Another mural on Upper Newtownards Road on the lamplighter theme: Ballyhack-Amore by Alana McDowell (ig | web). The name “Ballyhackamore” comes not from Italian but from Irish: Baile an Chacamair, town of the mud flat (PlaceNamesNI).
The Ballyhackamore mural by Ed Hicks (ig) – painted along with murals by emic and Alana McDowell – is on the eastern side of Eastleigh Crescent, so that when looking at it the viewer is looking away from the city and towards the … hills – perhaps Scrabo country park.
Elephants walk in single file and young elephants often hold the tail of an adult. This pair by South African artist Falko One (ig | Fb) is on the exterior wall of the Alliance Party’s east Belfast constituency office. (Chris Lyttle is no longer in the office – he took up a job with the IFA in July – BelTel).
The moon rises over Thompson’s feed on York Road while the sun sets over the New Lodge tower blocks, most of which have the portraits of two deceased hunger strikers from the 70s and 80s on them, including Francis Hughes on Teach Mhéabha. (See New Lodge Flats for a full list.)
Kieran Doherty’s memorial stone (below) is recreated at the back of the mural of his funeral cortège. “I gcuımhne ar Vol. Kieran Doherty T.D. Brıogáıd Bhéal Feırste [Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann], of 54 Commedagh Drive. Rugadh 16ú Deıreadh Fómhaır 1955, elected T.D. for Cavan/Monaghan 11th June 1981, a fuaır bás 2ú Lúnasa 1981, after 73 days on hunger strike in the H-Blocks of Long Kesh. ‘It is not those who can inflict the most, but those who endure the most, who will conquer in the end’.” (The Terence MacSwiney quote is not included on the painted stone.)
“It’s okay not to be okay” – These are the shutters of Beep’s ice-cream and sweet shop (Fb) on the Woodstock Road, painted last October in support of mental health in the community.