Time Makes More Converts Than Reason

“Common Sense: “There is no section of this divided Ulster community which is totally innocent or indeed totally guilty, totally right or totally wrong. We all share the responsibility for creating the situation, either by deed or by acquiescence. Therefore we must share the responsibility for finding a settlement and then share the responsibility of maintaining good government.” – John McMichael”

John McMichael, the South Belfast UDA/UFF commander, was killed by an IRA car bomb in 1987. In addition to organising a team of assassins in the 70s and 80s, he founded a Political Research Group and wrote two documents proposing an independent Northern Ireland. The words above come from the end of the introduction to the second of these, Common Sense (available at CAIN).

Lemberg Street, south Belfast, replacing a previous mural to McMichael.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07964 T07965 T07963

John Hanna

“In loving memory of volunteer John Hanna, murdered by the enemies of Ulster 10th September 1991. Always remembered by the officers and volunteers South Belfast Ulster Volunteer Force. Lest we forget.”

UVF volunteer John Hanna was 19 years old when he was killed by the IRA as he tried to escape over his back-garden wall at his home on Donegall Road in the Village (UPI).

The small board to the left reads, “Volunteer John Hanna, 30th anniversary. Always remembered by the officers and volunteers South Belfast UVF. Sandy Row C Company.” On the side-wall, the poppies and the downcast soldiers come from the first World War but the names are all of modern UVF and RHC volunteers, from 1976 to the present day.

Prince Andrew Park, just off Donegall Road, south Belfast, replacing the printed board seen in He Died That We Might Live.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07967 T07968 T07969 T07970 [T07966]

On The Shoulders Of Giants

Matt Talbot Youth Centre (Fb) provides activities and services for young people from New Barnsley and Moyard, including an afternoon club, trips during the summer months, and Halloween and Christmas parties.

The two murals are face-to-face in New Barnsley Gardens. Also included are some painted utility boxes in the area, including a hurler/camogie-player from Michael Davitt’s GAC (web).

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07886 T07885 T07883 T07884
T07882 T07881 T07887 T07888
T08169 [T08168]

Urban Wildlife

Here are a kingfisher, heron, badger, owl, squirrel, fox, and hedgehog by Glen Molloy (ig) in Knockwood Park, Clarawood, east Belfast. The closest place one might be able to see any of these creatures – particularly herons – is in the Marsh-Wiggle pond, along the Connswater (East Side Greenways).

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07856 T07848 T07849 T07850 T07851 T07852 T07853 T07855 T07854
T07905

Bingham Lane Festival

Here are the results of a paint-jam at Seacourt Prints (web) in Bangor at the end of September. The “peace” above is by Rob Hilken (web); the artists for the other pieces are noted beneath the individual photos.

Féoıl (ig)

emic (web)

Pogo Stencils (ig)

KVLR (web)

FGB (web)

Wee Nuls (web)

HMC (web)

Keyto (ig)

Katriona Designs (web)

NRMN (ig)

Codo (ig)

?

? (“felix” and “notes”)

Cha Cha (ig)

Rob Hilken (web)

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
[T07826] T07827 T07828 T07829 T07830 T07831 T07832 T07833 T07834 T07835 T07836 T07837 T07838 T07839 T07840 T07841 T07842 T07843 T07844 [T07845] T07846

Fáılte Go Camloch

This mural is on the pump-house at the junction of Sturgan Brae and Newtown Rd, west of Camlough town and at the northern end of the “cam loch” [crooked lake]. The lake and the junction are visible in the centre-left, with the village itself just below the “h”. The map is between (to the left) the Celtic cross in the republican plot in St Malachy’s and a turn-of-the-century (1900) village water-pump (NBHS) and (to the right) the ruins of St Jude’s church (Christ Church).

The referent of “established 1610” is not clear. “ChS” in the lower right is perhaps “Camlough Heritage Society” (BBC).

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07817

Mythical Andersonstown

Here are five mythological figures placed against a backdrop of Celtic Ireland, including standing stones, a dolmen, a stone circle, and the Janus figure on Boa Island (WP), from the wall of the PD/Cumann Sóısıalta Bhaıle Andarsan.

At least four of the five are copies of Jim Fitzpatrick paintings. From top to bottom (right to left on the wall) we see the figures from Breas ⁊ Cú Brea (which was long ago a mural in Derry), Medb Of Connacht, Nuada Journeys To The Underworld (seen in Nuada, Nuada Reborn, and elsewhere), a warrior-woman with spear (get in touch if you know the source), and The Coming Of Lugh (previously a mural in Ardoyne).

See also the Visual History page on The Influence Of Jim Fitzpatrick.

South Link, Andersonstown, west Belfast

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07775 T07776 T07777 T07778 T07779 T07780 T07781 T07782