THIS WAS MY SECOND TIME TO PHOTOGRAPH THIS SCULPTURE
Y SECOND TIME TO PHOTOGRAPH THE BLACKBIRD'S BAND [DROMARA STREET IN BELFAST 9 JULY 2026]
The Blackbird’s Band: A Magical Find on Dromara Street, Belfast
Tucked away at the junction of Dromara Street and the bustling Ormeau Road in South Belfast sits a public artwork that effortlessly bridges industrial grit and fairytale folklore. Known locally as The Blackbird’s Band (part of the Blackbird of Belfast Lough twin installations), this sculpture demands that you pause, step closer, and let your imagination take over.
Created by Italian-born, Belfast-based visual artist Daniela Balmaverde, the piece was commissioned by Belfast City Council and unveiled in late 2010 as part of a cross-community project celebrating local culture and diversity.
♫ "The small bird chirp-chirruped: yellow neb, a note-spurt..." — Seamus Heaney
A Song Carved in Steel and Bronze
The sculpture relies on a striking contrast of materials that tells a story of Belfast’s dual soul.
The Backdrop: Sweeping, elegant ribbons of Corten steel arch gracefully from the earth. Over time, the steel has weathered into a deep, rust-orange patina. This rugged, earthy metal is a direct nod to Belfast’s famous industrial heritage of shipbuilding, foundry work, and heavy engineering.
The Musicians: Nestled within these heavy steel waves are whimsical, highly detailed figures cast in bronze. These are not stoic monuments, but a joyous, magical woodland band caught mid-performance.
Peer closely at the bronze work and you will spot the charming details:
A hare, completely lost in the melody, playing a flute.
A hedgehog keeping a steady, lively beat on a traditional Irish bodhrán drum.
A third companion strumming a stringed instrument.
Together, they are performing the song of the Blackbird of Belfast Lough.
The 9th-Century Lyrics
Cut directly into the weathered steel ribbons—allowing the Northern Irish sky and green grass to filter through—are the lyrics to their song. The text is in Old Irish, taken from a renowned 9th-century poem ("Int én bec" or "The Little Bird").
Originally scribbled in the margins of a Latin manuscript by an anonymous monk distracted by a bird's whistle outside his cell, this tiny fragment of verse is considered one of the earliest examples of Irish secular poetry. The monk was likely writing at the great monastery of Bangor on the southern shore of Belfast Lough (Loch Laíg). The poem has since been translated by Irish literary giants including Seamus Heaney and Ciaran Carson, and the blackbird itself serves as the official emblem of the Seamus Heaney Centre at Queen's University Belfast.
The Sister Sculpture & The Great Christmas Miracle
What many visitors do not realise is that the Dromara Street piece has a twin. Its sister sculpture sits just a short walk away in the grounds of the Ormeau Road Library. In November 2023, the library's bronze blackbird was tragically stolen from its plinth, sparking outrage and heartbreak in the local community. Remarkably, following a widespread public appeal, the stolen artwork was safely recovered and reinstated just in time for Christmas in December 2023.
This piece was most recently photographed on 9 July 2026 under the soft, shifting Belfast light. To capture the fine, tactile details of the bronze animal musicians against the wide, sweeping curves of the Corten steel, a Sony A7RVI paired with a razor-sharp FE 24mm F1.4 GM lens was used, allowing the warm rust tones and intricate metal textures to truly sing.
The Blackbird’s Band: A Magical Find on Dromara Street, Belfast
Tucked away at the junction of Dromara Street and the bustling Ormeau Road in South Belfast sits a public artwork that effortlessly bridges industrial grit and fairytale folklore. Known locally as The Blackbird’s Band (part of the Blackbird of Belfast Lough twin installations), this sculpture demands that you pause, step closer, and let your imagination take over.
Created by Italian-born, Belfast-based visual artist Daniela Balmaverde, the piece was commissioned by Belfast City Council and unveiled in late 2010 as part of a cross-community project celebrating local culture and diversity.
♫ "The small bird chirp-chirruped: yellow neb, a note-spurt..." — Seamus Heaney
A Song Carved in Steel and Bronze
The sculpture relies on a striking contrast of materials that tells a story of Belfast’s dual soul.
The Backdrop: Sweeping, elegant ribbons of Corten steel arch gracefully from the earth. Over time, the steel has weathered into a deep, rust-orange patina. This rugged, earthy metal is a direct nod to Belfast’s famous industrial heritage of shipbuilding, foundry work, and heavy engineering.
The Musicians: Nestled within these heavy steel waves are whimsical, highly detailed figures cast in bronze. These are not stoic monuments, but a joyous, magical woodland band caught mid-performance.
Peer closely at the bronze work and you will spot the charming details:
A hare, completely lost in the melody, playing a flute.
A hedgehog keeping a steady, lively beat on a traditional Irish bodhrán drum.
A third companion strumming a stringed instrument.
Together, they are performing the song of the Blackbird of Belfast Lough.
The 9th-Century Lyrics
Cut directly into the weathered steel ribbons—allowing the Northern Irish sky and green grass to filter through—are the lyrics to their song. The text is in Old Irish, taken from a renowned 9th-century poem ("Int én bec" or "The Little Bird").
Originally scribbled in the margins of a Latin manuscript by an anonymous monk distracted by a bird's whistle outside his cell, this tiny fragment of verse is considered one of the earliest examples of Irish secular poetry. The monk was likely writing at the great monastery of Bangor on the southern shore of Belfast Lough (Loch Laíg). The poem has since been translated by Irish literary giants including Seamus Heaney and Ciaran Carson, and the blackbird itself serves as the official emblem of the Seamus Heaney Centre at Queen's University Belfast.
The Sister Sculpture & The Great Christmas Miracle
What many visitors do not realise is that the Dromara Street piece has a twin. Its sister sculpture sits just a short walk away in the grounds of the Ormeau Road Library. In November 2023, the library's bronze blackbird was tragically stolen from its plinth, sparking outrage and heartbreak in the local community. Remarkably, following a widespread public appeal, the stolen artwork was safely recovered and reinstated just in time for Christmas in December 2023.
This piece was most recently photographed on 9 July 2026 under the soft, shifting Belfast light. To capture the fine, tactile details of the bronze animal musicians against the wide, sweeping curves of the Corten steel, a Sony A7RVI paired with a razor-sharp FE 24mm F1.4 GM lens was used, allowing the warm rust tones and intricate metal textures to truly sing.
BLACKBIRD'S BAND