The Titanic mural was
commissioned by Inner East Youth Project young people, and is situated on
the gabled wall of the Action Cancer shop, which is on the corner of Dee
Street where it meets the Newtownards Road.
The mural depicts a skyline of East Belfast in silhouette with a sun as
a backdrop.
Among the buildings featured in the skyline are St. Patricks church on
the Newtowards Road, terraced houses (two up two down), the Samson and
Goliath giant cranes in the nearby shipyard, the Oval and the concertina
roofing of the aircraft factory, Short Brothers.
Below the blackness of the silhouette we have a painting of 'The
Titanic'. Although this magestic ship met its doom on its maiden
voyage with the loss of over 1200 lives, it is the most famous ship ever
built. The ship was built for the White Star Line on slips
especially prepared for it at the Harland and Wolff shipyard.
The siting of the mural is significant. Given that Dee Street was
the main thoroughfare for the shipyard workers going to and from 'The
Yard'.
It is significant that within the latter quarter of 2000 'The Yard' has
had to lay off half its present workforce. Today there are only
around 600 people employed meaningfully in the Harland and Wolff
shipyard. When the first piece of the RMS Titanic's great hull was
laid 'The Yard' employed up 30,000 people.
At its very least this mural depicting The Titanic will stand as a
reminder of the skill and labour that was brought to bear to make this
fine ship, the greatest of its time. It also stands unique on the
Newtowards Road as the only mural in recent times not connected with
paramilitary trapping.
To one side of the painting of the great ship is the verse 'Nearer my
God to Thee' this was the hymn played by the ships resident orchestra, who
chose to stay and play, in an attempt to bring some sort of calm to what
must have been a frightening situation. The muralist was asked by
local people to add the verse.
Below the paintings of The Titanic are the logos of the various groups
and organisations who helped make the project possible.
The mural was designed by Noel Large, Callum Laverty also helped with
the painting and Noel Algie and Glen Upton & Bert helped to erect the
scaffolding.