Larne

Flags Of The Kingdoms

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The road in Glynn is painted with loyal emblems and slogans: on one side of a red hand in a six-pointed star, “God save our Queen” with the Union Flag, and on the other “No surrender – 1690” with the constituent flags of England (St George’s Cross), Scotland (St Andrew’s Saltire), and Ireland (St Patrick’s Cross). Above the road painting is the arch, on one side of which is the traditional King Billy and on the other a soldier (perhaps covering both WWI and the B Specials & UDR) standing in front of a cross.

For the Lambeg drums at the Eleventh celebrations, see While I Live I’ll Crow.

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While I Live I’ll Crow

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Lambeg drums can be as loud as 120 decibels – as loud as small aircraft. The skin is goat and the wood is typically oak, the middle part – or “shell” can be painted, with biblical, Orange, or loyal iconography: in the three close-ups presented here we see HMS Thrasher (which was docked for a time in Larne (Fb)), King Billy and the cock of the north, “the late Sir H[enry] Wilson” a high-ranking British Army soldier who was a supporter of the Ulster Volunteers and proponent of the Curragh “mutiny” (WP). The drums were played as part of the Eleventh celebrations in Glynn.

Here are 20 clips from the BBC programme Come Listen To Me Boys.

For another drum shell, see 100 Years Of Service.

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100 Years Of Service

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“100 years of service for the love of one’s country – 1921-2021.” Cairncastle flute band (Fb) marks the centenary of Northern Ireland and local military force with a special shell on one of their drums. The Special Constabulary was founded in 1920, in advance of partition and the creation of Northern Ireland (The Irish Story) and survived until 1970 when the UDR was established; this in turn became part of the RIR in 1992 and the RIR exists to this day.

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Pledged To Your Service

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“I have in sincerity pledged myself to your service, as so many of you are pledged to mine.” Boyne Square (Larne) celebrates “70 glorious years” (the platinum jubilee) of Elizabeth. The quotation comes from Elizabeth’s coronation speech (Royal UK); the image of Elizabeth appears to be from 1952, in Nottingham Council House.

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You’re In The Anderson’s Band

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This is the scene around the Boyne Square (Larne) bonfire, hours before it was set alight on 11th night. There are multiple flags from Constable Anderson Memorial flute band (and LOL 1297 Boyne Defenders); Clydevalley flute band “stand with Soldier F”. On the bonfire itself there are only loyal flags – compare with the Tricolours and electoral posters on the Sunnylands bonfire in Carrickfergus.

There’s also a sticker for live coverage of the Craigyhill bonfire on The ‘Gers TV.

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The Loyalist Executioner

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Here are dozen South East Antrim UDA boards along Shanlea Drive in Ballycraigy (Larne). The first four commemorate the massive bonfire built each year (see Commonwealth Handling Equipment) – “We lead, others follow”.

The middle are the most violent, showing volunteers wearing balaclavas and carrying assault rifles, with a poem about killing “Provos” which here seems to mean simply Catholics, as no IRA members were killed in either Ormeau or Greysteel. “The Provo’s fear the reaper/From the UFF he comes/The loyalist executioner/He brings judgment with his gun//He strikes when no one expects him too/From behind his hood cold eyes/The reaper brings stiff justice/As another Provo dies//He brought revenge for the Bann/ In Ormeau bookies five/And for the Shankill bombing/Greysteel was his reply//Sometimes his lust is chilling/As he goes about his task/The Provo’s fear the reaper/There’s death behind his mask.” There was a poem with the same sentiment in south Belfast (see The Reaper Come To Call) next to a mural of Eddie The Trooper.

Of the final four (the right-hand side) the historical photograph was the basis for a mural in south Belfast.

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Commonwealth Handling Equipment

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The Craigyhill (Larne) bonfire was officially measured at 202.3 feet in height, exceeding the existing Guinness World Record for tallest bonfire, a 199-ft pyre in Austria in 2019. More than 40,000 pounds was raised for the effort (Belfast Live). In preparation for lighting, houses around the green were boarded up with sheets of plywood (see below).

The red and blue pallets mostly go at the bottom because they are sturdier pallets; they are also longer lasting and more expensive to produce. The red pallets come from La Palette Rouge while the blue come from CHEP (Commonwealth Handling Equipment Pool) (Belfast Media). They can be legally bought or sold only by their respective companies.

In nearby Antiville, a bonfire builder fell to his death. See With Heart And Hand.

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With Heart And Hand

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The Antiville (Larne) bonfire was toppled and set alight on Sunday night after the death of one its builders, John Steele, who fell from it at about 9:30 p.m. the previous evening (Belfast Live video | BelTel | Belfast Live). The Antiville bonfire was perhaps 50 ft in height; the nearby Craigyhill bonfire, at 202 ft, continued to stand until it was lit at midnight on Monday night.

Many floral tributes were left along the fence of the adjacent Presbyterian church, including ones from other bonfire sites (Craigyhill, Old Mossley, Doonbeg), flute bands (Anderson Memorial, Ballycraigy Sons Of Ulster, Ladyhill, Cairncastle, North Down Defenders, Tullycarnet), UVF (Rathcoole RHC), and UDA (Tullycarnet); Steele’s funeral will take place on Thursday (Irish News).

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Larne – The Original Tourist Resort

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“Larne – the original tourist resort” going back to Larnians, Romans, Christians, vikings, the Scots (Edward The Bruce), the English (Sir Moyses Hill) but most particularly after 1842, when the Coast Road was finished, making Larne the “gateway to the Glens” and inspiring Henry McNeill to create the package holiday (see previously Those Magnificent Men In Their Flying Machines). Ships carrying tourists from America would ferry emigrants on the way back – Boyd’s souvenir shop (shown in the first panel, above) sold Irish linen to tourists and one-way tickets to New York. After a double whammy in the 1960s of the Troubles and easier access to Spain, “tourism is flourishing again” thanks to the Gobbins and Game Of Thrones.

In the same alley: The Battle Of Ulfreksfjord.

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The Battle Of Ulfreksfjord

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According to 13th century Icelandic historian Snorri Sturluson, The Battle Of Latharna (now Larne) took place in 1018 between Irish warriors and Orkney vikings at Larne Lough or “Ulfreksfjord” which name eventually became “Olderfleet”, to the south of the harbour.

This is the contribution of artist Kim Montgomery (web) to a Larne Council project to add art to the city centre (BelTel). See previously, Dawn Aston’s Dire Wolf.

Main St, Larne

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