Famous Bogside Murals of N.Ireland to Be Restored

Famous Bogside Murals of N.Ireland to be Restored

(1888 PressRelease) The famous murals of the Bogside, Derry, depicting the key events of over thirty years of conflict in the city are to be restored to their former glory.

The Bogside Artists have secured $33,000 from the Housing Executive to restore four iconic murals in the 'People's Gallery'.

The People's Gallery created by the artists over many years comprises 12 large scale murals situated in the Bogside. Draw thousands of tourists from across the world into the Bogside area of Londonderry every year. Although signposted by the council, funding for their maintenance and restoration has been another matter entirely due to appeasement politics on the part of the main Catholic party Sinn Fein with their Unionist counterparts. It is largely a policy of 'you-scratch-our-back-and-we'll-scratch-yours". The murals that speak of a past hierarchies from both camps would rather forget the murals have suffered accordingly. The consideration of the murals as art has been swept aside so much so that in Derry's year as UK City of Culture 2013 the murals were left entirely of any media coverage, discussion or festival programs.

That did not stop the Housing Executive of Northern Ireland last week taking a more rational and objective view of the matter.

A spokesman for the H.E said: "Between 1994 and 2008 the Bogside Artists completed 12 murals that now form The People's Gallery along Rossville Street. "

"These large-scale murals have become an important part of the physical and social landscape of Derry. All of the murals are located on NIHE end gable walls. However, due to exposure to the weather the murals will need regular attention if they are to survive into the future and a number of them are currently in very poor condition. "The Housing Executive has therefore agreed to provide funding of £20,000 to the Bogside Artists in order to assist the renovation and restoration of four iconic Bogside...