A trio of youth-focused pieces in the “Albertbridge Community Garden” by (presumably) Blaze FX.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2018/2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X05989 X05990 X05991 X02457 X05315
Sharing Space
PUL
The Northern Crusades
Crusaders – off to a perfect start of two wins – travel the mile and a half across north Belfast to Solitude to play Cliftonville at 3 this afternoon in the north Belfast derby. Today’s images are of the mural outside Seaview and the scene from the run-up to the team’s Irish Cup win over Ballinamallard (BBC-NI). In meetings between Crusaders and Cliftonville, Crusaders lead 151 wins to 84 (WP).
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X06618 X06619
Ballymoney UDA
UDA 3rd battalion [North Antrim & Londonderry brigade] in Carnany estate, Ballymoney.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X06662
Squeak Seymour Memorial Parade
The East Belfast UVF memorial parade primarily commemorates hitman Robert ‘Squeak’ Seymour, who killed the IRA’s James Burns in his own home in 1981. He was killed by the IRA in 1988. Here is video from the 2019 parade. Seymour’s portrait is included in Ballymacarrett (see Standing Guard) and in London Road (Ulster’s Brave).
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X06578 on the belvoir bar, Newtownards Rd
Another World
One Of Ulster’s Finest
“In memory of Gary McCann (Magoo) – one of Ulster’s finest. GBNF [Gone but not forgotten].” In addition to being a Linfield supporter, McCann was also a volunteer in the Village UVF. He died in 2016. See The Battalion Of The Dead.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X06732 X06733 [X06735] donegall ave
Weapons Of The UVF
The YCV WWI mural in Kitchener Drive has been removed and replaced with the modern weaponry above (with two small WWI boards on adjacent walls). For more on the UVF reasserting itself in the Village as it is redeveloped, see one | two | three | four | five | six.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X06727
British And Proud
The UDA roll of honour mural (led by John McMichael) in Rowland Way was blacked out in the mid-2000s but has been gradually reappearing since then. (The steps painted on the wall in front read “In proud memory of our fallen comrades who lost their lives in the conflict – we forget them not.”) The banner was used for the “flag protests” surrounding the flying of the Union Flag on Belfast City Hall (in 2012-2013) and then was first hung next to the King Billy mural at the bottom of the Row.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X06633 [X06632] X06631
Kingdom Of The Pretani
“Pretani” is the Brittonic version of the Greek term “Prettanoi”, possibly borrowed from the Gauls (WP), for the inhabitants of the two islands now known as Ireland and Britain, and “Cruthin” the Gaelic term. According to the eponymous web site, Dalaradia was “was a kingdom of the Cruthin in the north-east of Ireland and parts of Scotland in the first millennium” with the Cruthin being (more narrowly than above) a people in Antrim and Down with (in the middle of the mural) “the field of Crewe Hill, with the Ancient Crowning Stone of Ulster Kings” (REACH) in Glenavy (pretani.co.uk).
The WP page on the Cruthin notes, “The name Cruthin survives in the placenames Duncrun (Dún Cruithean, “fort of the Cruthin”) and Drumcroon (Droim Cruithean, “ridge of the Cruthin”) in County Londonderry, and Ballycrune (Bealach Cruithean, “pass of the Cruthin”) and Crown Mound (Áth Cruithean, “ford of the Cruthin”) in County Down. These placenames are believed to mark the edges of Cruthin territory.”
The towers of Rathcoole can be seen underneath the slogan “Respect, heritage, culture.” They also famously appear behind a trio of hooded gunmen in a Rathcoole mural.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X06706 [X06707] [X06708] carmeen dr
Thy Right Hand
“For I, the Lord thy God, will hold thy right hand, saying unto thee, “Fear not. I will help thee.” – Isaiah 41 v.13″ Jehovah’s promised protection for the people of Israel is invoked by his chosen people in the north of Ireland.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X06630
Extramural Activity 