The industrial high-point of Belfast, according to this mural, would seem to be when people travelled on trams, cloth was woven by hand, and Titanic sat in dry dock. Only the Shorts-Bombardier aircraft confuses the nostalgia.
Connswater shopping centre, Bloomfield Avenue, east Belfast
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In a letter in 1859 to Dr Richard Madden, a fellow abolitionist (and historian of the United Irishmen), Mary Ann McCracken wrote, “America, considered the land of the great, the brave, may more properly be styled the land of the tyrant and the Slave.” (McNeill)
Also given an abolitionist bent are some lines from section 16 of Louis MacNeice’s Autumn Journal, describing Belfast as “A city built on mud; / A culture built upon profit; / Free speech nipped in the bud, / The minority always guilty. [Why should I want to go back / To you, Ireland, my Ireland? / The blots on the page are so black / They cannot be covered with shamrock. / I hate your grandiose airs / Your sob-stuff, your laugh and your swagger, / Your assumption that everyone cares / Who is the king of your castle. / Castles are out of date, / The tide flows round the children’s sandy-fancy; / Put up what flag you like, it’s too late / To save your soul with bunting.]
The illustrations are by Peter Strain (web) in Joy’s Entry and Wilson’s Court. See also by Strain Handsome, Easy-Going, And Utterly Untrustworthy and Trust Women.
On McCracken, see The World Affords No Enjoyment Equal To That Of Promoting The Happiness Of Others.
On abolitionism in Belfast, see Olaudah Equiano and If There Is No Struggle, There Is No Progress.
See also the Visual History page on The Belfast Entries.
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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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On the left: “Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam. #AchtAnoıs”. The quote (“a country with language [is] a country without a soul”) is widely attributed to Patrick Pearse. For the campaign to pass an Irish-language act, see An Lá Dearg.
On the right: “Enjoy Paddy Irish whiskey at Madden’s Bar, inspired by the man himself, Paddy Flaherty. Craıc agus ceol.”
Berry Street, Belfast city centre
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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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“At the heart of a changing Belfast.” The old Bank Street (looking towards St Mary’s, Chapel Lane) is recreated in a new mural outside Manny’s fish and chips, though with some liberties taken. (Here is the street in 1915 and in 1924.) Kelly’s Cellars, for example, should be off to the left, rather than hovering over St Mary’s Chapel Lane and below City Hall.
Landmarks such as the Titanic Centre, the H&W cranes, and An Chultúrlann can be seen in the wide shot.
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This skull is in Crown Entry, around the upstairs windows of the Paddy Power office. It is not clearly a part of the artistic renovation of the Belfast Entries (Visual History).
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These three pieces are along the front of Kelly’s Cellars in Bank Square in Belfast city centre. The Jameson piece is by Alana McDowell (ig).
There is a Connolly Trail plaque to the left of the Guinness painting; there is also a ‘blue plaque’ about the United Irishmen – see the Peter Moloney Collection.
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Here is the street art by JMK (Jonny McKerr) in Bank Square with quite a bit of graffiti. For the piece in better condition (in 2016) see the images in the Seosamh Mac Coille collection.
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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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Crossed arms are the symbol of the #BreakTheBias campaign, which is the theme of this year’s International Women’s day (IWD) and people all around the world are striking the pose on social media to show their support (e.g. tw) including this large mural in Belfast, which has been painted off Corporation Street.
By Visual Waste (web | ig), with support from Children In Crossfire (web).
Tomb Street, Belfast
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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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Dublin’s ADW (tw | web | Fb) came north for CNB/HTN17 and painted a mermaid rescued(?) by a deep-sea diver – with a mustache to match her tail. The meme goes back at least to this 1895 Punch cartoon.
Previously: Labelz Are For Jars | The Short Timers (2015 CNB) | Keep Her Lit (2016 CNB)
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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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The theme of the all-women jam at ArtCetera (formerly the Red Barn Gallery) (@artceterastudio43) was ‘the veil wears thin’, suggestive of liminal states and places that samhaın brings to mind (HMC). Kerrie Hanna’s (@kerriehanna) interpretation of the theme was to support the women (in Iran and elsewhere) who were cutting their hair as a form of protest at the death of Mahsa Amini while in the custordy of the “Guidance Patrol” or “Morality Police”, allegedly for wearing her hijab improperly (CNN | EuroNews | WP).
Also shown in today’s post are the works by Wee Nuls (web) – Free Period Items and one of her trademark “gremlins” inspired by being 28 weeks pregnant, Harriet Myfanwy (@myfanwynia) – a centaur, Arú Roncada (@arububu) – a representation of the five elements, Ariana Lupascu (@contemplatingthestars) – a pink car, HMC (web) – a ?dragon? on a ?bamboo stalk? and Zippy’s (web) I’ve Got My Eyes On You.
The ‘free period items’ piece – and the controversy surrounding its original location – was described previously in About Bloody Time.
See also: the Women’s Work jam for International Women’s Day 2023, in College Court: Women’s Work | We Built This.
Rosemary Street, Belfast. With support from @Outlines Art Supplies.
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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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Paddy Duffy Collection 