2020 IN PICTURES – SEPTEMBER

Unfortunately, due to the situation with Coronavirus, it was too big a risk to travel anywhere, so I decided to have a Staycation in Belfast when using up Annual Leave in the middle of the month, walking up hills North, East, South and West, as well as documenting Street Art on the Peace Wall.

Monday was spent at Cavehill. The weather was dull so the photos weren’t that good.

Tuesday was spent at Giant’s Ring, more daylight to work with and a lot better photos, as well as an enjoyable walk.

Wednesday was spent getting photos of Belfast Peace Wall, while on Thursday, I went to Lisnabreeny Hill, but like Cavehill, the weather was dull, so the photos didn’t come out as I hoped. 

Friday was the best day of that week for weather and photos, so I headed to Blackmountain, and got lots of photos, travelling along the Ridge Trail this time, as my previous visit saw me head up Divis first.

Two days later saw the return of Hit The North, originally postponed due to Coronavirus and back in it’s original traditional slot of September having moved from it’s new traditional slot of May. 

I was out on the day getting photos, and then was out the following week getting photos of the aftermath.

Cavehill Photo Album

Giant’s Ring

Giant’s Ring Photo Album

Belfast Peace Wall Art Photo Album

Lisnabreeny Hill Photo Album

Blackmountain

Blackmountain Photo Album

Hit The North

Hit The North Photo Album

Hit The North Aftermath Photo Album

DUBLIN STREET ART – NOVEMBER 2018

I recently had a short visit to Dublin. I didn’t intend to, we’ll cover that in the next blog.

So, with three hours to kill, I thought I might as well get the camera out and start photographing some Street Art.

With not a lot of time to work with, I had to be certain where I was going.

So, I headed to the two places I knew would bring results, Smithfield and Temple Bar, and I would not be disappointed.

Having been in Dublin as recently as July, I knew I would be finding some duplicates, so there was no point in photographing what I have already snapped.

Dublin Canvas have been at their work over those four months between my visits to Dublin, and I snapped their new pieces. Seriously, can we have something similar in Belfast?

Another hotspot I visit was the Car Park at Tivoli Theatre. Unfortunately, due to it being a Car Park, there were cars parked in front of the pieces I wanted to snap.

Despite that, it was still a productive use of my spare time in Dublin.

Photo Album

Dublin Street Art July 2018

Dublin Street Art July 2017

Dublin Street Art May 2016

Dublin Street Art June 2015

Dublin Street Art July 2014

Dublin Street Art August 2013

MANCHESTER STREET ART – NOVEMBER 2016

I was recently in Manchester, primarily to take in two games at Old Trafford, but while I was there, I managed to get some Street Art photographs.

As a relatively regular visitor to Manchester, I have a good idea where to go when it comes to finding Street Art.

Naturally, as I arrived in the City Centre, I headed to the Northern Quarter. I had a piece in mind, as a Prince mural was painted since my last visit in May, but that has sadly been painted over by a mural of Shaft.

The mural of David Bowie in the Northern Quarter is still there.

As I kept walking around the Northern Quarter, I kept on finding and discovering new pieces.

When I was about to head to Salford Quays (That will be on a seperate blog), I discovered a Car Park close to Cornbrook Metrolink Station with a mural of Muhammad Ali on a wall.

I had hoped to check out Antwerp Mansion while I was there, but it was closed whenever I headed there on Friday afternoon.

Curiously, there were murals of Alan Turing and Emmeline Pankhurst at a stall selling mulled wine at the Christmas Market. Pankhurst was born in Manchester while Turing lived and worked in the city.

I also spotted some pieces in Oxford Road, not sure of the street or area but close to Band On The Wall, and beside Afflek’s.

Photo Album

PARIS STREET ART

As you’ve gathered by my last post, I was in Paris recently. I took the opportunity to get some Street Art photos. They were all pieces I stumbled upon rather than searching for.

I didn’t get a chance to go on any official tour. I would have liked to.

The images of the Statue Of Liberty are from the back of Gare Du Nord. There are even some pieces from one of the exits to Gare Du Nord.

Sadly, I have no idea of the location of any other pieces.

Photo Album

2015 IN PICTURES – MAY

May began for me at The Oval for the Irish Cup Final, in the Portadown end, getting absolutely drenched and watching Glentoran win the cup.

Thankfully, the day got better and drier, as I headed to a tent in Custom House Square to see The Charlatans in concert.

Two weeks later, I headed over to Manchester to see United take on Arsenal, and took the opportunity to get some Street Art photos while I was there.

