What are the murals in Northern Ireland?
In working class unionist communities, murals are used to promote Ulster loyalist paramilitary groups such as the Ulster Defence Association and Ulster Volunteer Force and commemorate their deceased members.
Where are the murals in Belfast?
Visiting the Belfast Peace Wall for yourself It is quite easy to walk from the centre of Belfast to the main Peace Wall the separates from Shankhill Road and Falls Road communities. From here, you can do a loop around the wall and see the murals on each side, plus get a sense of the different areas.
Which groups were involved in the bombing in Northern Ireland?
The Omagh bombing, carried out by members of the Real Irish Republican Army (Real IRA, or New IRA), was the deadliest and most-damaging attack to have occurred during the three-decades-long civil conflict known as the Troubles in Northern Ireland.
Are loyalists Protestants?
History. The term loyalist was first used in Irish politics in the 1790s to refer to Protestants who opposed Catholic Emancipation and Irish independence from Great Britain.
What happened to the Shankill Butchers?
The Shankill Butchers were an Ulster loyalist gang—many of whom were members of the Ulster Volunteer Force (UVF)—that was active between 1975 and 1982 in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Murphy was murdered in November 1982 by the Provisional IRA, likely acting with loyalist paramilitaries who perceived him as a threat.
How many murals are there in Northern Ireland?
Click here to visit our photographic gallery of Northern Ireland’s murals. Murals are large works of art painted on fences, walls and sides of buildings. Northern Ireland has around 2,000 murals, most of which contain political themes or references to the Troubles.
When did wall art start in Northern Ireland?
Northern Ireland’s political wall art dates back to the early 20th century when it was used occasionally by Loyalists. The late 1970s and 1980s saw an explosion in muraling as a form of political expression. Some murals were created by artists commissioned by political or paramilitary groups, others by amateurs unknown to history.
Why are there murals on the International wall?
Murals on the International Wall, for example, express sympathy and solidarity with other nationalist movements, such as the Palestinian people. In recent times, the face of ‘conflict art’ in Northern Ireland has evolved and softened – evidence of healing communities and a firming peace process.
Who are the artists that painted the murals in Derry?
We’ve enjoyed murals in cities like Vancouver and Toronto, but they are purely artistic. The 12 Derry murals were done by local artists Tom Kelly, William Kelly and Kevin Hasson, and are really political statements.
