PUL

A Matter Of Life And Death

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Eddie The Trooper is a British red-coat version of Iron Maiden’s Eddie The Head. And “These Colours Don’t Run” is a song from the band’s 2006 album A Matter Of Life And Death. The phrase is a pun equating the colours of the flag with the army beneath it – neither the colours nor the army “runs”. This lower Shankill sticker, from Rangers FC “ultra” supporters the ‘Union Bears’ (Fb | web) is on the side of a butt bucket – another reason for not running.

The specific design seems to be the most recent version from Londonderry – see Eddie The Trooper’s own Visual History page.

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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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There Is A Light That Never Goes Out

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“Glentoran FC. Pride of Ulster.” Two examples from the Glentoran sticker campaign in the early months of the year, before coronavirus put and end to the season and the players on furlough. See previously Le Coq Sportif.

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Reading Between The Lines

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Dominic Cummings, advisor to the ruling Conservative party in the UK government, was a source of controversy and widespread derision in May when he claimed that he had driven (during the coronavirus lockdown) from London to Durham in order to deliver his son to his grandparents and then to Barnard Castle to test his eyesight (WP). Protestations of disbelief and calls for his resignation were widespread, including the amendment to the east Belfast graffiti shown above: “We’re in this together – except for Cummings”. For the original, see Inspiring Belfast.

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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Loyalist In Lockdown

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Due to the coronavirus pandemic, people celebrating the Twelfth yesterday were encouraged to maintain physical distance from others by staying in their gardens as the bands marched by. Homeowners decorated their properties (perhaps using these Twelfth At Home packs in Lurgan). Here is video from the Belfast Telegraph of yesterday’s marches.

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Tour Of Clough

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The Red Hand Defenders flute band will commence its march from the Clough (Co. Down) Orange hall at 12:30 and its route will take it under the Orange arch in Main Street, shown here, with King Billy flanked by portraits of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip (on the left) and soldiers from the 36th (Ulster) Division (on the right). It will visit the houses in Jordanstown, Church Grove, Church Court, and Claragh Court (PC).

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Copyright © 2020 Sabine Troendle (web | Fb)
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Stay Apart

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Here is the bonfire in Pitt Park (east Belfast) that was set alight yesterday evening for “Eleventh Night” (for some images see this Kevin Scott gallery). This year, due to the coronavirus pandemic, there is a banner advising people to “Stay 1m apart! Thank you”, in addition to nationalist symbols such as the Irish Tricolour.

For the mural in the background, see Culture Threatens No One.

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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Battle Of The Bug

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Flags are flying in east Belfast in preparation for this year’s marching season (and the 75th anniversary of VE Day. All seems normal but the coronavirus epidemic has meant the cancellation of many parades for this year’s Twelfth (which will be celebrated on Monday, the 13th) and a social media campaign to get people to stay at their homes and “let the band come to you” (Newsletter | Irish Times | BBC).

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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Thank You, NHS

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Union flags with “Thank You NHS” in east Belfast, one (above) in front of “Freedom Corner” on Newtownards Road (for the recent history of the mural on the right, see East Belfast Brigade) and another (below) in Ballarat Street.

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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Orange Memorial Hall

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The foundation stone for North Belfast Memorial Hall (Fb) was laid by Edward Carson in 1923 (Fb) to a plan by Gabriel Porte. Here is the facade in brilliant sunshine, with a banner in support of NHS staff during the coronavirus pandemic. “Thank you to all our NHS staff and essential workers from the local Orange family together fighting Covid-19.”

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As The Stars Are Known To The Night

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William McFadzean won a VC for sacrificing himself on the morning before the Battle Of The Somme (in WWI) and is commemorated in several murals. He shares a plaque here with “Vol W Miller”, who is perhaps the (modern UVF) volunteer Billy Miller from Donegall Pass who was killed in an RUC ambush in 1983 (Long Kesh I/O). The two names on the newer plaque are unknown on-line, perhaps having survived the Troubles and being recently deceased.

The title of today’s post comes from the Laurence Binyon poem For The Fallen.

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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X07249 X07251 X07250 replaces the old Titanic mural in Ballarat St