windows in walls

The Wearing Of The Green

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Golf Digest rated Royal County Down as the world’s number one course. Over the years it has hosted various important tournaments, including the Irish Open (most recently in 2024, won by Rasmus Højgaard).

This mural features six famous golfers, past and present. Clockwise from top: Pádraıg Harrington, Rory McIlroy (holding his Masters trophy and wearing the green jacket), Darren Clarke, Graeme McDowell, Shane Lowry, and Fred Daly, who won the Irish Open in 1946 and the British Open in 1947. In the background of the mural is the Slieve Donard hotel, which is just to the south of the golf course.

Painted by Visual Waste (web) in Donard Place, Newcastle, Co Down

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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An Architect Of Peace

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The UVF boards at the junction of London and My Lady’s roads in east Belfast have been completely replaced (compared to 2022). The hooded gunmen on the short side have been replaced by “Joy, peace, love” while a tribute to David Ervine now replaces the lettering reading “East Belfast Ulster Volunteer Force”. Ervine was a UVF member from 1972 to 1980 before turning to a career in politics. “He asked the question “why can’t I be an Irish citizen of the UK?” … “An architect of peace. An inspiration to us all.” Always remembered by his family, comrades, colleagues and friends.”

Next to Ervine is a UVF roll of honour in which Roy Walker joins Robert Bennett, James Cordner, Joseph Long, and Robert Seymour, who were previously portrayed (Ulster’s Brave). Walker was killed in a feud with the UDA in 1976. And around the corner the UVF emblem has been replaced by a board to the Ulster Volunteer Force Regimental Band.

The largest panel remains a tribute to the dead of WWI, specifically now the “3rd battalion (Mountpottinger)” of the East Belfast regiment of the Ulster Volunteers who “marched to the old town hall in Victoria Street accompanied by the Duke Of York Pipe Band and around 270 members volunteered”. The long text explains the negotiation between Kitchener and Craig over the formation of the 36th Division; the East Belfast volunteers joined the 8th Battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles; “training took place at Ballykinlar in County Down and the Battalion became known as “Ballymacarret’s Own””.

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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HTN 2026 – York Lane

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In addition to the main festival location centred on the Sunflower bar, a small jam took place in a recently renovated courtyard next to the UU building in York Lane (compare with 2025’s Medusa).

The large piece (above) is by Ricky Also (ig) while the seven on the courtyard wall are “Bear With Me” by Curly Bap (ig), “Judith Beheading Holofernes” by JoJo (ig), a cat on the moon by Stella (ig), a wall by David Copeland (ig), big hair by Rachel Patterson (ig), an “Use It Or Lose It” by DEID (web), and Gaelic games by Fraser_9K (ig)

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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More Like Living In Revelations Than In England

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Phlegm (ig) – a Sheffield-based engraver and artist – was in town for Hit The North 2026 and painted this large piece in Corporation Street of spindly creatures teetering on the backs of the dead as they war with each other.

The in-progress images are from May 4th and 2nd.

May 4th

May 2nd

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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Radiate Positivity

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Armagh won the All-Ireland Senior football championship in 2024, with a squad that included three players from Crossmaglen: Oısín O’Neill, Cıan McConville, and Rían O’Neill.

In the bottom-left corner, players from Crossmaglen Rangers turn to face the Irish tricolour, flanked by the club flag and the flag of Palestine – the flags fly below the watchtower of a British Army barracks (perhaps based on an image from the 2005 Armagh final – Irish Times).

On the right is an umbrella in pride colours, below which people can pose and take pictures: “Snap & tag us”.

This is a revised version of the mural, which originally bore the Ernesto Cardenal quote, “They tried to bury you/us but they didn’t know you/we were seeds” (ig).

On the side of KIS pizza- and coffee-shop, The Square, Crossmaglen. “The community wall” @kis_pizza_coffee @careforcaolan” [Caolan Finnegan, who died in August, 2024] @Nıamh_Ní_Dhalaıgh_Art July 2024″

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Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
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Big Ugg

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“Jon Clifford’s Tristar FC, Derry, founded 1974”. Jon “Ugg” Clifford died on September 3rd, 2011, while waiting for a lung transplant (BelTel). In 1974 he had founded a youth soccer club – initially for boys – called “Tristrar” (web) in Creggan. The park where they played – Bull Park – was renamed in his honour, a portrait on boards was mounted in 2013 (which has now been replaced by the larger painting shown here), and a memorial championship was begun in 2014 (Derry Daily).

Update: The mural was officially launched on October 9th, 2025 (BBC).

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Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
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