SquaresRenew 4: King William

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King William mural

The street pictured above was just behind our Belfast hotel and provided my first experience of a Northern Irish political mural. King William III is an icon of the Loyalist community and I started to wonder if things had moved on as much as I believed they had. However, crossing the road to read the information board, I realised this actually was an example of moving forward – it even uses that very phrase. I can’t square this image, but I think it is worth showing the board in full because it explains things far better than I could.

King William III: the return of a king

Part of Becky’s SquaresRenew Challenge, using images from our April 2024 trip to Northern Ireland to illustrate one or more of the following:

  • Move forward
  • Reconstruct
  • Renew
  • Burgeoning
Northern Ireland, UK , , ,

38 Comments »

  2. Well, that is interesting. There’s a balance, is there not, to transparency and remembering one’s culture on the one hand, and not celebrating tribalism on the other. I guess this is better than advertising some para-military outfit so, as you say, it’s a start. I find it profoundly sad – and worrying – that there is STILL so much hatred directed at people because of their religion, origin, or whatever – sometimes simply because of their views. When I was growing up and going to university, we used to be able to disagree. I used to think that, as a race, we were getting better. Now I sometimes wonder whether we’re actually moving backwards but, because discrimination is technically illegal, in denial about it.

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    • Yes, there is definitely a balance to be sought, you are right. I agree too that there is still a shocking amount of prejudice and hatred on so many grounds. I don’t mean to sound anti-social media because I’m not, but I think part of it is people feel freer to say things behind an anonymous screen than they would in person, and then it starts to become normalised. I don’t know what the answer is!

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  7. I always like a good mural. The ones in the protestant area of Londonderry had little skeletons sitting on buckets waiting for relief ships bringing food in which tickled me. Really different and macabre. But also part of the tradition of that district…. remembered yearly no doubt…. Bob. BSS.

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  9. I’ve read a bit about these murals in Belfast (a blogging friend did quite an extensive post a while back) but I hadn’t realised they were still being painted.

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    • We took a tour which will probably feature. I think some are semi-permanent, others change. Our guide’s brother was one of the mural painters and had recently painted over a row of republican murals with pro-Palestinian ones. In contrast, we saw a lot of Israeli flags in Loyalist areas.

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  10. Nice mural and it is good that they explain the context instead of erasing it. I remember we were fascinated by all of the political murals of Belfast. Quite an interesting stroll to view them. (Suzanne)

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  14. Hi Anabel – my knowledge of Irish history is very poor – so thank you for this. I wonder where we’re heading … excellent square – cheers Hilary

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