Belfast is not only known for its shipyards and industrial history; it is also a city that tells stories on its walls. Belfast’s famous murals are not simply street art: they reflect the history, politics and identity of its communities. 📜 Origins of the Murals Before becoming street art, the murals emerged as a form of community expression during the 1960s and 70s, in the period known as The Troubles. Residents of Catholic/nationalist and Protestant/unionist neighbourhoods

For over three decades, Northern Ireland experienced one of the most complex conflicts in Western Europe: “The Troubles.” It began in the late 1960s and primarily involved two communities: Unionists or loyalists , mostly Protestant, who wanted to remain part of the United Kingdom. Nationalists or republicans , mostly Catholic, who aspired to a united and independent Ireland. But beyond politics, the conflict was felt in everyday life: streets divided by walls and barricades,