PUL – Page 82 – Extramural Activity

The Men From Ballyclare & District

2017-09-042024-12-26Extramural Activity2 Comments

On 20 August 1943, second pilot Sergeant John Erskine and the Liberator crew of seven others failed to return from a convoy patrol of the west of Ireland (59 Squadron). Erksine and 28 others from WWII (and one from the Korean War) are commemorated in a new mural in Erskine Park, Ballyclare. It’s not known if the street name is connected to Sergeant John.

The left-hand portrait is of Edward Girvan, from Ballynure, who was killed on the H.M.S. Repulse, when it was attacked by Japanese aircraft and struck by torpedo bombs in the South China Sea on December 10th, 1941 (WP).

The soldier in the centre of the mural wears the emblem of the Royal Ulster Rifles, Parachute Regiment on his cap. William Johnston 7018189 and George Williamson 7022501 are listed (on the right) as riflemen in airborne battalions of the RUR, but this appears to be a reproduction of an original painting of an RUR major.

Like the WWI Ballyclare & District mural, the UDA are on the side wall – see the wide shot, below.

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Copyright © 2017 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X04450 X04453 lest we forget in honoured memory life or service

He Died That We Might Live

2017-08-232024-12-26Extramural Activity2 Comments

UVF volunteer John Hanna was 19 years old when he was killed by “the enemies of Ulster” (the IRA) at his home on Donegall Road in the Village. This new board is in Prince Andrew Park, just off Donegall Road. “Always remembered by the officers and volunteers South Belfast [2nd Batt Sandy Row] UVF”.

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Copyright © 2017 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X04312 greater love no man hath ycv

Fearfully And Wonderfully Made

2017-08-222024-12-26Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The picture tells a thousand words and a few more are added around the top: “Individual, unique, cherished, treasured, miraculous, fearfully & wonderfully made. Survivor!” This is Mark Ervine’s piece for #HitTheEast. In the in-progress shot below, Mark stands aside to let a local try her hand.

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Copyright © 2017 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Where Is The Integrity In Murder?

2017-08-162024-12-26Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Twenty-five victims of five “Shankill atrocities” – at the Four Step Inn, the Balmoral Furniture Store, Mountainview Bar, Bayardo Bar, and (from the 1990s) Frizzell’s fish shop – are remembered in an updated board in Dundee Street. The central image remains 17-month-old Colin Nichol in the arms of ambulance man Bob Scott. (See the Peter Moloney Collection for the previous version. Before that, there was a painted version on Bellevue Street: Where is our truth?)

“30 years of indiscriminate slaughter by so-called non-sectarian Irish freedom fighters. Provisional Sinn Fein demands “equality/respect/integrity”. No military targets! No economic targets! No legitimate targets! No enquiries! No truth! No justice! Where is the “equality” in justice? Where is the “respect” for Protestants? Where is the “integrity” in murder? We remember the victims of Provisional Sinn Fein genocide.”

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Copyright © 2017 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X04416 X04417 X04418 donated by the Kinner family

Common Sense

2017-08-142024-12-26Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The Ulster Political Research Group (UPRG) (Tw | Fb) is an advisory body to the UDA and produced Common Sense (available at CAIN) in 1987 (and before that, in 1979, NUPRG produced Beyond The Religious Divide, which is mentioned in the long-standing John McMichael mural in Lemberg Street (see We Must Share The Responsibility); this is the side-wall to the new C Coy South Belfast UDA/UFF/UDU/UYM/LPA mural in Tavanagh Street.

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Copyright © 2017 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X04399 X04400 X04401 quis separabit terrae filius

Lough Monster

2017-08-122024-12-26Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Sculptor Elaine Taylor (Tw | Fb) makes creations out of wire (see images at Studio Souk). For her Hit The East mural she has created what looks like a wire robot monster rising out of the lough to terrorise east Belfast.