Here is a gallery of images from the lane leading to the houses from behind the Creggan shops, with a mixture of the old (anti-drugs) and new (flowers) pieces.
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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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Inspirational mental-health messages in Lenadoon Avenue, west Belfast, such as “Mindfull or mindful?”, “It’s a bad day, not a bad life”, “Don’t believe everything you think”.
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“North Belfast is in a crisis. RNU [Republican Network For Unity (Fb | ig)] calls for better mental health provision. Hold on, pain ends. Hope.”
Northern Ireland has the highest suicide rate in the UK, at 14.3 per 100,000 (2021), and Belfast has a suicide rate of 24.9 people (2022), and north Belfast the highest in Belfast, at a rate of 31 per 100,000 (2013-2018) (Assembly Research Matters | Zero Suicide Alliance). Here is a Bel Tel article (£) about the lack of GPs and mental health services in north Belfast, from 2021.
Berwick Road, Ardoyne, north Belfast. Replaces Don’t Ever Give Up.
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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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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.”
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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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Here are some older pieces still rolling in Dundonald: Above, a pandemic-era mural with Superman as a doctor: “A big thank you to all the heroes of the NHS”; below, two small stencils of a young girl contemplating a pigeon and a flower.
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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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“Crucified” and “risen” in a pair on the back of Dundonald Methodist Church in Inchmarnoch Drive.
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“‘The day has passed for patching up the capitalist system; it must go. [… We reject the firebrand of capitalist warfare and offer you the olive leaf of brotherhood and justice to and for all.]’ – James Connolly” [in 1910’s Labour, Nationality And Religion, part 6]
Lasaır Dhearg (web) paste-up at the Grosvenor Road entrance to the Royal, to coincide with the general strike of January 18th that included dieticians, physiotherapists, radiographers, midwives, and nurses (BBC).
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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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Here are three of the murals painted in Botanic Gardens for the Belfast mela – an Artsekta (web) project – which includes a festival of colours or “holi”.
See also: What I Have Witnessed In Botanic Gardens.
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This is the mental health mural painted by artist Carly Wright (web) and Sam McAleese (of Coven Tattoo) on the outside of Ballykeel 1 (Ballymena Guardian), below a 4th battalion South East Antrim UDA board with the emblem of the 1893 Ulster Defence Union (seen in mural size in Carrickfergus). (For the previous “UDA” version see M05983.)
Wright and McAleese later did a piece in Belfast for HTN2023.
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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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This painting on the shutters of the Falls Road Suicide Awareness & Support Group/Grúpa Feasachta Agus Tacaíochta Ar Fhéınbháıs (web | Fb) is the same as the mural painted in Cavendish Square by Visual Waste (see Reaching Out Is A Strength) and a companion to emic’s Lifeboat From Despair around the corner in Shiels Street.
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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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Paddy Duffy Collection 