All of these images are of different parts of the Somme memorial next to the Shankill graveyard. There is an opening in the graveyard boundary wall which leads into the Somme memorial garden. The Mountainview Tavern, which featured several times during the troubles, can be seen behind the memorial, as well as the spire of St. Matthew’s Church.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00716 X00725 X00717 X00718 1st shankill somme 36th ulster division this memorial was erected by the office bearers and members of the 1st shankill somme association it is dedicated in solemn but glorious memory to those brave and gallant men from the greater shankill who served with the 36th (ulster) division and were immortalised on the fields of france and flanders during the great war 1914-1918, lest we forget, 1st july 1916, it stands also as a tribute to the men and women of the greater shankill, who in the many conflicts which followed the great war, fought with courage and defiance for crown and country and made the ultimate sacrifice ‘at the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them;

oh you who sleep in flanders fields sleep sweet to rise anew we caught the torch you threw and holding high we keep the faith with all who died, we cherish too the poppy red that grows on fields were valour led, it seems to signal to the skies that blood of heroes never dies but lends a lustre to the red of the flower that blooms above the dead in flanders fields, and now the torch and poppy red we wear in honour of our dead fear not that ye have died for naught we’ll teach the lesson that ye wrought in flanders fields carson inspects local volunteers at fernhill house glencairn 36th ulster division, ulster volunteer force, the 2nd west belfast battalion