Bawnmore Through Time

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Here are six images showing the full expanse of the new mural at the entrance to Bawnmore. From left to right we see: a mill, a swan, a train (there used to be a station in Bawnmore), a guitarist, a farmer gathering hay, a hurler, Molly Seaton (who was captain of the Irish women’s soccer squad in a 1927 match played in Bond’s Field, in the Waterside – Derry Journal), Greencastle Rovers (Fb), Bawnmore Community, Wolfe Tone CLG (Fb), elephants from Belfast Zoo (a baby elephant called Shiela stayed in the Whitewell home of its keeper during the WWII Blitz – BelTel), El Barto (Bart Simpson), St Mary’s Star Of The Sea primary school (web), a hand-heart containing the rainbow colours, and superheroes Spiderman, Iron Man, and Wonder Woman. (NIHE)

The new mural is by Visual Waste (ig) and replaces Glen Molloy’s Game Of Thrones/CS Lewis mural from 2018. With funding from the Housing Executive and Clanmil Housing Association.

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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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Full Spectrum

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Here are five pieces of street art by Glen Molloy (ig) at Clarawood flats. The first three are new; the pair following is from earlier this year (Jan and Feb). The artist of the sixth piece is unknown. The seventh piece is by “The Spermer” (web) from 2020 and already in some disrepair – it was painted at the same time as Glen’s spitfire, shown last.

Demolition of the two blocks of flats was approved by the Housing Executive in May 2021 (Belfast Live) and by the Department Of Communities in September 2021 (Belfast Live). Demolition of Kilbroney is scheduled for the autumn and Clarawood (the tower block) for 2024 (Irish News).

(See also the Housing Executive’s ‘Action Plan’ for all tower blocks (pdf).)

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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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Shankill Drummer

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Tomorrow (August 30th, at 12:30) there will be a family fun-day and the launch of a new mural of a colourful drummer boy. The mural is on Peter’s Hill; it takes the place of the “Original Belfast” murals (2009 and 2020) and before that a UDA emblem (M02480).

Painted by Glen Molloy (ig) with support from SAFE Shankill (see Woodvale OK), Alternatives (web), Executive Office, Communities In Transition.

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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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Ruaırí Óg CLG

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This is the second version of the Ruaırí Óg (web) (and Clann Lır) mural in the middle of Cushendall – the original dates back to 2006, which was the 100th anniversary of the club’s founding (“bunaıthe”) (see M02832). The hurlers and Curfew tower remain; the “Big Ears” (Volunteer) trophy is gone and in its place are three traditional musicians. The Clann Lır has been painted to include the harper seen in Jim Fitzpatrick’s painting of the Lear myth. A Celtic warrior has appeared on the bridge over the Dall.

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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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Everything Is Going To Be All Right

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This is Ciaran Gallagher’s (ig) take on McBride’s pub in Cushendun. Around the outside are a verse from Moira O’Neill’s ‘To W.C.S.’ in More Songs Of The Glens Of Antrim (pdf at Google Books): “I dreamt of gentle Ireland beneath the northern light/The waves that broke on Ireland were callin’ me at night/Till back across the salt sea, back against the sun/I took the way the birds know, and woke in Cushendun.”

For the exterior of the pub, surrounded by famous individuals, see Kathryn Bannister’s painting from the Dark Horse pub, Belfast.

Below the painting (and shown below) is Derek Mahon’s poem ‘Everything Is Going To Be All Right’: “How should I not be glad to contemplate/The clouds clearing beyond the dormer window/And a high tide reflected on the ceiling?/There will be dying, there will be dying/But there is no need to go into that./The poems flow from the hand unbidden/And the hidden source is the watchful heart/The sun rises in spite of everything/And the far cities are beautiful and bright/I lie here in a riot of sunlight/Watching the day break and the clouds flying/Everything is going to be all right.”

Main Street, Cushendun

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Laochra Gael

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The two laochra featured in the first panel (above) are Danny McNaughton and John Darragh, while GAA hall-of-famer Terence “Sambo” McNaughton is featured in the final panel (BBC | GAA). Also included are Finn MacCool (on Giant’s Causeway), Setanta/Cú Chulaınn, and Queen Meadhbh – the latter two are in the style of Jim Fitzpatrick – the first is based on Fitzpatrick’s Hurling Match and the second takes Leyendecker’s painting of Maeve (WP) and renders it in Fitzpatrick’s style, complete with club-coloured drapes.  

Coast Road, Cushendall at the grounds of Ruaırí Óg CLG (web).

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Mol an óıge agus tıocfaıdh sí. Tír gan teanga, tír gan anam. Ní neart go cur le chéıle.