21Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Our youth, out culture, our community, our future”. This mural was painted in 2014 but the future for one of the clubs featured – Seán Mac Dıarmada/Seán Sean McDermott’s in the yellow with green stripe – was short-lived, as the club folded later the same year. The other club, Michael Davitt’s in the green, white, and gold strip, still exists.

Painted by Lucas Quigley in Sultan Way/Ross Road, Divis, west Belfast.

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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If I Have Erred, It Was Only Through Too Much Love

2026-03-082026-03-13Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Finvola of the O’Cahans was such a beauty that she was called the “gem of the Roe” – the Roe being the river that runs through Dungiven on its way from the Sperrins to Lough Foyle. She married Angus McDonnell of Islay, who could not bear, as promised, to return with her body when she died. Her family travelled to the Hebrides to reclaim the corpse and return it to Dungiven (Library Ireland). Her life was immortalised in the song ‘Finvola, Gem Of The Roe’. (Here is a version by Anne And Francie Brolly on youtube).

In this mural, Finvola’s long red hair represents the river, which flows towards Benbradagh Mountain.

Painted by Sheila Byrne with youths from Benbradagh Community Support (Fb) in Main Street, Dungiven (Derry Now).

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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The Golden Apples Of Lough Erne

2026-03-062026-03-12Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

In the myth of the Golden Apples Of Lough Erne (Yeats), Conn-Eda is given a seemingly impossible quest by his step-mother: to bring back three golden apples, a horse, and a hound in the possession of the king of the Fir Bolg, who lives in Lough Erne.

Little does he know that the horse that accompanies him on his adventures is the king’s brother, who has been bewitched, but who is released by self-sacrifice and Conn-Eda’s compassion, thus securing his success with the king. Conn-Eda returns riding the steed, leading the dog, and carrying the three golden apples from the king’s crystal tree.

This interpretation of Conn-Eda’s triumphant return is by Kevin McHugh (web), with support from Enniskillen BID (web), in Forthill Street, Enniskillen.

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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The Green And Lovely Lakes

2026-02-122026-02-15Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Killeshandra, County Cavan, is located near the Lough Oughter system of lakes, which is home to a wide variety of fish, including the roach, tench, perch, bream, and pike (Island View Cavan pdf) featured in this Rob Hilken (web) piece in the centre of town.

With funding from Cavan Community Council (web).

Main Street, Killeshandra

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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Cıll Na Leıce

2026-02-112026-02-26Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Kilnaleck local Frank Brook built the cart that he wheeled daily to the creamery. For more information about Frank, see this profile at AngloCelt of the artist, Colette Kearney (web).

The other piece is on the side wall of (what was) the Copper Kettle.

Upper Main Street, Kilnaleck, County Cavan

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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Ard Mhacha Abú

2026-02-102026-03-08Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Here is another (see previously: Armagh For Sam) mural supporting Armagh’s senior football team, presumably in connection with its successful 2024 campaign, this time in Newry.

Band Width

2026-02-082026-02-10Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This entry updates 2025’s C’Mon On In, which showed the low wall with local landmarks. The new pieces on the adjacent wall, the six bollards and three pillars, have a musical theme. The wall to the side depicts a sea-horse and a wolf (from the Belfast coat of arms – see The Sea Walls) among soccer-playing lions against a backdrop of flax flowers.

As before, Carla Hodgson (ig) worked with local children to produce the art (Belfast Live).

Maryville Street, south Belfast

Rhys

2026-01-252026-01-27Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Gymnast Rhys McClenaghan is a European, World, and Olympic champion, competing in the pommel horse. He has been awarded both the BEM and the MBE, as well as receiving the freedom of the borough of Ards And North Down (News Letter) – McClenaghan hails from Newtownards.

This new mural, by Jossie Pops (web), is in South Street.

Go With The Flow

2026-01-232026-01-26Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Just go with the flow.” The river Bann rises in the Mournes and flows through the Lough and on towards the north coast. The lower Bann passes under nine bridges (WP), the oldest of which, just east of Kilrea, was built in 1783 (Derry Now). It features in this Kilrea mural, painted by Peaball (web) with local school-children at the entrance to the Maghera Street car-park in Kilrea, with support from Kilrea Community & Fairy Thorn Association (Fb) and funding from Donaghy Brothers (web).