Davd J McMillan (ig) returned to Belfast from Bristol for HTN2023, which this year used the interior walls of the wasteground opposite the Sunflower. The writing appears to read “Ce nas pas une pint” but based on the pipe in the other hand, presumably should be “Ceci n’est pas une pint” in homage to Magritte’s famous non-pipe “Treachery Of Images” (or perhaps, based on the sketch, “Je n’ai pas une pint”).
Also included are various pieces of graffiti art, including a tiger-cat by PENS (ig) and a red-nosed boy by KVLR (ig).
Enniskillen singer John Garrity (ig | Fb) is a familiar face in Belfast city centre, often seen busking in Castle Place and Cornmarket. He drew criticism in September 2021 for singing the ballad ‘Grace’ – about the hours-long bride of James Plunkett, executed after the 1916 Rising – while an Orange Order parade passed by. Garrity claims he was already singing the song when the parade happened to come by (Belfast Live). (Here is a rendition from another occasion – youtube.) He then gained a persistent heckler (Irish News). Now he is the subject of a mural by Glen Molloy (ig) in Donegall Street, Belfast, on the wall of the long-ago burned-out North Street Arcade, where Matt Sewell’s Carnival Of The Animals was.
“Some believe it is only high walls that can hold fear in check but that is not what I have found. I have found that it is the small, everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keep the darkness at bay, small acts of kindness and love – Gandalf and me [called_to_create_ (ig)].” The quote is from the movie of ‘The Hobbit – An Unexpected Journey’ (youtube) and not any Tolkein book. Whatever the truth of the quotation, residents generally want the so-called “peace” walls to remain: 2023 BelTel (about Derry) | 2019 Irish Times | 2015 BBC.
Here is a gallery of completed pieces produced for International Women’s Day 2023 in College Court. The new street art is part of a larger revitalisation project (Belfast City Council).
The works shown are (from Castle Street to College Street) by Claire Prouvost, Holly Pereira, Katriona, Kerri Hanna, Danni Simpson, Alana McDowell, ESTR; Laura Nelson, Novice Jess, Friz, (guest artist Hicks who was in town to repair and extend his piece in College Street Mews (see Cool) – it was damaged by a dumpster fire) and, on the other side of the street, HM Constance [Update: 2023-04 a purple cow was painted on one of the HMC shutters – see the image in the Paddy Duffy collection].
“My piece relates to the history of college court and the coming together of committee in 1807 to raise public subscriptions in co-educational, non denominational education.” (tw)
“This piece took inspiration about the history of College Court, which used to be called Water Street, as it was the first place running water pipes were installed in Belfast.” (ig)
Here is a gallery of “in-progress” images of the street art being painted by female artists for International Women’s Day, all along College Court. (Most of) The completed pieces can be seen in We Built This.
“Merry Christmas, yis cunts yis” – happy holidays from Belfast city centre. Stan Carey from the blog Strong Language suggests the name “pronominal split reduplication” for the repeated “yis”.
Mother of two Demi Corry died in July (2022) on a park bench in Buoy Park, in the shadow of St Anne’s, of a suspected drug overdose. She was one of at least 15 drug-related deaths in the city centre this past summer (itv.com) many of them of homeless people (Guardian).
