John Burns’s paintings are a familiar sight in shops and homes in and around west Belfast and particularly the Falls Road.
Originally from Belgrade Street in the Lower Falls, most of his works captured the pre-Troubles city of the 1940s and ‘50s.
Having discovered a love of painting as a pupil at St Comgall’s school, over a period of 40 years he would take commissions to paint scenes of people’s cherished childhood memories, often the streets of the old Pound Loney.
Always happy to please patrons, he would sometimes make changes by adding family members standing at certain houses or changing their clothes to match their recollections.
Many of his paintings have been sent around the world to nostalgic emigrants, while a depiction of the old Smithfield market in Belfast city centre was made into postcards.
John once said that when he goes, his paintings will live on after him. Though a self-taught artist, his work has been considered an important contribution to the history of Belfast.
A roof tiler and plumber by trade, John was also a keen cyclist in his youth for St Gabriel’s,along with his brother Eamon, and often related his adventures cycling around Ireland in his teens.
A lover of music, wildlife, local radio, gardening and local history, he painted well into his late seventies but had to stop due to ill health.
He died in the Ulster Hospital on Monday after several years in nursing homes. He was 82.
Until the end he had a keen memory of childhood times, was often in good spirits and frequently sang the songs he learnt as a child.
John’s funeral Mass take place at the Church of the Nativity, Poleglass at 10am today.
He is survived by his wife Maura, siblings Eamon and Susan, children Martin, Fiona, John, Kevin and Angela, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.