“The Spirits Of The Two Fountains” from Wee Nuls (web | ig), on one of the shutters below the Norwich Union building in the Fountain area of Belfast, based on the idea that there were two fountains in the street (Belfast Entries says there were three).
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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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The most famous redshanks in Ireland are the Scottish soldiers of James II who marched on Derry, only to be rebuffed with cries of “No surrender” (December 7th, 1688). The soldier is perhaps (though there is no certainty) named after wading bird; the bird is known for its long red legs (Birdwatch Ireland), while the soldier went into battle bare-legged (Scotsman). The second image shows a shrimp and other items among the redshanks’ prey.
By Birmingham artist Annatomix (tw | web | Fb) in Cole’s Alley for the Belfast Entries Project (Visual History page).
Previously by Annatomix: Golden Hare | Red Squirrel
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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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X12676 courtesy of Extramural Activity
A “walking poem” in Exchange Place by Graffic Belfast (ig): “I’ll say, you were here once, & will be here again. I’ll say hello, hello, hello, hello, hello.” The verse seems to be original to the piece.
“Cathedral Quarter / Smithfield & Union”
See the Visual History page for the Belfast Entries.
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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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Work by Irony (ig) in Warehouse Lane, Belfast city centre.
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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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“Where is our Alternative Ulster? – download paused.” Alternative Ulster was a fanzine (Fb | Musical Revolutions) and later a magazine (Issuu) and radio show covering the Belfast music and arts scene until March 2012; the name was then used for the Stiff Little Fingers’ song (youtube) in 1978.
By Verz (Fb) and Belfast One (web) in Fountain Street, Belfast.
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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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Belfast’s first maternity hospital – the Humane Female Society For The Relief Of Lying-In Women – was in Donegall Street, perhaps in the building that sat over the Exchange Place entry, from 1794 to 1830, when it moved to Clifton Street (Mcafee). It was run entirely by women (info board in I Was Sick And Ye Visited Me).
The illustration is by Peter Strain (web) in Exchange Place.
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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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The Malojian (Fb) mural (shown below) on the Oh Yeah Centre was the idea of Lyndon Stephens, founder of Quiet Arch records, and when he died in January 2020 after a long illness (Hotpress), Stevie Scullion returned the favour by organising the painting of a mural by Jonny McKerr (JMK) & Dermot McConaghy (DMC) the following November (Dig With It).
Gordon Street, Belfast city centre
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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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“”As you lived you must die/An’ your last gasp or cry/Will be heard very likely by none/Not one/You unfortunate devil, Maglone.” – Barney Maglone Robert A. Wilson.”
Wilson was a Donegal man who, after some time in America, worked for newspapers in Enniskillen and Belfast. He was most famous under the pen-name “Barney Maglone” as the author of ‘To My Cousin In Amerikay’ and ‘Barney Maglone’s Notions Of Things’ (DIB).
The poem from which these lines come can be found in the [Belfast] Morning News obituary reprinted in the Portland Guardian And Normanby Advertiser (Victoria, Australia) for November 2nd, 1875 (though it gives “misfortunate divil” in the final line).
The paste-up is by Peter Strain (web) in Wilson’s Court, one of the Belfast Entries. Other pieces by Strain in the entries can be seen in Handsome, Easy-Going, And Utterly Untrustworthy | The Blots On The Page Are So Black | Trust Women.
The piece below, in Joy’s Entry, shows a sign for “R. A. Wilson’s philosophical instruments labyrinthine sale!” It is probably by Leo Boyd – see The Farset Voice.
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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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Here is the CNB15 piece by MELS2 (Fb), showing four bloody hands, with blood red nails, belonging to a blonde-haired, black-lipped woman looking askance at the viewer. The inspiration for the work is Dublin photographer Monika Lejman/Mona Leymann.
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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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The Universal Declaration Of Human Rights was declared 70 years ago, on December 10th, 1948. emic (web) and the Northern Ireland Human Rights Council teamed up to mark the occasion with this CNBX/HTN18 piece of street art.
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Paddy Duffy Collection 