The Writing on the Wall: A Visual History of Northern Ireland’s Troubles

The Writing on the Wall is a stunning chronological history of Northern Ireland as told through its wall murals, the iconic images depicting the Troubles, conflicts and struggles of its people across religious and political divides. Beginning with representations of the Irish legend Cúchullain, claimed by both Republicans and Loyalists as a founding father of their respective causes, Stuart Borthwick’s work explores landmark events that have shaped Ireland’s history; the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, the 1916 Easter Rising in Dublin, before focusing on ‘the Troubles’ of more recent memory through chapters dedicated to the formation of Loyalist and Republican paramilitary groups in the late 1960s, the prison protests and hunger strikes of the 1970s and 80s, and the long war of the 1980s and 1990s between the IRA, the British state and armed loyalists.

With 200 of Stuart’s original photographs accompanied by an extensive 30,000 word text, The Writing on the Wall is a valuable addition to our understanding of the Northern Ireland of today. The book launch will explore the Troubles, the politics of modern Ireland, Stuart's photographs and how the book came to fruition. Evening hosted by Phil Scraton.

Wednesday 21st October at the Bluecoat, Free. All welcome. 

Hosted by Writing on the Wall as part of Liverpool Irish Festival.