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Rough Guide To Belfast

Extramural Activity1 Comment

The “peace wall” that divides west Belfast into Protestant and Catholic areas is mentioned in various places in the Rough Guide To Belfast. It doesn’t feature in the Discover NI or Visit Britain lists of ‘top attractions’ but is #4 on TripAdvisor’s list of things to do in Belfast.

The wall is notable for the wild-style writing and other art painted on the Shankill side – including this paste-up by Leo Boyd (web) – but the wall itself, at 30+ feet tall, is the main draw, and tourists sign their names (and patronising slogans) on top of the art.

For a history of the wall and the art on it, see its Visual History page.

Cupar Way, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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So Glad You’re Here

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Here is a gallery of images from the nineteen new pieces of art around the perimeter of Grand Central station at Durham Street and Grosvenor Road, called “When Walls Speak Welcome”. Commissioned by @translinkni @daisychaininc and @emicartist

Durham Street:
1 Pointing Child – emic (web)
2 Thinking Angel – Wee Nuls (web)
3 Bees – Friz (web)
4 Mech Head – NOYS (ig)
5 Helmet Sprayer – KVLR (web)
6 Three Flowers – FGB (web)
[gate]
7 Raven – Conor McClure (ig)
8 Head With Swallows – emic (web)
9 Hands And Birds – Zippy (web)
10 Schoolgirl Holding Tree – ?Razer?

Durham Street/Grosvenor Road junction:
11 Nature – Kerrie Hanna (web)
12 Let’s Go – Lost Lines (ig)
13 Flamingo – Imogen Donegan (ig)
14 Blossoms – Alexandra (ig)
[gate]

Grosvenor Road:
15 Floating Guy – Jam2 (ig)
16 Cockerel – Ana Fish (web)
[gate]
17 Tandem Bicyclists – David McMillan (web)
18 “Nocturne Flow” – Karl Fenz (web) and Rob Hilken (web)
19 So Glad You’re Here – HMC (web) and Danni Simpson (web)

Entrance to Grand Central Station

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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Show One’s Teeth

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Here are the results of a recent paint-jam in the Project 24 space near Bangor Marina. From top to bottom (left to right on the wall):

Nozzle-headed cats by ?Imogen Donegan (ig) and Ana Fish (ig)?,
a spooky sprayer by Critter (ig),
a toothsome skull by ANCO and (A)SEK (ig) of TMN,
a (painted and not in fact) sewn face by Codo (ig),
a cigarette smoker by Féoıl (ig),
a smiling shark by Keyto (ig), and
writing by TORE

2025-12 Twist The Sinews Of Thy Heart
2025-06 Love All Round Ye
2025-04 Shrunken Heads
2024-11 Zoom! (which includes Glen Molloy’s remaining JOHNDEN piece, which can be seen in the wide shot, below)
2024-04 How About This For Art?
2023-11 Stop Ruining Art
2023-04 Around Every Corner
2023-01 This Is Not The Same As Every Day

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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Nature Does Not Hurry

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A “living mural” on and around the wall around the Ark Housing (web) in Millisle, Co Down, was announced last (2025) summer (Newtownards Chronicle) with art by Blaze FX (ig) complemented by planters. So far, it seems that only background colours and various line-drawings of wildlife have been completed.

With support from the Millisle And District Community Association (Fb) and Ulster Wildlife (Fb).

Ballymacruise Drive, Millisle

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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Strabane Wildlife

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Here are a tiger from Jam2 (ig), a pair of toucans from Junk Graff (both from June 2025) and (on the other side of the street) seals and ?a largemouth bass? from HMC (web) in November 2025. None of the animals are native to the Strabane rivers or countryside, though there are sometimes seals in Lough Foyle.

Painted for Love Strabane (web) in Castle Place, Strabane.

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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Remind Me To Bring A Bit Of Rope Tomorrow

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Samuel Beckett falls prey to the eternal optimism of the instragrammed mind. The quote – “Tomorrow everything will be better” –is from Act 1 of Waiting For Godot.

Street art by Karl Fenz (web) in Wellington Road, Enniskillen; Beckett attended Portora Royal public school (WP).

See also: I Can’t Go On. I’ll Go On.

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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