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.