Belfast - They are colourful emblems of Belfast’s tortured past and have become tourist attractions in themselves: they are declarations of allegiance and defiance that some see as poignant reminders of the Troubles and others as an unnecessary glorification of violence.
Now there are moves to transform the paramilitary murals that have adorned the walls of houses in the city for up to 35 years. Following two years of negotiations by the city council, the housing executive and think tank Charter NI, work is well under way for a project that will “reimage” 23 Ulster Defence Association murals.
In Belfast’s Lord Street district, nine paramilitary murals are being replaced with artwork that reflects “a peaceful and inclusive society”. The project is part of a wider regeneration strategy that includes plans to bring unoccupied social housing back into use.
Chris Lyttle, representative of the cross-community Alliance Party, said he hoped all paramilitary murals would eventually be removed.
“The mural reimaging projects are fantastic and deserve a lot of credit for the courage they have shown,” he said.
“We have excellent murals to CS Lewis, for example. When we have such a strong sporting and cultural heritage to depict and celebrate, those are the types of images I think are worthwhile to put on walls. Paramilitary murals undoubtedly glorify terrorism and communicate the wrong message to young people.”
Lyttle said paramilitary murals were an impediment to community and business development, progress that was “sorely needed in the areas where the murals are located”.
It will take time to replace every paramilitary mural.
Four murals featuring a masked gunman on “Freedom Corner” along Newtownards Road were considered “too historic” to be replaced and were repainted after being damaged by water cannon.
Belfast’s black cab tours all use the paramilitary murals to promote their business, believing they are a key tourist attraction. Groups are escorted by a guide through republican-dominated areas such as the Falls Road in West Belfast, with its most famous mural of the hunger striker Bobby Sands, over the peace line into Shankill Road.
The loyalist area of West Belfast is also being redeveloped. Its most famous murals, a masked Ulster Freedom Fighters gunman whose gun barrel appears to follow visitors as they walk past, as well as two designs commemorating Ulster Defence Association paramilitaries, are expected to be repainted on nearby buildings.
The Independent on Sunday