Murals and Peace Wall

An article written by Adèle C. and Yasmine M.

Welcome to Belfast Murals!

If the walls of the cities could talk, they would tell us many stories...

Well, this is what happens in Belfast, where thousands of tourists come to visit the murals scattered around the city to learn about the history and culture of Belfast and Northern Ireland.

• The Falls' International Peace Wall

These are all part of the International Wall at the bottom of the Falls Road.

This wall is one of the first entry points into West Belfast.

The Falls' International Peace Wall is another big tourist draw where large works of art depict George W. Bush's Iraqi War, the Arab-Israeli Conflict, Spanish Civil War and other global campaigns, past and present. These are just a few samples of the wall.

• History of the Walls of Belfast

Frescoes to Commemorate the Northern Ireland History …

He first mural painting appears in Ulster (Northern Ireland) in 1908, more exactly in Belfast on Beersbridge. It represents the victory of Guillaume III of England against Jacques II during the battle of Boyne. Guillaume III appears on a white horse, he seems proud and victorious. This wall was painted by members of the Order Orangiste (Protestants), who wished to humble and to remind to the Catholics their defeat during the Battle of Boyne.

Very fast, the Catholics also answer by interposed paint, and paint on their houses of frescoes marking their fight against the Protestants …

The Disorders in Ulster (Northern Ireland) cause an Increase of Frescoes in Belfast…

It is in 1960, that the Ulster (Northern Ireland) knows a period called chastely " The Disorders ". This period really indicates more than 30 years of violence in Ulster (Northern Ireland), causing the death of more than 3000 civilians, men, women and children. The escalation of violence allows the murals to become more radical. We see there paints of the IRA (Catholics), or of the UVF (Ulster Volunteer Force) (Protestants). Paints advocate the war in the name of the future implementation of a lasting peace … Armed men, battles, or simply the cultural symbols of every camps are represented.

Walls the North-Irishmen become an Art which is exported …

The 1990’s marks the tercentenary of the Battle of Boyne as well as the multiplication of frescoes in Belfast. Even if some do not exist any more or others underwent damage, we consider that approximately 1400 frescoes were realized since 1996 between the cities of Belfast and Derry.

Very fast, these walls become world-famous, and the Northern Ireland pictorial art begins to be exported. We observe similar walls to the United States, or in Europe … Since then, numerous associations and collectives get organized to watch the protection of its frescoes. Some are restored, whereas other virgin walls cover themselves with other paints appropriate to the History of the city.