Does any one remember that early in the 1960's those initials appeared writ large on the dome of the Belfast City Hall during rag week? It was a feat which I think many of us secretly admired. Yes it caused damage to the dome and for a long time after that the good citizens of the city had to put up with three different coloured patches of green covering the offending letters, until the colour weathered to match the rest of the dome. But how was it done? | Ropes The letters were very large. They had been painted overnight on the sloping surface. Did the culprits abseil from the top? How did they secrete themselves in the building during the day? Especially carrying ropes and all the paraphernalia for climbing. Then there were the containers of paint and the brushes too. This was planning for a rag stunt on a big scale. |
Who did it? Has anyone ever come forward to confess to being involved? - And to tell us the story behind the venture. It's long enough ago for someone to own up. Have you a photo of the dome during that time? |
YOUR RESPONSES
Rod Hamilton- February '08 The year was 1965, and I was editor of PTQ that year. The event was carried out by 3 students from the Belfast College of Technology. They hid in the building overnight, with their paint and brushes. I think there is a balustrade round the dome and they were able to walk round it. We knew nothing about it until the police came knocking on our door as we were obviously prime suspects!
| 
print version
POST A COMMENT ON THIS ARTICLE 