Following decades of cultural and political unrest, the people of Northern Ireland are turning towards murals as a vehicle to promote peace in a divided region.

Under the heavy grey sky, Belfast is bursting with colour. For decades, murals have played a vital role in illustrating the voice of the people and have been active in mobilising the local opinion between British and Irish ideologies. In periods of intense conflict, the murals are politically charged – depicting aggressive and threatening scenes but are also used in pushing a political agenda. Such expressions are less prevalent today, and there is a drive towards encouraging paintings that portray peace and tolerance.

“The first thing that you have to understand is that it is not about religion, it is about culture. Both are very different,” explained Peter Hughes, a driver and tour guide for Paddy Campbell Belfast Black Cab Tours. A distinction must be made; the British are the loyalists and the unionists, while the Irish are the nationalists and the republicans. Their respective religions – Protestant and Catholic are merely additional ammunition for division. “The Troubles” is the term used to describe the conflict, which lasted decades and it still reminiscent in Northern Ireland.

Imagine waking up one day without your sight. Imagine never being able to rely on what your eyes see, instead being forced to use your other senses to get by in your daily life. The most mundane activities would instantly take thought to perform. The importance placed on the physical appearance and aesthetics of people and environments would be lost… These are all realities that the blind face every day.

The ground was vibrating below me, just as I was easing into a comfortable slumber following a long day of hiking. In my disoriented state, I slowly unzipped the door of my tent and looked out into the vast darkness that suddenly enveloped me. The ground rumbled again and again, when suddenly a vibrant explosion of yellows, reds, and oranges painted the ebony canvas ahead of me.