Flax flowers on the side of by Dutch street artists Studio Giftig (ig) in James’ Street South. Various linen and handkerchief manufacturers have occupied the building during its history.
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Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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How’s about ye?! FGB (ig), Leo Boyd (ig), and KVLR (ig) added three pieces at the end of April to what is now the “Belfast Stories” construction hoarding. FGB’s piece, shown above, was inspired by the fact that the northern branch of North Street was called “Goose Lane” (tw) at the time of (Chichester’s) Belfast Castle, as herders headed through the north gate (see the map at Lennon Wylie). There is a “Goose Lane” plaque on just the other side of Royal Avenue; it is included below.
Dog by Verz (ig)
Fried Eggs by Rob Hilken (ig)
“One of the earliest streets in the city, North Street was known as Goose Lane, along which geese were driven to feed on the fields outside the town. That 17th century street consisted of single-storey houses and the old city wall bisected it at what is now Royal Avenue – Belfast City Council.”
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Copyright © 2023/2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The Seal Folk or Selkies are shape-shifting creatures in island mythologies from Man to Ireland to the Scottish isles to the Faroes to Iceland. Seals in water, they can take off their skins and become (beautiful) humans on land. Without their skins, they cannot return, and so they can be captured by humans who hide their skins. A few tales can be found at Scotland’s Stories.
By KMG (ig) in Dublin Road.
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Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Work from TMN members in McKibben’s Court: AKEN, ANCO, and MASH below.
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Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Derry is well-known as “doire”, an oak grove, and the oak leaf and acorn are used as symbols by many civic and county organisations. Friz’s (ig) piece for Derry Féile combines Derry’s oaky background with the dryads (tree spirits) of Greek mythology.
Central Drive, Creggan, Derry.
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Copyright © 2023 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
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Ireland’s most famous export is not its music – including Fontaines D.C. (web) – or its stout – including Guinness – but its people, about 10 million of them since 1800 (WP). The youngster in this new mural by Dublin artist ACHES (ig) is torn in different directions.
Queen’s Quay, Derry.
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Copyright © 2023 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
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This climbing vine joins Blue Tit, Half Human, Not Today, Satan. Not Today, and the much older (2009) Loyalist Or Racist at the Spectrum Centre on the Shankill.
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Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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“Wherever life plants you, bloom with grace.” When the Shankill Women’s Centre was first formed, in 1987, it was located in The Hummingbird on the lower Shankill (SWC). (When the Wellbeing Centre was built on that site, the Women’s Centre moved further up the Shankill to its current location in the Hammer.) A hummingbird features in one of the paintings on the hoarding around the construction site of a new “Shankill Shared Women’s Centre” on Lanark Way, a 6.5 million euro project funded by PEACE IV (Belfast CC).
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Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The Vault artists have cleared out of the old Met building in Tower Street and have been preparing their two new digs, in the Shankill Mission (Vault ig | FGB ig) and Marlbourough House in Victoria Street. The vestiges of their time in east Belfast linger on.
For the final image in better days, see Do You Own A Giant Building?
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Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 