Painting the Irish Conflict

The thirty year conflict in Northern Ireland, commonly referred to as the Troubles, has been the focus of considerable scholarly attention. Yet, the role of political Irish art and its relation to the conflict has rarely been highlighted. Painting the Irish Conflict presents the first comprehensive investigation of the life and work of Gerard Mo chara Kelly, one of the most well-known Irish political mural painters. During the 1980s and 1990s, Kelly’s Irish Nationalist murals served as dynamic visual backdrops to the street battles occurring in Belfast. This book examines Kelly’s work from his earliest drawings to his well-known large-scale public murals. The text also provides insight into the historical roots and development of Northern Ireland’s political murals and it explores Kelly’s impact in creating a distinct mural tradition. This study should be especially helpful to those seeking a greater understanding of the meaning and significance of public wall painting in Northern Ireland.