The previous board in this location said “‘yes’ to a better future” beneath a tiger, a rainbow, and a DJ at his turntables (see an image at CCDL). That future, it seems, is to go back to a mural similar to the one prior to 2009 – You’re entering Loyalist Tiger’s Bay – though the explicit UDA/UFF insignia are gone, leaving only the clenched fist.
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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Approximately 10 million military personnel and 7 million civilians died in WWI, with massive losses coming in August-September-October of 1914, as German forces invaded Belgium and northern France, before being stopped at the Marne and entrenching at the Aisne; both sides then attempted to out-flank one another in a “race to the sea” (WP – Invasion | WP – Casualties). The dead of those first months – including German forces (see third image, below) – are commemorated in a new monument, a granite stone with six sides, like a rock from the Giant’s Causeway, in Woodvale Park (BelTel | NewsLetter). A searchable database of 10,000 Irish soldiers who died in Belgium is now available at the In Flanders Fields Project.
Video of the launch on 2014-10-17
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X02337 X02338 X02339 the great war we shall not see them lit again in our time sir edward grey british expeditionary force 1914 lost generation armée française generation perdue mons 23 august le cateau 26 august marne 5 september aisne 13 spetember yser 17 october ypres 19 october kaiserliche deutsche armee gott mit uns verlorene generation belgish leger verloren generatie angel of mons belfast city coat of arms
This new work in the Somme memorial Garden Of Reflection (between the Shankill graveyard and the Mountainview Tavern), places two headstones (both reading “A soldier of the great war”) in a flower-bed, in front of a mural. The mural shows a soldier, presumably from the Ulster division, on the fields of Flanders: “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. 1914-2014”
Previously from the Garden: Reflections On The Somme | Somme Memorial; and from the graveyard: Queen Of Ireland, Empress Of India | Interment
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Demolition work in the upper Ballysillan area makes for Mondrian-style artwork (WP).
In the shot below: anti-LVF graffiti on the same wall. See also the painted-over LVF mural in the street.
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November 11th is Remembrance Day or Armistice day, the anniversary of the cease-fire of the first world war, while 2014 is the centenary year of the beginning of the war in 1914. As part of this year’s commemoration, a very striking giant poppy has sprouted in the middle of the Manse Road roundabout. A close-up is included below: “We will remember them 1914-2014”.
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At the same time that the new David Ervine board was put in place, the existing board next to it, which dates to 2008, was spruced up. The image above is a wide shot of both boards, while the image below shows the commemorative casting in front. For the original board, see David Ervine; for explanations of the sculpture, including its pipe, prayer-book, ticket, and boots, see Memory Chair.
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“He had the courage to climb out of the traditional trenches, meet the enemy in no man’s land and play ball with him.” David Ervine was a UVF member, arrested in 1974 and served six years in the Maze before turning to politics. He first ran for office in 1985 and represented East Belfast in the NI Assembly from 1998 until his death in 2007. The new board, above, shows Ervine’s silhouette in a wreath of poppies along with pictures of and information about his life; the image below of the lower left-hand side includes a photograph of Ervine with Gusty Spence.
Video of the launch (on 2014-11-01) is available at U.tv
The info plaque on the right describes the Memory Chair sculpture in front of the first Ervine board.
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21st july 1953 8th january 2007 red hand comrades association progressive unionist party of northern ireland
“David Ervine was born in nearby Chamberlain Street, the youngest of five children. A lifelong supporter of Glentoran Football Club he was a true son of East Belfast. David attended Avoniel Primary School and Orangefield Boys High School. Leaving school before his fifteenth birthday he began his working life in an atmosphere of tension and violent confrontation. At nineteen he joined the UF. He was arrested in 1974 and served five years in Long Kesh, a wasteland that he and other prisoners transformed into a place of personal and political growth and development. A founding member of the Progressive Unionist Party and its most articulate spokesperson, he was elected to the Northern Ireland Forum, Belfast City Council and the Northern Ireland Assembly. David Ervine was a truly inspirational leader. With vision and courage he led his community from violence to peace, winning the respect of friend and foe alike. He gave voice to the common man and woman acting always in the interest of peace and his beloved Ulster.”
The original ‘Flower Pot Men’ was a radio show in 1951 and then a television series in December 1952; it featured the adventures/mishaps of two flower pot men, ending – because they were identical – with the question ‘Which of those two flower pot men – was it Bill or was it Ben?” The few (10? IMDb) episodes produced were repeated until 1970. “Bill” and “Ben” were the names of the younger brothers of creator Hilda Brabban and ‘Little Weed’ was based on her younger sister, Phyllis (Toonhound | Daze Of Our Lives). The characters were revived in 2001 and given a new look; the garden ornaments above from in a yard in Monkstown are based on the modern pair, though painted in red, white, and blue.
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This graffiti on the hoardings around the building-site at the top of Woodvale Road is in reference to the on-going dispute at Twaddell Avenue, which is just to the right of the PSNI land-rover in the right of frame – each night Orange bands march up to the police line, attempting to march past the Ardoyne shops and finish a parade from the Twelfth (of July) 2013.
See previously: Civil Rights Camp | Twaddell Protest Camp | Supporters Club
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October 23rd marks the anniversary of the bombing of Frizzell’s fishmongers on the Shankill Road, above which the Shankill UDA and LPA had their headquarters. The bomb exploded prematurely, killing nine people, including the owner and three members of his family, and one of the IRA bombers (also memorialized, by a plaque in Ardoyne), and injuring 57 others. The meeting whose attendees were the intended target had ended early. The memorial includes a cross of poppies and an engraving of the (old) exterior – the memorial is on the wall of the new building (shown below), the old one having collapsed as a result of the bomb. (WP)
See previously: Where Is Our Truth? which (in one of its panels) reproduces the scene after the bombing.
For the original (top) plaque by itself, see M07536.
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X02155 X02157 1.05 pm saturday 1993 terrorist John Sharon McBride Leanne Murray Michael Morrison Evelyn Michelle Baird George Gillian Williamson Wilma McKee Thomas Begley Seán Kelly
Extramural Activity 