Political murals in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland probably contains the most widely known political murals. Nearly 2000 of them have been recorded there since the 1970s. These murals are expressions of the political and religious divisions that do, and have existed in the region, often depicting a particular political view, or marking a specific event in Northern Irelands history. This is a brief look at the murals of Northern Ireland, and their significance.
There are, broadly speaking, two kinds of murals in Northern Ireland. There are those that promote one side of the dispute, either depicting pro republican, or pro loyalist sentiment, or celebrating specific paramilitary groups like the Provisional Irish Republican Army, or the Ulster Freedom Fighters. The other kinds of murals are those commemorating those that have lost their lives in attacks from these paramilitary groups, and those lost in attacks from the military.
Perhaps the most famous mural in Northern Ireland is the Free Derry Corner. In 1969 the words "You Are Now Entering Free Derry" were painted, following the Battle of the Bogside. There is some controversy as to whether this is, in fact, a mural, as it does not contain any images, only words. This "mural" has been used as the model for many other like it, such as the "You Are Now Entering Loyalist Sandy Row" mural in Belfast, which is a response to the original.
Not all of the murals in Northern Ireland have a political message. Indeed, some of them do not even concern Ireland, such as those focusing on neutral subjects like litter picking; and there's one based around the C. S. Lewis novel Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. Schools and youth projects have recently put on projects, contributing the increasing popularity of murals depicting positive messages, like peace and tolerance.
There are also those community work projects that seek to decommission the really hard line political murals, throughout Northern Ireland. The region has enjoyed a troubling and long history, and the murals that feature in it are a vivid reflection of that fact.
There are, broadly speaking, two kinds of murals in Northern Ireland. There are those that promote one side of the dispute, either depicting pro republican, or pro loyalist sentiment, or celebrating specific paramilitary groups like the Provisional Irish Republican Army, or the Ulster Freedom Fighters. The other kinds of murals are those commemorating those that have lost their lives in attacks from these paramilitary groups, and those lost in attacks from the military.
Perhaps the most famous mural in Northern Ireland is the Free Derry Corner. In 1969 the words "You Are Now Entering Free Derry" were painted, following the Battle of the Bogside. There is some controversy as to whether this is, in fact, a mural, as it does not contain any images, only words. This "mural" has been used as the model for many other like it, such as the "You Are Now Entering Loyalist Sandy Row" mural in Belfast, which is a response to the original.
Not all of the murals in Northern Ireland have a political message. Indeed, some of them do not even concern Ireland, such as those focusing on neutral subjects like litter picking; and there's one based around the C. S. Lewis novel Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. Schools and youth projects have recently put on projects, contributing the increasing popularity of murals depicting positive messages, like peace and tolerance.
There are also those community work projects that seek to decommission the really hard line political murals, throughout Northern Ireland. The region has enjoyed a troubling and long history, and the murals that feature in it are a vivid reflection of that fact.