23 Belfast Murals Worth Visiting (With Map)

If you’ve laid eyes on the Belfast murals (or the more modern Belfast street art) you’ll known that no city bears its character as colourfully as this one.

And while the political messages on the murals in Belfast are deeply entrenched, they’re also often (not always!) impressive works of art that are unique to the Northern Irish capital.

In the guide below, you’ll get a closer look at some of the most prominent murals from both the Republican and Loyalist areas of Belfast.

You’ll also discover the story behind them and how you can experience them on one of the Belfast murals tours. Dive on in!

Belfast murals map

Though Belfast is a vibrant and largely peaceful city today, it was and still is divided along religious and cultural lines – the same ones that led to The Troubles.

From the late 1970’s however (and particularly after the passing of Bobby Sands in 1981), the people of Belfast began expressing themselves in a more creative way.

Displaying important aspects each community’s culture and history, the murals are a visual way of showing pride and communicating messages that perhaps reflect each community’s values.

If the above has you scratching your head, see our guide to the differences between Northern Ireland vs Ireland.

Republican and Nationalist murals in Belfast

The first section of this guide looks at the city’s Republican murals, like the Solidarity Wall and the famous Nelson Mandela mural.

Although the location of each can be found on the Belfast murals map above, I’ll also include a Google Map link for you.

1. The Bobby Sands Tribute

Arguably Belfast’s most famous mural, this smiling portrait is a tribute to IRA volunteer Bobby Sands and you’ll visit it if you take one of the Black Cab Tours.

Sands passed in prison on hunger strike in 1981. It’s located here on the Falls Road.

2. James Connolly

A prominent leader in the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin, this mural sees James Connolly seated on a bench flanked by books and newspapers alongside one of his well-known quotes.

It is located on Rockmount St here.

Related read: Discover 32 of the best things to do in Belfast

3. Frederick Douglass

An iconic black American campaigner and statesman, Frederick Douglass’s mural depicts his portrait (with his customary shock of grey hair).

He can be found, flanked by words of solidarity for the Irish cause, on Northumberland St. here.

4. Building an Ireland of Equals

With the Napoleon’s Nose section of Cave Hill in the centre, Building an Ireland of Equals prominently displays the faces of Bobby Sands, Wolfe Tone and suffragist Winifred Carney.

It is located on Oceanic Avenue here.

5. The Falls Road

On the The Falls Road, you’ll find what is known as the Solidarity Wall (here on Maps).

This features a collection of murals and artwork expressing support for global causes such as Palestinian liberation and Basque freedom.

6. Nelson Mandela

Arguably one of the more famous murals in northern Ireland, the Nelson Mandela artwork can be found here on Northumberland St.

A tribute to arguably the most famous freedom fighter of them all, this mural shows Nelson Mandela smiling with his fist raised and the words ‘friend of Ireland’ written below.

7. Gaelic Sports

Brightly coloured, the Gaelic Sports mural celebrates traditional Irish culture with hurling and Gaelic football images featuring prominently.

It is located on Brighton Street here.

Related read: Discover the best pubs in Belfast and the best restaurants in Belfast

 

8. Easter Rising Memorial

Another of the better-known murals in Northern Ireland is this one on Beechmount Avenue.

This memorial to the 1916 Easter Rising depicts a soldier standing in front of Dublin’s General Post Office.

9. The Dublin Rising

Continuing this theme over on Berwick Road, here, The Dublin Rising shows a dramatic black and white scene from inside the General Post Office.

The scene is set against the colours of the Irish flag, which is draped behind.

10. Clowney Phoenix

Dating back to 1989, Clowney Phoenix (here on Maps) is one of the older Republican murals in Belfast and depicts a rising phoenix.

The bird is surrounded by the emblems of the four ancient provinces of Ireland – Ulster, Connacht, Munster and Leinster.

11. Kieran Nugent

One of the smaller murals but no less powerful, this one on Rockville Street here shows IRA volunteer Kieran Nugent who was only a teenager when he was jailed in the 1970’s.

He became famous for being the IRA’s first ‘blanketman’.

12. Usual Suspects

One of Belfast’s more bluntly political murals, Usual Suspects depicts a typical police line-up with each suspect holding a placard and accused of state collusion and murder in block capital letters.

It is located on the Springfield Road here.

Loyalist Murals in Belfast

The second section of our guide tackles the various Loyalist Murals in Belfast. Just keep in mind that this is just a selection of the different murals in place today.

If at this point you’re wondering why Northern Ireland is part of the UK, it’s worth taking some time to read our guide on the separation of Ireland.

1. Ulster Freedom Corner

The Ulster Freedom Corner shows the red hand of Ulster backed by various flags announcing ‘tomorrow belongs to us’.

You’ll find it at the end of a long line of murals on Newtownards Road in East Belfast, here.

2. Summer of 69

Often described as the year The Troubles began, Summer of 69 (with its ironic Bryan Adams reference in the title) depicts two children no longer able to play outside due to the violence surrounding them.

It is located on Hopewell Av. here.

3. Untold Story

Located on Canada Street, here on Maps, Untold Story recounts an event that took place during August 1971.

Protestants fled their homes as the IRA launched an attack on Protestant communities throughout Belfast.

4. Lest We Forget

Using classic imagery from the Western Front, Lest We Forget pays tribute to the 36th Ulster Division who fought in World War One.

It is located along Killarn Close here.

5. Tigers Bay

Anyone with a cursory knowledge of Loyalist culture in Northern Ireland will know how important their marching bands are.

Tigers Bay on Cultra St. (here) pays tribute to the Tigers Bay First Flute band.

 

6. Ulster History

There’s some detail in this one! Ulster History is an impressive recounting of Ulster’s history from the Loyalist point of view that stretches a good 40ft or so in length.

It’s located on Thorndyke Street here.

7. King William

Also known as William of Orange or ‘King Billy’ in Northern Ireland, King William was a protestant ruler who waged war against Catholic rulers in the late 17th century.

It is located on Linfield Rd. here.

8. Protestant Victims

This mural depicts a row of 7 newspaper clippings discussing protestant victims of The Troubles.

It is located on Derwent St, here.

9. Red Hand Commando Memorial

The Red Hand Commando Memorial, just off The Shankhill Road, is hard to miss.

It shows three prominent loyalist politicians and is found here.

Belfast murals tours

If you fancy taking a guided tour of the murals in Belfast rather than going it alone, this tour (affiliate link) has 370+ great reviews.

The tour is given by a guide that’s lived in Belfast during The Troubles, making the experience both and informative and and enlightening one.

You guide will off deep insights into the meanings of the various Belfast murals and the trip takes in everything from the Belfast Peace Wall to the lively streets of Belfast City.

A Google Map of the different murals in Belfast

Above, you’ll find a handy Google Map with the location of the murals in Belfast mentioned in the guide above. Now, a quick disclaimer.

We’ve tried our best to pinpoint the location of each of the murals, but the location may be off by 10 – 20 feet for some.

Again, as mentioned above, we’d recommend taking one of the Belfast mural tours rather than heading off solo to look for them (mainly as there are some areas of Belfast to avoid, especially late at night!).

FAQs about Belfast murals

We’ve had a lot of questions over the years asking about everything from where to see the different Belfast murals to why they’re present in the city.

In the section below, we’ve popped in the most FAQs that we’ve received. If you have a question that we haven’t tackled, ask away in the comments section below.