Every city deals with issues of identity in different ways. Some cities become weighed down with representations, especially when these are perceived as exclusive of others. Belfast’s gable-end murals have often been perceived (and sometimes intended) in this way. Many have accordingly been ‘decommissioned’ through the peace process. This has involved their over-painting or painting-out by members of the community who initially produced them. Sometimes the underlying image remains ghosted beneath the new layer, suggesting unfinished business. Others have proved that it is possible to separate the medium from the message, and create murals that contribute new themes and generate new motifs.

The red leaping flames, lighting up the wild and passionate intensity of gaunt Ulster faces, are a well-remembered
element in every Ulster childhood, even the most sheltered…
to an Ulsterman it speaks unmistakably of home.

Belfast’s bonfires, whether on the Twelfth or at Hallowe’en, are another urban spectacle special to Belfast. Organised at grassroots level, demonstrating co-operation, self-administration, and ambition shared across age-groups, this has the potential to be a celebration with wider appeal. However, even apart from sectarian issues, bonfires are often associated with problems of dumping, public order, and public health. Bonfires are part of Ulster life. Might it be possible to separate this spectacle from its meanings? Might it be possible to change its meanings?