community

Things Can Only Get Better

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Peter Cunnah was the singer in D:Ream, which had a number-one hit in 1994 with “Things Can Only Get Better” (youtube). Cunnah was born in Belfast but adopted by parents in Derry (BBC).

This new mural was painted (by Karl Porter of UV Arts (web)) at the junction of Northland and Clarendon streets (in the Clarendon Conservation Area (pdf)), next to Cunnah’s home at 46 Clarendon Street, where he formed his first band, Tie The Boy (Derry Journal).

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Copyright © 2026 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
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People Make Sandy Row

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“People make Sandy Row” – community artwork in Sandy Row, possibly by ArtFill, who produced an earlier piece (with Codo). (See also: Life Is Tough.)

For tensions between the people living in Sandy Row, see Stop The Boats.

Maxwell Street, Sandy Row, south Belfast. For a close-up, see the Paddy Duffy Collection.

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Copyright © 2026 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Shankill Community Festival

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“Celebrating our heritage, inspiring tomorrow.” This year’s Greater Shankill Community Festival began on June 30th with the launch of Ulster’s American Connection and will end with a Siege Of Derry re-enactment on July 11th – the full programme can be found on Fb. One event included in the festival is the “Long Kesh Inside Out” exhibition in the Shankill ACT, which opened on June 1st.

Shankill Road at Iceland, replacing the Stewart’s Yard sign.

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East Belfast Blitz Memorial

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The German Luftwaffe blitzed Belfast on four occasions in April and May of 1941, targeting especially the industrial yards of east Belfast, including H&W shipbuilding and Short Brothers. Nearby streets were hit in the attacks (see Belfast Blitz), and some suffered very heavy damage, including Thistle, Tower, and Westbourne streets. This new memorial (City Council planning application) is in the grounds of Westbourne Presbyterian church, which was built in 1877 (Stone Database), was hit during the war, but survived.

See also: Desano’s.

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Copyright © 2026 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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When All That Was Solid Melted Into Air

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At its peak, the Harland & Wolff shipyard employed 35,000 people (IndustriAll) and the flat-capped worker became a symbol of east Belfast, along – much later – with Samson and Goliath, the two gantry cranes at the shipyard that were raised in 1974 and 1969 (WP) and which have become the symbol of Belfast.

The title of this entry is the first line of Martin Mooney’s poem ‘Launching The Whaler Juan Peron‘.

The silhouetted workers and cranes are on a mobile office in Fraser Pass, Newtownards Road, Belfast, at the end of the Pitt Stop next to the Belfast Bikes racks.

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Copyright © 2026 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Andersonstown Apache

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Anto “The Apache” Cacace was pictured with two belts – IBF and IBO – in the 2024 mural celebrating his accomplishments. Since then, he has given up the IBF title, defended the IBO title – see The Ringmaster – and added the WBA title by defeating Jazza Dickens in March, 2026.

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Gormley

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Cliftonville striker Joe Gormley has been honoured with a new mural in his native Ardoyne. He is Cliftonville’s all-time leading goal-scorer, with more than 300 goals. He has recently signed for the forthcoming (2026-2027) season, which he says will be his last (BBC).

Velsheda Court, Ardoyne/Glenard, north Belfast. There was previously a board to Joe The Goal in Berwick Road.

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Forever 11

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These are images of a tribute wall to eleven year-old Mason Keilhauer, who died after being struck by a car on the evening of March 7th (BBC | News Letter). In addition to the large piece of graffiti, photographs and several Rangers shirts have also been pinned to the construction hoarding, which also bears the signatures of many friends and neighbours.

Shankill Road, west Belfast, near the spot where the collision occurred, between Dover and North Boundary streets.

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