painted wall

Down The Woodstock

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“Down the Woodstock” and “Up the Cregagh”. The two roads run into each other, heading north-south between Albert Bridge and Lisnabreeny in east Belfast. The Woodstock Road shops are getting a number of new streetart pieces thanks to a consortium of local businesses, including the two shown here.

The racing trap is by Visual Waste (ig) ((with support from Decowell Restoration (web), Bethany Fruit (web) and Astrl Fibres (ig)) in Willowfield Gardens and the (painted) signage by unknown artists in Oberon Street.

There is already a large mural reading “Up The Cregagh” on the road.

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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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Ormeau Bridge At Night

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Ormeau bridge (Street View) is a stone arch bridge between the Ormeau and Stranmillis embankments of the Lagan river, designed by Charles Lanyon and opened in 1863.

This mural of the bridge is by London artist DanK (ig), commissioned by the Lower Ormeau Traders’ Association using a Vibrant Business Destinations grant from the Council, funded by the Department For Communities ‘Revitalisation’ programme (of these, only Vibrant Businesses (web) appears to have an on-line presence). The mural will be officially launched today (Saturday March 16th) as part of a Spring Festival between noon and three. (Belfast Media)

In University Street, south Belfast, looking away from the bridge.

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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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Looking Heaven In The Eye

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The launch event for the Painting For Palestine project (Fb) took place on March 3rd. A large paper Palestinian flag (with the cartoon character of resistance Handala (WP) on it) was used as a cover over the mural of three children – Irish, Palestinian, and South African – and unveiled by local children who had worked on the piece.

For the ten pieces linked by Alareer’s poem on a red ribbon, see Tell My Story.

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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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The Jingler

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Downshire Bridge over “The Cut” through the centre of Banbridge town (created in 1834; here is a NLI image from the 1900s), is locally known as “Jingler’s Bridge” on account of one or more of the sellers on the bridge jingling their coins (Geograph), perhaps among them this apple-seller, painted by Friz (ig) on the northern side of The Cut/Bridge Street.

Downshire Bridge is perhaps named for the 3rd (Arthur Hill) or 4th (Arthur Wills Hill) Marquess Of Downshire (Lord Belmont).

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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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Tell My Story

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For the launch of the murals painted in the Painting For Palestine project (Fb) a red ribbon with the words from Palestinian writer Refaat Alareer’s poem “If I Must Die” was added to the ten consecutive panels below the ‘republican museum’ panel.

If I must die, 
you must live 
to tell my story 
to sell my things 
to buy a piece of cloth 
and some strings, 
(make it white with a long tail) 
so that a child, somewhere in Gaza 
while looking heaven in the eye 
awaiting his dad who left in a blaze — 

and bade no one farewell 
not even to his flesh 
not even to himself — 
sees the kite, my kite you made, flying up above 
and thinks for a moment an angel is there 
bringing back love 
If I must die 
let it bring hope
let it be a tale

Alareer’s poem was also used on Free Derry Corner; see If I Must Die in the Seosamh Mac Coılle collection.

For images from the launch, see Looking Heaven In The Eye.

For the twelve pieces without the red ribbon, see The Land Is Ours – Khan Younis Mass Grave … Man Holding Child – A Window To A Free Country – Soldiers Standing Over Children – Three Children – Flying Children/Prisoners – Bethlehem Fireworks – Family Group – Soso And Omar Ashour – Phoenix – Cooking In Front Of A Tent.

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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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A Window To A Free Country

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A Palestinian boy sitting among rubble looks out through a window of bars to see doves flaying in front of a Palestinian flag.

Based on a original by artist Azhar Al Majed (ig).

On the International Wall, west Belfast, part of the Painting For Palestine project (Fb).

The image above is from February 25th. Other images are as dated below:

February 18th:

February 11th:

February 4th:

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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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The International Court Of Justice

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In December, South Africa lodged an emergency application (pdf) at the International Court Of Justice in The Hague, Netherlands, alleging that Israel had violated the 1948 convention on genocide (see also the WP page of human rights violations against Palestinians).

Two days of public hearings were held on January 11th and 12th and the ruling on the 26th directed Israel to take “all measures” to prevent any acts that could be considered genocidal, though it did not order a halt to Israel’s attack on Gaza (Al Jazeera | WP).

Sınn Féın moved in the Dáıl that Ireland join South Africa as a plaintiff in the full case, but the motion was defeated (Irish Times).

The image above shows, on the left, three children from Ireland, Palestine, and South Africa holding hands, and, on the right, dead Palestinian children flying to heaven over stripped and kneeling Palestinian prisoners. The flying children are based on an image by Taqdees Fatima (ig) and the kneeling prisoners on an image by Saïd Hassan (ig). The source for the three children is unknown.

The murals are on the International Wall, west Belfast, and part of the Painting For Palestine project (Fb).

February 18th:

February 11th:

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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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Broken Family

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This mural is based on an original by Ahmad Shaweesh (ig) which shows a group of people, perhaps a family, in distress. The piece, both original and reproduction, is deliberately left unfinished, presumably to represent the unfinished lives of the Gaza dead.

The mural is on the International Wall, west Belfast, part of the Painting For Palestine project (Fb). The next mural, to the right, is of Soso And Omar Ashour.

The image above is from February 25th. Other in-progress images are as dated below.

February 11th:

January 24th:

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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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