Belfast’s Other Murals

Wednesday, 25th November 2009 by

Belfast is well known for its many murals representing differing political and religious views of the city's communities.

bobby sandyrow

However in recent years, thanks to the Good Friday Agreement, there has been a move away from the political murals to more community-based murals, and in this post we shall deal with murals relating to sport; industrial heritage; and the arts within the city.

Sports

There are many sporting heroes of Belfast, probably the most popular of all being George Best: without doubt Northern Ireland's greatest football player.

Gbest1 Gbest2 Gbest3

There are many other murals to the NI international football team, including one in honour to a famous victory over England.

NI1 NI2

There are also murals to local football clubs Glentoran FC and Linfield FC.

glen1 linfield

Gaelic games are more favoured in Nationalist areas, with murals to Ard Eoin Kickhams GAA club and to Liam McCarthy.

GAA2 GAA1

There are 2 murals to other local sporting heroes, Snooker player Alex Higgins and Kickboxer Gary Hamilton.

alexh GaryH

INDUSTRY

Belfast is also very well known for its industrial past. RMS Titanic was constructed in the Harland and Wolff dockyards.

titanic1 titanic3 titanic2

Historically, Belfast has been a centre for the Irish linen industry (earning the nickname "Linenopolis") and Short Brothers (now Bombardier) also manufacture aircraft in the city.

Linen CityIndustry1

ARTS

CS Lewis, author of the Narnia books, was born in Belfast in 1898 and like any son of Belfast he also has a mural or two. There is also a mural to traditional Irish music and a nod to Picasso's Guernica.

Narnia1 CSLewis IrishPiper Guernica

And, to finish off, there is always someone with a sense of humour: "Santa is a British Agent" and "TV Licence Men Beware".

funny1 funny2

There are many more murals, visit murals of Belfast to find some of them.