Northern Ireland | R. Doug Wicker — Author

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May 31, 2021 · 5:35 am

Northern Ireland — Belfast Street Art

In the photo above you’ll see the Irish Celtic phrase “Céad bliain,” which translates to “100 years.” And below that is “Ní Saoirse go Saoirse na mban”, meaning “There is no freedom until the freedom of women.” As with much of the street art adorning Belfast, this one is political.

But most of the political commentary deals with “The Troubles“, that 30-year rebellion that tore apart Northern Ireland from the late 1960s until 1998. The scars of this conflict remain today, such as the “peace line” wall that separated Republican and Catholic Nationalist neighborhoods within the city.

This next piece of street art commemorates British MP Bobby Sands, who died in prison while on a hunger strike:

Another piece of art is dedicated to children who lost their lives during the conflict:

This last image celebrates the paramilitary Ulster Volunteer Force. In it you’ll see various rifles ranging from a Kalashnikov, to a .30 M1 Carbine, to what appears to be an AR-style rifle, and even a Thompson M1928 submachine gun:

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May 26, 2021 · 5:35 am

Northern Ireland — Belfast

Still based in Dublin, Ursula had a hankering to visit Belfast, Northern Ireland. So, for €20 each, we boarded a bus and headed north.

The Crown Liquor Saloon; corner of Great Victoria and Amelia streets

The sights here are historic, colorful, and leave one full of wonder for this charming city. One such magnificent structure is the Belfast City Hall. This grand example of Baroque Revival architecture was completed in 1906:

There are several statues on the grounds. This one stands before the east façade, which runs along Donegall Square East:

At the corner where Howard Street becomes Grosvenor Road, and Great Victoria Street becomes Fisherwick Place, is a church that dates back to 1905. This is Church House. It is the headquarters for the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, and also serves as a commercial conference center.

With only hours to sightsee before our return bus ride to Dublin, we did what we frequently do when seeing a new city for the first time. We boarded a Hop-on/Hop-off. One of the sights we took in was the Lanyon Building at Queen’s University.

This week’s Fun Photo Friday will feature favorites from Galway, but we’ll continue the look at Belfast next week. Until then, here’s some additional Belfast sights: