“Newtownabbey stands against racism” held down with a small sticker of the Palestinian flag.
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Copyright © 2024 Ronan Woods
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Newtownabbey Stands Against Racism
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War And Peace
A new tribute to UDA assassin Stevie “Top Gun” McKeag has been put in place in the lower Shankill, replacing the flat-capped version of 2016.
The main-streaming of McKeag continues with this new display: in the previous version he was presented in soldierly garb but as a soldier of the UDA; now, one would be forgiven for thinking that McKeag was a soldier in the British Army, given that the “military commander”‘s beret is now green (rather than grey) and now adorned by a poppy (rather than the UFF star), both complementing the commando-style sweater he is wearing. He is also being mourned by band leaders in ceremonial dress, such as is worn by the Royal Regiment Of Scotland (dress regulations pdf) when serving as equerries to the royal family.
In the right-hand side-wall, the UDU, the poppies, and the graveside mourners are used to put McKeag’s actions in the context of resistance to Home Rule and the British Army’s role in the Great War. McKeag killed at least a dozen Catholics between 1990 and 1998 (WP). He is shown here smiling.
The Leo Tolstoy quotation on the side-wall is unpacked in the entry at the Paddy Duffy Collection.
Not only does this display replace the previous display, but the paint from previous murals (and perhaps a layer of plaster) was removed, until the original mural on the wall, of “King Rat” (D01005), was reached. It then appears that the new display was mounted on top of this. The following image is from May 15th:
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Dump Inside
This is a 2024 revisiting of the waste-ground (an old weaving factory) at the Westlink corner of the Village, south Belfast. Compared to 2023 (see This Area Needs Social Housing), there is some UVF graffiti (some of which has been covered over with heart stickers – see also Smothered In Kisses) and many new flags, including the row overlooking the Westlink (in the tenth image) among which are the flags of Israel and Ukraine.
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Copyright © 2024 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Loyalist Lower Shankill
Symbols of loyalism and unionism in Hopewell Avenue and Crescent during marching season.
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Copyright © 2024 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Shankill Old Boys
“The cry was no surrender” – in preparation for the Twelfth, Ulster Banners, the Union Flag are posted along a fence in upper Shankill below a Shankill Old Boys (Fb) tarp and a band flag using St Patrick’s Saltire as a background. On the big day, the band paraded (Parades’ Commission) from the Shankill into the city centre (youtube), and back again after the demonstration in Barnett’s Demense (GOLI).
With a pair of bonus Shankill Star (Fb) t-shirts.
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Copyright © 2024 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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I Will Plant Them, That They May Dwell In A Place Of Their Own
The two passages cited here have been cited before on the side wall at the junction of the Limestone Road and N Queen St, with images of Orange symbols and Union Flags, in order to promise that Your Kingdom Will Endure Forever. That theme has now been invoked in upper Tiger’s Bay, to celebrate the latest king (Charles III) of the everlasting kingdom demarcated by the shields of the “four nations” in the corners of the main gable, Northern Ireland included.
The people in question in the second book of Samuel are the people of Israel but as with previous scriptural references on the lower wall (Lamentations | Chronicles | Revelations | Psalms | Genesis), the Protestant people in Ireland and Britain are under discussion (though they might also refer to contemporary Israel).
In the King James version, 2 Samuel 7:10-16 the prophet Nathan is speaking to David: “Moreover I will appoint a place for my people Israel, and will plant them, that they may dwell in a place of their own, and move no more; neither shall the children of wickedness afflict them any more, as beforetime, and as since the time that I commanded judges to be over my people Israel, and have caused thee to rest from all thine enemies. Also the Lord telleth thee that he will make thee an house. And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men: But my mercy shall not depart away from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away before thee. And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.”
In Luke 1:31-33, an angel is speaking to Mary: “And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”
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Copyright © 2024 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The Shankill Arch 2024
“This arch was erected in memory of Bro. William (Belter) Bell, LOL 633. It has been kindly donated by the Bell family circle. 14th June 2024”
Speeches at the launch (youtube) note that the arch was not displayed during the Troubles (News Letter (paywall) says mid-60s), and was stored on the roofs of nearby shops for the sixty years since. Businessman Ian Bell (of video gaming companies Slightly Mad (WP | Belfast Live) and Straight4) is also specified as the main sponsor of the arch’s restoration, in memory of his father, who died on June 7th, 2008.
See also: the arch in Denmark Street (lower Shankill) in 2022 and 2023.
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Leader Of The Band
Jayden Braniff passed away in August in 2023 (Fb) from neuroblastoma. He was made an honorary member of the Pride Of Ballymacash (Lisburn) flute band (Fb). He is remembered by the Pride Of Ardoyne (Fb) and the Shankill Protestant Boys (Fb) in a tarp in Lawnbrook Avenue (upper Shankill, Belfast), next to the Walter Smith/Rangers tarp (one | two) and near his father’s house (Funeral Times).
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Copyright © 2024 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Get The Brits Out
“… to vote”, in the upcoming Westminster election. These posters are all over the Shankill in anticipation of the election on July 4th. They don’t recommend any particular party, but the free-floating Northern Ireland indicates that a unionist candidate is meant, which would mean Frank McCoubrey (DUP), Ben Sharkey (UUP) or Ann McClure in Belfast West and Phillip Brett (DUP) or David Clarke (TUV) in Belfast North, where no UUP candidate is standing (BBC).
Also available as a t-shirt! – see below.
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Copyright © 2024 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Reforming The Union
The electoral pact between the TUV and Reform UK for the Westminster elections on July 4th – announced in March (BBC) – was abruptly thrown into disarray when Nigel Farage, who decided to stand only at the last moment and was made leader of Reform UK (Sky News), endorsed the DUP’s Sammy Wilson in East Antrim (as opposed to the TUV’s Matthew Warwick) and Ian Paisley Jr in North Antrim (rather than TUV leader Jim Allister). Candidates in other constituencies continue to have Reform’s support (BelTel | BBC).
Farage in the Dark Horse courtyard: Sweet Rockall.
The placard above is on the Ballysillan Road, north Belfast.
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Extramural Activity 