The Titanic Mural
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The Titanic Mural

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.


 

© 2000  Inner East Youth Project

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Last modified: 15 October, 2001