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Reformation Fire

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“The gospel rediscovered. Christ alone. Grace alone, Faith alone. Scripture alone. To God alone by the glory.”

Martin Luther sent his “Ninety-Five Theses” on the practice of selling indulgences (Disputatio Pro Declaratione Virtutis Indulgentiarum), along with a letter, to the archbishop of Mainz on October 31st, 1517. They were subsequently printed by the press at Wittenberg University and distributed in various forms and by various means, including by being attached to the doors of local churches. (WP) Thus began, in retrospect, the reformation. Luther was declared a heretic in May, 1521. (See the old Martin Luther mural in the lower Shankill.)

A bonfire in Rathcoole, Newtownabbey, will be lit on October 31st to commemorate the Protestant Reformation and (perhaps) provide a contrast to the traditions that have come to be associated with Halloween, and to the pagan holiday of Samhaın.

For the RHC mural in the background, see As Proud Men.

O’Neill Road, Rathcoole, Newtownabbey

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A Bin Ain’t One

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“Keep CQ tidy”. Here are two tidiness-related pieces in the Cathedral Quarter: above and immediately below, Karl Fenz (web) uses the catchphrase “ya filthy animals” from the films Home Alone and Home Alone 2, and (last below), “I’ve got 99 problems but a bin ain’t one”, though the stencil is on a junction box and not on a bin. A 99 is an ice-cream cone with a (half) flake, perhaps purchased from Mackle’s (web) in Hill Street.

Marcus Keeley (on instagram) took a walk around the area and made a map showing bins on the street bordering the area but none in its middle. Business-owners in the area asked for more bins in May (Belfast Telegraph Fb reel). The bin in front of McCauley Culkin’s Kevin McCallister is newly placed (CQ Belfast’s ig).

Hill Street and Commercial Court, Belfast city centre

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Step Up For Change

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‘Step Up For Change’ was a two-year “youth development” programme that “graduated” fifteen young people from east Belfast in July, 2026 (Phoenix Education | International Fund for Ireland).

Greenore Street, Willowfield, east Belfast, replacing The Legends and My Anchor Holds.

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Our Voice

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“Our future, our voice”, “We are the future. Stronger together”. These messages of “equality, belonging, respect, friendship, inclusion” are aimed at youth in the New Lodge, north Belfast.

In the background (of the image below) is a mental health mural also aimed at young people – see Space To Breathe, which also shows the INLA graffiti this mural replaces.

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No Going Back

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“Re-route Garvaghy Road. Marching back to the 19th century. No going back/Níl dul siar ann!”

NI Secretary Chris Bryant decided (on October 9th) to ban the Orange Order from marching past the Garvaghy estate (Guardian | Irish Times | Independent), though a legal challenge is being lodged by the Orange Order against it and a rally in support of the Portadown lodge is planned for the 24th (Belfast Live).

An application has been made for a November march on another contentious route, the lower Ormeau Road. Residents are monitoring the application (Belfast Media), and perhaps this mural on the International Wall (Visual History) will be re-purposed.

This mural is based on one painted during the 1997 dispute – see entry 101 in the catalogue of Mo Chara Kelly. See also: graffiti and posters about the (Garvaghy) dispute, and the Trade-Off, Stand-Off mural in lower Ormeau.

To the immediate right is the mural of Soso And Omar Ashour, and to the right of that is the mural for the Journacide documentary.

October 13th:

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Gener8 Change

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These mental health messages – “It’s OK not to be OK”, “It’s OK to talk … speak up” – and the number for Lifeline (web) were painted by young people participating in a Springboard Opportunities project called Gener8 (web), which in 2019 brought together 24 youths between 18 and 24 from across the city (Belfast Live).

On the wall behind the New Lodge playground

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We Can Turn This Place Around

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Here is a small gallery of images from the Redmanville and Corcrain estates in Portadown, specifically Westland Road and the bonfire site. To the trio of boards at the site (seen previously in January, 2026) has been added the board shown above: “In loving memory – from the fathers that shaped it to the son’s [sic] who continue it. It’s our year, every year.” The bonfire, which is lit on the 10th (of July) has its own Facebook page.

Elsewhere in the estates: An elderly woman is drawn spraying graffiti that reads “They’re ashamed of our youth … and that’s the truth” along with “Never give up, never back down. We can turn this place around!”, and an anti-immigrant placard, the same as the one recorded in January.

Westland Road, Corcrain/Redmanville, Portadown

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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A World-Wide Culture

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The walkway along the Six Mile Water below Main Street, Ballyclare, has been painted with biblical quotations which are transcribed below, replacing the inspirational messages seen in 2025’s Let Your Light Shine. There is also a comment suggesting that the religious art is a form of re-imaging or beautification (see Visual History 11): “Graffiti is a world-wide culture – please stop covering our culture”.

“I lift my eyes to the mountains – where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the maker of heaven and Earth. – Psalm 121”
“We love because he first loved us – 1 John 4:19”
“Praise the Lord, proclaim his name, make known what he has done. – Isaiah 12:4”
“How wide, how long, how high, how deep is the love of Christ! – Ephesians 3:12”
“Greater Ballyclare Youth For Christ [Fb]”

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Girls Just Wanna Walk Home

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This new wall-painting in Bangor encourages people to “end violence against women and girls”. It was painted by local artist Friz (web) in collaboration with young women from North Down YMCA’s “Flip The Script” programme (Belfast Live) and officially launched on August 25th (Ards & North Down).

For the Liam Neeson art on the right-hand side of the wide shot, see A Very Particular Set Of Skills.

See also: Girls Just Wanna Have Fun…damental Rights.

Hamilton Road, Bangor

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