Here is a gallery of the new street art from Kent street above Union Street and on the north side of Kent Street below Union Street, painted for 2024’s Hit The North festival. For the south side of Kent Street, see Happy Accidents.
“upper” Kent Street: Odisy (ig) & Vibes (ig) Kitsune (ig) Rob Hilken (ig) unknown writer Artista (ig)
Here is a gallery of street art and writing/graffiti art from Union Street (above Kent Street) and Library Street, in Belfast city centre, painted for Hit The North 2024.
Here are images of signage in the courtyard of the Dark Horse (web) in tribute to Derry band The Undertones, whose 1978 single ‘Teenage Kicks’ begins with the line “Teenage dreams, so hard to beat …” . The sign uses the same font as the original writing by TDS under the Bridge End flyover that was put up when John Peel died, in 2004, (see J2426), and restored in 2015 (see Teenage Dreams Never Die). The signatures, from left to right, are of band members Dee O’Neill, Michael Bradley, Billy Doherty, John O’Neill, F[eargal] Sharkey.
The wide shot shows ‘Teenage dreams’ at the very top of the wall, above the cycle telling the story of the Conservative Party leadership contests involving Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak (see Ship Of Fools) (plus Nigel Farage presiding over Sweet Rockall), and on the bottom level, the open windows of Belfast Stripped Bare (the Undertones are referenced in the Snow Patrol panel, third from the right in the top row – see Teenage Dreams for a close-up) plus, on the right, six of the panels from the series The Friend At Hand. All of the painted pieces are by Ciaran Gallagher
“Since 1947, Creggan is my home.” The murals of local sporting heroes on the Creggan shops/Sıopaí An Chreagáın have been replaced by a series of flowers and some local musical heroes: above, ‘Teenage dreams so hard to beat’ is the opening line of the Undertones’ ‘Teenage Kicks’ (also seen in Belfast); below is the title of Dana’s Eurovision-winning song: ‘All Kinds Of Everything’ (youtube).
The murals were created by Peaball (ig) and children from Holy Child PS (across the street) during the 2023 Derry Féıle project ‘Graffiti On The Wall’, which also produced Friz’s Derry Dryad and emic’s Younger Days (see Summer’s Blood) (Derry Journal).
Here are matching “KAH” (Kill all Huns/Protestants) and “KAT” (Kill all Taigs/Catholics) graffiti from Broadway roundabout – the interface between Iveagh and the Village – that have been plastered over with paper hearts.
The paint-bombed version of the sign for Cregagh Street Gospel Hall remained in that state for over a decade, so long a time that this is how it is recognised by many and how it is reproduced in a postcard available in Born & Bred (web) in Ann St.
The image above (and of the shop display) are from October 2023; the image of the old sign is from January 2022. It was repainted in the summer of 2022.
The hall itself was constructed in 1938, on the site of a school, and Sunday service is still held (Precious Seed).
In Japanese mythology, cranes are symbols of longevity because they are reputed to live for a thousand years (KZN). These cranes, however, were painted on September 24th by HM Constance (ig) and Zippy (ig) at the junction of Donegall Pass and Botanic Ave for the Open Botanic festival, and they were still in place on October 1st when the first two photos shown here were taken, but by October 4th the front fencing (on the Botanic Avenue side) had been painted over, taking out the crane on the right.
According to this BelTel article, the fence below the billboard is property of the ad company (JC Decaux) and not the landlord (who had given permission for the art), and so Decaux painted it over, as a neutral surround is part of the ad presentation. As can be seen from the fourth image, below, the painting-over included some of the side fencing, though this was done fairly carefully – it removed the head and wing of the wrap-around crane without touching the other crane.
Artist HMC expressed her disappointment, though noted that “street art is never permanent, it’s meant to be painted over by future artists or graff writers” (ig). Adam Turkington, director of Seedhead Arts, likewise decried the obliteration to the Telegraph, saying, “Who controls the aesthetic of our city? … Are we not allowed to have some beautiful art that’s not trying to sell us things?”
The graffiti was added on the 5th or 6th and was still visible yesterday (8th): “Street art is 4 the people – support your local artists!” We would expect Decaux to paint out the graffiti, in keeping with their policy. And perhaps HMC will restore the red sun and artist’s signature to the side panel. If either happens, this page will be updated.
See previously: the crane as a symbol of peace on the Cupar Way “peace” line: Tsuru.
Feıs Na nGleann is an annual festival of Irish language, arts, and crafts, begun in Glenariffe in 1904. The website has not been updated since 2019, presumably due to COVID putting a stop to activity.
The “F” makes reference to the local “Irish (Peasant) Home Industries“, while the “E” shows the harebell (bluebell) in flower. The “I” might be St Brigid as an oak or a reference to Princess Taisie/Taobhgheal of Rathlin.
These are the new pieces for Hit The North 2023 in Kent Street above Union Street, by Rocket1 from Sheffield (ig), DMC (Dermot McConaghy), and ADW (ig) from Dublin, saluting the “Brothers + sisters of the brush”. The TMN writing might pre-date HTN23.
Paddy Duffy Collection 