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The artist behind Dublin's marriage equality mural is back with a piece for Belfast Pride

Joe Caslin’s mural in Dublin was one of the iconic images of last year’s referendum.

JOE CASLIN’S George’s Street mural in Dublin was one of the most iconic images of the Marriage Equality Referendum last year.

17/4/2015. Same Sex Murals Rollingnews.ie Rollingnews.ie

The Claddagh Embrace adorned the wall above Rick’s Burger’s just off Dame Street until it was washed off by rain.

Now the Roscommon artist has revealed a new mural in Belfast to celebrate the city’s Pride festival.

He wrote on Instagram:

I’ve collaborated with 17 inspiring members of the Belfast LGBTQ community to create a large street art installation and photo series looking at the inclusive LGBTQ family.

Speaking to the BBC, Caslin said he wanted to take his message to Northern Ireland because it’s “the only territory now on the islands of western Europe that doesn’t have same sex marriage”.

Through the work that I did in Dublin last year with the referendum and the large piece we put up on George’s Street, I felt it was an ideal time, coming up to the Pride Festival that takes place this weekend, to reignite that conversation.

The mural has come in for praise on social media in recent days…

The Belfast Pride Festival began last Friday and continues until next Sunday.

Written by Nicola Byrne and posted on DailyEdge.ie

[image alt="" src="http://cdn.thejournal.ie/media/2016/08/img2-thejournal-479.png" width="600" height="115" credit-url="" credit-source="" credit-via="" credit-via-url="" wp-id="wp-image-2905880" class="alignnone" /end]

Read: The artist behind THAT marriage equality mural is back with another powerful piece >

Read: Amazing video shows exactly how the Galway castle mural was created >

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54 Comments
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    Mute simon
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 8:46 AM

    Boring

    78
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    Mute Valthebear
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 9:18 AM

    Any chance he might design a mural on the biggest crisis facing Irish society; lack of housing and homelessness

    72
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    Mute Jester VonDoom
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 9:23 AM

    i dont know, ask him?

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    Mute Randy Rukus
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 9:23 AM

    Ugh Val there’s just not as many “epic feels” there loike.

    25
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    Mute Sinead Hanley
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 9:56 AM

    Don’t understand the gay community’s obsession with “gay pride” and all these bleedin’ murals.. They have marriage equality yet they think people are annoyed the referendum passed. These parades ridiculous and pointless..

    64
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    Mute Daisy Chainsaw
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 10:19 AM

    Not in the North where this mural is.

    43
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    Mute Chrip Ramsay
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 10:29 AM

    @Sinead Hanley, you don’t have to understand it, it doesn’t negatively effect you, so just allow historically sidelined, shunned and ignored people have pride and be open in themselves. Where’s the harm in that?

    48
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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 10:29 AM

    Sinead, you clearly are

    24
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    Mute Jester VonDoom
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 1:08 PM

    if gay people want to have a bit of craic at a parade and paint a few colourful murals more power to them!

    23
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    Mute Petr Tarasov
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 9:18 AM

    I see the foam-at-th-mouth homophobes are up and at it early. And they are bursting with anger!!!

    You guys LOST! And you’re still crying about it. :)))

    Nice mural, it’ll upset all the right people. :)

    75
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    Mute Joey_Westland
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 9:25 AM

    Call that outrage?
    Wait till the artistic community climb out of bed (mid afternnon)

    45
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    Mute Daisy Chainsaw
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 10:18 AM

    Round up a few of your other accounts to support you Ricky Cal Tommy Oran etc etc

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    Mute Joey_Westland
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 5:34 PM

    Hi Taariq, Dick Cheney, Dell, etc etc etc.
    How are y’all today?

    2
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    Mute Dell
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 7:27 PM

    Ah no joey, topcat, oran Tommy, everyone can see plainly it is you every time. Its pretty pathetic at this stage eunuch, why not just stick to the one account as your homophobe tendencies and muffled tones from having your head so far up the popes ass are so very distinctive? Trying to deflect by saying that individuals who actually spot you every time are the same account is also really pathetic.

    1
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    Mute Petr Tarasov
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 8:43 PM

    Well said Dell.

    1
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    Mute Joey_Westland
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 8:53 PM

    Like when was the llast time you ever said anything original Dell.

    1
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    Mute Ian Phillip Creaner
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 9:04 PM

    Oooh. Tommy mac Eunuch. How profiles do you think I have?

    1
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    Mute Dell
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 9:15 PM

    Really eunuch? The irony of you talking about others lack of originality when no matter how often you change your account name you are so boring and predictable in your comments, you can be spotted by anyone.

    1
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    Mute Joey_Westland
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 11:42 PM

    I know yeah.
    Like listening to liberals spouting the same rehashed jargon all day is really invigorating.
    Not.

    1
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    Mute Dell
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    Aug 3rd 2016, 9:31 AM

    I know yeah.
    Like listening to right wing, intolerant, bible bashing, nutjobs spouting the same rehashed jargon all day is really invigorating.
    Not.

    1
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    Mute Joey_Westland
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    Aug 3rd 2016, 10:21 AM

    Like I said.
    No originality.

    1
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    Mute Dell
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    Aug 3rd 2016, 11:04 AM

    Yes but at least I don’t change my account over and over and over again and still be the same predictable Bible thumping twit.

