painted wall

Ward Park

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Ward Park was acquired by the Bangor “Urban District Council” circa 1910 (Spectator | Bangor Historical Society) and now includes various greens for bowling, tennis, and cricket, as well as a playground for children. A series of ponds runs through the park, home to ducks and other wildlife. (For detailed maps of the park, see Bangor By The Sea’s plans of the current on-going renovations.)

This new art is by Danni Simpson (web) and Karl Fenz (web) for Ards & North Down borough council (web).

There is also a duck on an electrical box, painted by Sharon Regan (ig), and an info board about the 50-person WWII air-raid shelter that still stands in the park.

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Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
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Bring Nature Back

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“The Ark Of Extinction.com – Barn Owl – artist Marc Craig – Thanks to the Bog Meadows Community [Fb] and Ulster Wildlife [web], March 2025 – Bring nature back”.

This giant barn owl at the top (Falls-Road side) of the Bog Meadows is one of several pieces being painted by Craig in various UK locations to highlight local species that are endangered. The other piece, so far, is of a red squirrel in Cornwall. In the case of Belfast and Northern Ireland, only 30 pairs of barn owls remain, at most (Ulster Wildlife).

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Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
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Cuımhnímıs!

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“Honour Ireland’s dead – wear an Easter lily”. This year (2025) is the ninetieth anniversary of the founding of Cumann Uaıgheann Na Laocradh Gaedheal, Béal Feırste (the National Graves Association, Belfast (Fb)) which maintains the graves of about 149 republicans in Milltown Cemetery (Belfast Media).

The graves under its care are marked with a red hand – for an example, see the grave of Joseph (Joe) Malone in Far Dearer The Grave Or The Prison.

This new mural, which features a Celtic Cross (emblem of the Association) and Cú Chulaınn (symbol of republican dead), is part (along with Free Palestine) of the side-wall next to Éırí Amach Na Casca. Easter Monday, this year, is April 21st.

See also: the Visual History page on Cú Chulaınn.

Beechmount Avenue, west Belfast

March 23rd:

March 18th:

March 16th:

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Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
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An Camchéachta

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In Irish, the seven bright stars of the celestial group Ursa Major are together known as “an céachta” or “an camchéachta” – the bent plough, though the reason for the modification “bent” is unclear (Vıcıpéıd). (In other cultures they are thought of as a wagon/wain, or dipper, or the hind-quarters and tail of a bear.)

The “starry plough” flag was originally proposed in 1914 for the Irish Citizen Army and flown over the Imperial Hotel during the 1916 Rising (WP); it is now the symbol of the INLA/IRSP (web) and many current anti-Agreement groups,

The starry plough shown here, in Cliftonpark Avenue, north Belfast, has the correct number of stars – seven – but has lost its typical shape.

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Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
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A Box Of Crayons

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Here is a selection of east Belfast electrical boxes painted with street art.

Above: Face – emic (web) – Templemore Avenue

Below:

Beanie – ? – Portallo Street

Crayons – FGB (web) – Ladas Drive

Wasp – ?NRMN? – Castlereagh Street

Bee – NRMN (ig) – Castlereagh Street

Frog – ? – Mount Merrion Avenue

Be Glad – ? – Mount Merrion Avenue

Mole – ? – Mount Merrion Avenue

In Flight – Imogen Donegan (ig) – Albertbridge Road

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Copyright © 2023/2024/2025 Paddy Duffy
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Free Palestine

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These electrical boxes are at the entrance to the Glencolin estate in west Belfast. The one above previously had an RSF stencil on it – see Restoration Of The Monarchy – but now bears an image of a Palestinian child in the ruins of Gaza flying a kite. (For the symbolism, see Tell My Story and My Kite You Made.

The arabic (“فلسطين”) reads “Palestine”.

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