The area surrounding the mural is currently undergoing major urban renewal. Belfast City Council has denied they were responsible for the whitewashing, saying the Department of Social Development is in charge of the renewal project.

The mural stretched the length of a wall underneath the M3 flyover at Bridge End, and read “teenage kicks so hard to beat”, lyrics from The Undertones’ classic Teenage Kicks.

One graffiti artist celebrated the life of influential BBC DJ John Peel with a small dedication added to the main painting after Peel’s death in 2004.

Peel was one of the most significant supporters of Derry-based The Undertones and other small Northern Irish punk bands during the 1970s. Famously, he played the Teenage Kicks single twice on a row on his popular show, leading to major commercial success for the song. It was also played at Peel’s funeral.

The rise of The Undertones and John Peel’s contributions to the Northern Irish music scene were recently recounted in Terri Hooley biopic Good Vibrations.

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