Wall & Pavement Art of the Post 1960's Northern Ireland Toubles

[leigh kitchen]

Very much a part of the Northern Ireland scene still, not just slogans daubed on walls but artwork of varying standards indicating the loyalties of the local population.

Again, please, we steer clear of political comment or dispute, we know what these murals represent, we don't have to agree with the sentiments expressed, they're posted for interest & not to provoke upset or offence.

An iconic photo from 1969, this appears within & on the front cover of "The Battle of the Bogside" by press photographer Clive Limpkin, published by Penguin in 1972.

Edited October 8, 2008 by leigh kitchen

[leigh kitchen]

A mural inspired by the above photo, painted by"the Bogside Artists" (Tom Kelly, Kevin Hasson & William Kelly), one of 12 currently displayed in the area of "Free Derry Corner", Bogside, Derry / Londonderry, painted between 1994 - 2006, & comprising "the People's Gallery".

Originally painted in 1994, the 3-storey maisonette on which it's painted had since been renovated by the housing executive but the mural preserved.

This photo appears on the Bogside Artist's website:

Edited October 8, 2008 by leigh kitchen

[leigh kitchen]

From Limpkins book, wall art from an earlier time - circa 1972:

[Ulsterman]

A random walk through Loyalist Belfast- @mid 1980s.

Edited October 8, 2008 by Ulsterman

[Ulsterman]

another ...the infamous "peace wall"....between the two sides...

[Ulsterman]

a UVF neighborhood/ battalion mural...

Edited October 8, 2008 by Ulsterman

[Ulsterman]

a UDA mural, I think from off the Shankhill area

[Ulsterman]

another one , a UDA neighborhood. I dated a girl from here once.

Edited October 8, 2008 by Ulsterman

[Ulsterman]

King Billy crossing the Boyne water in 1690:a common theme.

Edited October 8, 2008 by Ulsterman

[Ulsterman]

another, more sanguine:

[Ulsterman]

another mural commemorating the shutting of the gates of Londonderry by the protestant Apprentice boys before the Jacobite army:

[Ulsterman]

another one in the small 'village' area. Lots of bad things happened here in 1969/70.

Edited October 8, 2008 by Ulsterman

[Ulsterman]

a famous one.

[Ulsterman]

The RUC were not popular with the lads on Charlotte street, some trenchant graffiti:

[Ulsterman]

a memorial neighborhood 'park' where once a house had stood. Burnt down in 1969 by rampaging mobs.

[Ulsterman]

A typical neighborhood scene. the garage behind the tip on the left was a chop shop run by the UDA.

FTP= "Fxxk the Pope.", a quote from the 36th Ulster Division soldiers as they went over the top on July 1, 1916 on the4 first day of the Somme.

Edited October 8, 2008 by Ulsterman

[Ulsterman]

a neighborhood burnt out in 1969/70 and bricked up, "borderlands". Unlivable still almost 15 years later.

[Ulsterman]

Next up, the Catholic/Republican areas. On the left is the tricolor in the distance. The wall ahead says, "welcome to Provoland" ("Provo"= member of the Provisional I.R.A., or "PIRA" as we used to say).

[leigh kitchen]

The hurried slap-dash daubings of the early days gave way to the more ornate & showy type of mural during the 70's & 80's, I was quite surprised when I saw the 1990's artwork in the style of post no. 2. Impressive & colourful works but with a serious meaning.

[Ulsterman]

The "west" part of the "PIRA wall", most of the murals date from the Hunger Strikes of 1980-81.

[Ulsterman]

another section:

[Ulsterman]

more:

[Ulsterman]

note the spray paint on the mural, done by a squaddie.

Some of the lads used to carry spray cans with them-others filled balloons with paint and flung them from the Pigs whilst moving.

[Ulsterman]

a very ghoulish piece of agitprop:

[Ulsterman]

A very famous mural on "RPG Avenue":

Edited October 9, 2008 by Ulsterman