Bobby Sands Mural

You'll find this mural on a residential street in Lisburn, a short drive south of Belfast - it's become one of Northern Ireland's most visited pieces of street art, though the atmosphere around it is weighted with history rather than Instagram gloss. The mural depicts Bobby Sands, the IRA hunger striker who died in the Maze Prison in 1981, rendered in stark black and white by artist Tom Bates. It's large, impossible to miss, and visitors stand quietly in front of it - there's not much joking around here.

History buffs and anyone interested in Irish political identity will find it significant. It's a sobering stop rather than an uplifting one, so manage expectations accordingly. The mural sits on a regular street with houses and traffic - there's no visitor centre, no café, just the artwork and the weight of what it represents. Allow 15 minutes, maybe longer if you want to absorb the context.

You won't pay to see it. It's free, accessible any time, though naturally you'll get better photographs in daylight. If you're basing yourself at Dundonald Touring Caravan Park or The Pods at Streamvale for a Northern Ireland break, this works as a cultural detour between Belfast's city centre and your accommodation. Fair warning though - it's a serious memorial rather than a cheerful family outing. Adults and older teenagers will get something from standing in front of it; young kids might find it confusing.