Contemporary Murals in Northern Ireland
- Republican Tradition

Republican Tradition: Figure 15

Pro-Agreement Mural

The Good Friday Agreement of 1998 has begun to figure in murals, with demands that the promises of that Agreement for the nationalist population be delivered. For example, a mural painted on Garvaghy Road, Portadown in July 1998 quotes one such promise – ‘freedom from sectarian harassment’ – and juxtaposes this with the threat of unwanted Orange Order marches in the area. Three dancers, signifying Irish culture, are dwarfed by a looming Orange Order member who holds a petrol bomb; the flames from the bottle are red, white and blue, the British colours. Prophetically, this mural was completed two days before three young nationalist children were burnt to death in Ballymoney, County Antrim, by loyalists protesting at the failure of Orange Order marchers to proceed along the Garvaghy Road. Location and Date: Garvaghy Road, Portadown, July 1998