Downshire Bridge over “The Cut” through the centre of Banbridge town (created in 1834; here is a NLI image from the 1900s), is locally known as “Jingler’s Bridge” on account of one or more of the sellers on the bridge jingling their coins (Geograph), perhaps among them this apple-seller, painted by Friz (ig) on the northern side of The Cut/Bridge Street.
Downshire Bridge is perhaps named for the 3rd (Arthur Hill) or 4th (Arthur Wills Hill) Marquess Of Downshire (Lord Belmont).
The saying “You’re never too old to set another goal or dream another dream” is attributed to east Belfast-bred C.S. Lewis — shown here on the right — though we are unable to find any record of him saying or writing these words; instead it might be be a motivational speaker called Les Brown. In the rest of the poster, young people play in the grounds of Queen’s University and Belfast City Hall.
Five steps to mental health – give, connect, be active, take notice, keep learning – and affirmations to live by, such as “This is me”, “You’re a superstar”, “I am what I am”, and “Simply the best“. Part of the Shankill SAFE (Safer Areas For Everyone) project in the Woodvale, with support from Alternatives and the Communities In Transition programme.
From the info board: “#ItsOKToTalk” “This art project was completed as part of Alternative – Safer Areas For Everyone (SAFE) project. The young people involved identified mental health as the theme for their art project and incorporated positive mental health messages & support numbers to highlight the issue. The group also identified the “Steps” area as the location for the art work, to help brighten up the area which had become unsightly, neglected and a focus for anti-social behaviour. This project also engaged with the residents through door to door surveys, provided information leaflets on support services and organised community clean ups to help improve community pride & spirit in the area. Special thanks to Jamie, Dylan, Kyle, Corey and Mason who showed positive leadership in their community, to street artist Emic & Sam from Signlink for the art work & graphics and to the local residents and young people who were involved in the clean ups. SAFE Shankill is supported by the The Executive Office through Communities In Transition programme.”
Here are two final pieces from the street-art make-over of Banbridge in 2022. Below is Holly Pereira (web)’s “Welcome To Banbridge” in Newry Street; above and immediately below is Decoy (web)’s piece in Downshire Place depicting how the town grew up around a coach stop at the eponymous “Bann bridge” on the route from Belfast to Dublin (ABC borough council). According to Connolly (Google Books) and History Ireland, a short-lived coach service c. 1740 from Dublin to Belfast stopped in Drogheda and Newry; permanent service did not begin until 1788. According to the Downshire Arms (web), a Georgian coaching inn built in 1816, Banbridge was the second stop along the route from Belfast.
The other paintings in the 2022 ‘Arrivals’ project, organised by Daisy Chain and the Council, are by Friz (The Jingler), FGB (Ernest Walton), and Rob Hilken (Damask For Dignity).
For a list of other borough council projects, see Visual History 11 on the rise of street art.
Ernest Walton was born in 1903 in Co. Waterford, graduated from TCD, and then worked in the Cavendish lab in Cambridge, England, and then at TCD. He and John Cockroft were together awarded the 1951 Nobel Prize in physics for their 1932 work at Cavendish that split apart the nucleus (specifically, of a lithium atom), verifying Rutherford’s conjectures about the structure of atoms (WP). He died in Belfast in 1995.
His connection to Banbridge, which is where this FGB (ig) mural can be found on Bridge St, is that he attended kindergarten in the town (DIB).
Here is a gallery of images from the Blaze FX art in the (western) Tullycarnet subway, which promotes various community organisations, including TagIt (Fb), Tullycarnet flute band (Fb), Tullycarnet Community Football Club, Tullycarnet Family Project, Helping Hands Autism Support Group.
The cartoon cats from Top Cat are featured – the eponymous Top Cat is featured above. Fancy Fancy is just inside the mouth of the tunnel – see this 2013 image for a close-up.
These four boards are on the side of the Hanwood Centre (web) in Kinross way, referencing various local social groups: Helping Hands [Autism Support], Cloud 9 [youth group], Barnardo’s NI (Fb), Links Women’s Project (Fb), TASC, TABC (Fb), TCFC (ig)
A “Holywood” sign is imagined in the Holywood hills, where a lone golfer is playing, above the First Presbyterian, the Tesco Express, Ned’s, and The Dirty Duck.
“Pro tanto quid retribuamus?” – What shall we give in return for so much? – is the motto of Belfast. These instances are in Castle Street and in Fountain Place, which is “out the back of Boots” – generations of Belfasters (since 1975 – Belfast Live) have used Boots to move between Donegall Place and the Fountain area (or fountains (plural) – see Fountain Street Spirits).
(See previously: Pro Tanto on a mural of HMS Belfast | Pro Tanto on Clifton St Orange Hall.)
Warp, weave, scutch and hackle are actions in the processing of flax fibre (Ulster Linen).
Memories from the History Girl mural in east Belfast’s Thistle Court. (Close-ups below.)
We used to go to Church Street East Disco … It was brilliant. Dee Street Disco in the Community Centre was good too.
Geary’s and The Tab sold all the electrical goods. The TV rent man came on a Friday. We sometimes didn’t answer the door!
I loved Nabney’s, Burkes and Nellie Stewarts. Dora Burnes was a good wee shop too.
There was a swimming pool in Victoria Park that opened in the summer. It was always freezing though!
I used to buy a bag of broken biscuits and and damaged fruit as a treat, when I went to the cinema.
We used to get our hair cut in Sammy Sanford’s.
The Road was always busy – shops and bars all the way along.
Barlow’s hardware at the Conswater Bridge used to have all the plates and cups outside in crates for you to buy.
I drank in the Con Club. It was great – they didn’t let women in!
I came from Singapore to live here with my husband. He died and I went home, but had to come back to Belfast. I missed it too much … it’s my home now.
My granny had a bathroom. I thought that was great. Our toilet was in the yard …
I worked in the Ropeworks and love it … the craic was great.
I loved Joe Bump’s chippy – the pasties were great.
If you were late for work at the Ropeworks they locked the door and you lost your pay. Hardly anyone was ever late.
My grandpa took me to the shipyard and swung me on a crane in one of the workshops. My mummy was raging when she found out!
We used to play Kick the Tin … there were sometimes 30 of us all playing together …
I loved the smell of Inglis’ Biscuit Factory along the Road.
The was The Vulcan, The Ulster Arms, The Four and Twenty, The Clock Bar and The Armagh House. Hastings, who own all the hotels now, used to own a good lot of the bars on the Road.
I remember seeing a ship being launched in the yard. It was about 1976 and all the ones from Mersey Street School went. I met my daddy in the crowd of thousands.
You got your good shoes in Irvine’s and your gutties in Warwick’s. It’s still there.
My granny kept her milk in a bucket of water because she had no fridge.
I worked in the shipyard – left school on a Friday and started in the Yard on Monday.
Everyone had a net bag made in the Ropeworks. You don’t see them nowadays.
We followed the Glens everywhere, but a home match in the Oval was always the best craic.
All my mummy’s brothers were in the Army or Navy during the War … they all came back.
I remember Stanley Brookes. They cashed your Providence Cheques.
We used to go to the cinema on a Saturday morning for the Kids Club. It was always bunged!!
Paddy Duffy Collection 