    1
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    Mute David Mac Shite
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 8:52 AM

    They’re gonna love that up North.
    They have a huge LGBT organisation there.
    Loylist Guerrillas for British Territory.

    61
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    Mute Meanderingsz
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 10:06 AM

    what a poor attempt at a jibe…

    21
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    Mute Randy Rukus
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 8:44 AM

    Not very creative, same design he’s used previously probably printed off a template at this stage.

    55
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    Mute Joey_Westland
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 8:48 AM

    17 inspiring members of the Belfast LGBTQ community came up with the blueprint.
    (obviously none of them ever went to art college)

    32
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    Mute Jester VonDoom
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 9:04 AM

    art college is only for straights and churchgoers sure

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    Mute Joey_Westland
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 9:08 AM

    OK Jester.
    Give us an artistic appreciation of the work then.
    (a big sticker)

    15
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    Mute Meanderingsz
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 10:56 AM

    The image is taken from a photograph of a couple that flew to the USA to get married because they couldn’t get married in NI, the image was selected and funded by Smirnoff. I think its great, despite its size its still subtle, you would really have to go out of your way to be offended by this, which i think is a great point – if you find this image offensive then you are the problem.
    I also think the sponsor of the image probably had a large say on the choice of image.

    31
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    Mute Joey_Westland
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 5:48 PM

    Can’t see anyone arguing that it’s offensive.
    Just bland boring and predictable.
    The kind of mass produced art people knock out in back street tourist joints.

    3
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    Mute Joey_Westland
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 8:46 AM

    Bland.
    Uninspiring.
    Hopefully a good shower of rain will wash this ugly eyesore down the nearest drain.
    Let the Marching Season begin.

    50
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    Mute Randy Rukus
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 8:53 AM

    Let’s hope he actually got planning permission for this one!!

    38
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    Mute Jester VonDoom
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 9:06 AM

    if the previous lessons were learned he probably didn’t, far more media attention and free publicity €€€

    31
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    Mute Jester VonDoom
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 9:07 AM

    thats enough about you there Joey!

    7
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    Mute Leo Powers
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 9:07 AM

    Yeah, let’s hope. Wouldn’t it just be the worst thing ever to happen in Belfast if he didn’t? This is truly a terrible day for all humanity. Hopefully the tears of uour children will wash this diabolical image away. We can only hope at this stage, it’s all we can do. Stay safe and stay straight peeps.

    25
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    Mute Joey_Westland
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 9:12 AM

    Shouldn’t be allowed march through straight communities.

    29
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    Mute Jester VonDoom
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 9:41 AM

    the straights might forgot the sanctity of marriage and rush out in carnal abandon

    13
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    Mute Randy Rukus
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 9:57 AM

    Or be worried about their children seeing grown men parading in nipple tassle’s and assless chaps.

    19
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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 10:31 AM

    Then don’t wear them Randy

    14
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    Mute Leo Powers
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 10:54 AM

    Give me nipple tassels and assless chaps over sashes and hateful chaps any day. The Blue oyster will always be more fun than the Orange order in Belfast.

    15
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    Mute Jester VonDoom
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 1:27 PM

    well we won’t send them to fetish clubs so

    4
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    Mute Fintan Oflaois
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 1:39 PM

    @ Randy Rukus “Or be worried about their children seeing grown men parading in nipple tassle’s and assless chaps.”

    I suspect you’ve never been to Ireland, because otherwise you’d know that you needn’t worry about assless chaps ever catching on to any great extent in a country with a climate like ours.

    9
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    Mute Patrick Gough
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 11:22 AM

    What about a straight pride week?

    30
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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 11:23 AM

    There’s 51 of them

    32
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    Mute Fintan Oflaois
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 1:32 PM

    I’m “straight”, but believe in equality and accepting other people as they are.

    And I’m proud of that 52 weeks a year. Aren’t you?

    11
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    Mute John Byrne
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 10:49 AM

    We live in a time where the will of the majority is suppressed by the minority, cultural and social practices that served us well for millennia are been eroded and deviancy is celebrated – Is it any wonder that Western Civilization is on its knees soon to be replaced by a more dominant culture.

    30
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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 11:23 AM

    John, you’re knowledge of history is terrible

    16
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    Mute Dave O Keeffe
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 11:23 AM

    *your

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    Mute Jester VonDoom
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 12:51 PM

    jaysus John you sound like you should have the THE END IS NIGH sandwich board this week

    16
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    Mute Sandra Duffy
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 9:42 AM

    Seems like Northeners still have a lot of catching up to do judging by the comments. Shame how long it takes for a previously war-torn community to recover and make real social progress.

    19
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    Mute Meanderingsz
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 10:08 AM

    judging by the comments from southern contributors you mean, please stop making a fool of yourself.

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    Mute Jester VonDoom
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 1:10 PM

    no need for that sort of rudeness now

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    Mute Larissa Caroline Nikolaus
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 2:45 PM

    If you ever wonder about the need for LGBT pride, just read the comments section of any LGBT related article here on the journal.

    9
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    Mute Armonline
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    Aug 2nd 2016, 1:28 PM

    Better picture for this than the one that was in Dublin. At least it shows 2 people showing affection for each other, the Dublin one struck me as 2 lads staggering drunk out of a pub.

    5
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