The final weekend of the month saw me head to Ravenhill for the Pro 12 Final between Glasgow and Munster, which Glasgow deservedly won.

The following day, saw me take an early morning flight to Liverpool, to head to Crewe, to see Northern Ireland take on Qatar in a friendly. The appeal of that was to visit a ground (Gresty Road) for the first time, and the next day to make my every 4-5 years visit to Liverpool.

My Scouse adventures will be in next month’s round-up, as my day there was 1st June.

Glentoran v Portadown

Glentoran v Portadown Photo Album

The Charlatans Live At Custom House Square

The Charlatans Live At Custom House Square Photo Album

Manchester Street Art

Manchester Street Art Photo Album

Manchester United v Arsenal

Manchester United v Arsenal Photo Album

Glasgow v Munster

Glasgow v Munster Photo Album

Northern Ireland v Qatar

Northern Ireland v Qatar Photo Album

DUBLIN STREET ART JUNE 2015

I took a trip down to Dublin at the weekend. I usually go to Dublin once a year, usually for an event and I end up staying over for a few days.

No events for me this year, so I decided to head down for a day some Saturday. While I was down there, I decided I would get some Street Art pictures while I was there.

I cheated a bit, by making a list of possible places to visit from a handy resource called Wallop Dublin, a website dedicated to Street Art in Dublin.

I also had previous knowledge of the city and revisited places I had previously been to to see if there was any updated work.

One such place I had hoped to photograph was Tivoli Car Park in Francis Street, but unfortunately it was closed whenever I visited. I’ll make a note to revisit there the next time in Dublin.

A major source of inspiration for Street Art is the recent Same Sex Marriage Referendum, and I spotted some stuff relating to this.

I was in the City Centre throughout my time there. Despite having a list of places to visit, I still found myself walking around and getting lost and exploring it that way.

Meanwhile, back in Belfast, there’s a new mural at the side of The Rotterdam Bar to commemorate the Tall Ships.

I haven’t have a chance to snap it yet, but if you want to see what it looks like, you can find it on Extramural Activity.

Photo Album

Dublin Street Art 2014

Dublin Street Art 2013

BARCELONA STREET ART

Having been in Barcelona, I took the opportunity to get some Street Art photos. The last time I was there, I got some Street Art photos, noticing that wherever there were shutters, there would be Street Art.

There turned out to be a reason for that, as the city has put a clampdown on Street Art on walls, but can’t do anything about shutters.

I did the tour, but also stumbled upon some pieces. Enjoy.

Photo Album 1

Photo Album 2

Photo Album 3

2014 IN PICTURES – NOVEMBER

November began for me with a road trip to Lurgan, to Mourneview Park, to see Linfield take on Glenavon in what could be described as an eventful game.

The following week, it was back to Windsor Park, for the home game against Dungannon Swifts.

The week after that, it was Windsor Park again, for the visit or Glentoran.

Back on the road the week after, to Warrenpoint, to see Linfield do their standard go behind but win it late thing they do up there.

It wasn’t all Linfield though, on the final weekend of the month, I headed to Manchester for a short break, where I got loads of Street Art photos, went to two football matches and two concerts.

That, was my November.

Glenavon v Linfield

Linfield v Dungannon Swifts

Linfield v Glentoran

Warrenpoint Town v Linfield

Manchester

Manchester Photo Album

Accrington Stanley v Exeter Stanley

Accrington Stanley v Exeter City Photo Album

Manchester Street Art

Manchester Street Art Photo Album 1

Manchester Street Art Photo Album 2

Salford Quays Street Art Photo Album

Manchester United v Hull City

Manchester United v Hull City Photo Album

Ting Tings Live At The Deaf Institute

Ting Tings Live At The Deaf Institute Photo Album

Erasure – Live At Manchester Apollo

Erasure – Live At Manchester Apollo Photo Album

MANCHESTER STREET ART

At the end of November, I visited Manchester, primarily for football, but I spotted some Street Art and got snapping.

I’d been to Manchester many times before, but never really got many Street Art pictures. That was soon rectified.

The majority of the pictures were taken in the Northern Quarter and Salford Quays. The mosaics were taken outside Afflecks in the Northern Quarter.

Photo Album 1

Photo Album 2

Salford Quays Street Art Photo Album

EDINBURGH STREET ART 2014

In Edinburgh recently, I spotted some Street Art. Not a lot, mostly consigned to one street, New Street, as you walked from Royal Mile to Holyrood.

Photo Album

Edinburgh Street Art 2013

Edinburgh Street Art 2013 Photo Album