Gormley

Cliftonville striker Joe Gormley has been honoured with a new mural in his native Ardoyne. He is Cliftonville’s all-time leading goal-scorer, with more than 300 goals. He has recently signed for the forthcoming (2026-2027) season, which he says will be his last (BBC).

Velsheda Court, Ardoyne. There was previously a board to Joe The Goal in Berwick Road.

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Welcome To Rathfriland

Life and landmarks in Rathfriland, eight miles outside Newry, are presented in this “Community mural, 2010, lead artist Ann McCall, created with young people from the Beacon Centre”.

The four buildings on the left are labelled: Magennis clan of Iveagh 1136-1641 [i.e. until the Confederate Wars], Linen Market 1754, Patrick Brontë [father of the three Brontë authors] homeland 1777, Farmers’ Market. On the right is the Beacon Centre.

The mural was covered over by a printed tarp for a number of (seven?) years, but this has come down and the mural behind it is again visible. The mural in much better condition can be seen on Geograph.

Church Square, Rathfriland, site of the market house or tholsel – here is an image from c. 1915.

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Soho Foundry

The Townsend Enterprise Park, at the Falls end of Townsend Street, was formerly the site of the Soho Foundry, established by brothers James and Robert Shipboy MacAdam, making (among other things, including scutching machines) large turbines for export across the world – “the largest steam-engine ever made in Ireland” (at 62″ in diameter) went to the Nile in Egypt in 1848 (Grace’s | Grace’s). This new mural on the wall of the Enterprise Park recalls the area’s industrial past.

By Imogen Donegan (ig) with support from Daisy Chain (web).

See also My Da Was A Pigeon Man.

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The Undying Prayer For Absolute Freedom

“Mícheál Mac Daıbhéad ~ Michael Davitt, 1846 ~ 1906 … a true republican, a revolutionary and a visionary. This mural was erected to celebrate and to thank all those members of Davitt’s GAC, past and present, who have fought, struggled and diligently contributed to the foundation, development and maintainment of this club in serving our local community of the greater Falls, down through the years.”

Mícheál Mac Daıbhéad/Michael Davitt is famous for leading the Irish Republican Brotherhood and as “father of the Land League”, and a west Belfast CLG and social club is named in his honor. The board in the courtyard of the social club includes twenty photographs of the lower Falls area from the years of the Troubles.

“To all my friends I leave kind thoughts, to my enemies the fullest possible forgiveness, and to Ireland the undying prayer for the absolute freedom and independence which it was my life’s ambition to try and obtain for her.” These words come from Davitt’s will; he died at age 60 (Mayo Live). The mural referred to in the information board (in the final image) was painted for the centenary of the club, in 2012.

This board replaces a c. 2014 mural.

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Here’s A Health To The Company

Society of United Irishmen was formed at the Crown Tavern in 1791, with founder members including Thomas Russell, William Drennan, Samuel Neilson (also host to Olaudah Equiano), Henry Joy McCracken, and Wolfe Tone. The building – now called Crown House – is visible upon entering Crown Entry from High Street. These painted windows are on the side of the building, as one proceeds towards Ann Street.

The first pair are by JMK, the second pair by Wee Nuls (ig), painted in 2020, at which time FGB also painted pair that have now faded.

Crown Entry, Belfast. See also the Visual History page on The Belfast Entries.

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I ❤️ Belfast

“I ❤️ Belfast”, “Love conquers all”, “Stop war”. These are works by London pair Nathan Bowen (ig | web store) and ThisIsLostBoy (ig), in Bruce Street and High Street.

See previously in Castle Street: Pledge For Positivity which contains links to more Bowen pieces.

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Alternative Ulster

There is a ‘blue plaque’ outside the Trident bar in Bangor’s High Street, to commemorate its role in the punk movement of the late 1970s (BBC | Guardian). The bands listed on this painted electrical box are Ruefrex (web), Stiff Little Fingers (web), Rudi (Something Hard), The Doubt (Irish Rock), The Androids (Spit), The Outcasts (Faster & Louder).

The bar is referenced in the SLF song “Alternative Ulster” (lyrics). Despite the claim that “there’s nothing for us in Belfast”, there is a plaque remembering the punk scene outside the Harp Bar – see Belfast Has The Reason.

By Cha Cha (ig), one building up from the Trident (Wolsey’s), High Street, Bangor

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When All That Was Solid Melted Into Air

At its peak, the Harland & Wolff shipyard employed 35,000 people (IndustriAll) and the flat-capped worker became a symbol of east Belfast, along – much later – with Samson and Goliath, the two gantry cranes at the shipyard that were raised in 1974 and 1969 (WP) and which have become the symbol of Belfast.

The title of this entry is the first line of Martin Mooney’s poem ‘Launching The Whaler Juan Peron.

The silhouetted workers and cranes are on a mobile office in Fraser Pass, Newtownards Road, Belfast, at the end of the Pitt Stop next to the Belfast Bikes racks.

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The Swifts

St James’s Swifts (web) are a west Belfast club playing intermediate level soccer with Donegal Celtic Park on the Suffolk Road as a home ground.

The three pieces shown here are in St James’s Crescent, at the Park Centre on Donegall Road, and St James’s Road. The mural in progress (shown last) is in St Katherine’s Road

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Shankill Community Festival

“Celebrating our heritage, inspiring tomorrow.” This year’s Greater Shankill Community Festival began on June 30th with the launch of Ulster’s American Connection and will end with a Siege Of Derry re-enactment on July 11th – the full programme can be found on Fb.

Shankill Road at Iceland, replacing the Stewart’s Yard sign.

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