Extramural Activity

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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An Lon Dubh Ar An Bhalla Bınne

2026-03-082026-03-19Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“The blackbird on the gable wall.” This piece of Peaball (web) art is on the side of the credit union in Main Street, Claudy, commissioned by Derry Credit Union to celebrate its sixty-fifth anniversary (ig).

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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Republican Clady

2026-03-082026-03-16Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“We salute all those who have fought, died and assisted in the fight for Irish freedom. Ar dheıs Dé go raıbh a n-anamacha. West Tyrone remembers.”

Above is a recent (2025-06) mural painted in Clady of IRA volunteers c. 1971 defending the bridge a stone’s throw outside the town, to prevent it from being blown up by the British Army. A history of the bridge, and the photograph which the mural reproduces, can be found at The Pensive Quill. The work of painting the mural and refreshing the window-boards of the building has been undertaken by the Joseph Plunkett 1916 Society Clady/Grebe (Fb).

The two monuments, to volunteers generally and Neal Lafferty (d. 1975) specifically (Fb), stand together at the junction with Cluney Gardens. There is also a memorial to James McPhelimy (d. 1988) on the other side of Urney Road, and one to Jim McGann (d. 1973) on the bridge.

Urney Road, Clady

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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The Western Front

2026-03-082026-03-18Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Cuımhníonn an Srath Bán orthu go deo [Strabane remembers them forever]”. The names of the ten deceased 1981 hunger strikers appear on ten white crosses that are set in a “H” formation in front of a tarp bearing their portraits.

The image on the tarp was originally on Divis Street in west Belfast – see the Peter Moloney Collection and the wall’s Visual History page. And in that mural, the protesters on the left date back to a 1981 poster which was reproduced for the very first mural – see I’ll Wear No Convict’s Uniform.

Townsend Street, Strabane

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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Strabane Wildlife

2026-03-082026-03-15Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

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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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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God Save The King

2026-03-062026-03-14Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“The Lisbellaw community celebrates the coronation of his majesty King Charles III. God save the King.” Charles’s coronation was on May 6th, 2023, eight months after acceding to the throne upon the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II. He turns 78 this year (2026).

This is a large printed board in the Brook Street, Lisbellaw, below the A4.

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.

Remind Me To Bring A Bit Of Rope Tomorrow

2026-03-062026-03-18Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

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.

Paddy Duffy Collection

Murals From Belfast (And Round-About)

Author: Extramural Activity