Lisburn/Dunmurry

The Great War And The Recent Conflict

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“In remembrance of all those Ulster men and women from the greater Dunmurry area who died during the Great Wars 1914-18 and 1939-45. Also those men and women who died during the recent conflict. Lest we forget.” These are the same words as appeared on a plaque on the previous memorial, which included the Special Constabulary. In the background is a “Welcome to loyalist Seymour Hill” board with flags and poppies, along with a 2021 tarp reading “Seymour Hill says no to the Irish Sea border”.

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Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Donncha Mac Nıallaıs

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“Óglach, gaeılgeoır, gníomhaí, Cara. Ár mbuíochas leat. [Volunteer (in the IRA), Irish-speaker, activist, friend. Our thanks to you]” Mac Nıallaıs was imprisoned in 1976 (Belfast Telegraph) and went on the blanket – here is his mother, Mary, protesting his treatment: Do You Care? Upon his release in 1986 he took up community work and political activism in Derry, including a prominent role the parade protests in the mid-90s (see No Sectarian Marches | No Consent No Parade). (Derry Journal) The mural is by local artists Razer and (Donncha’s brother) Paddy Nelis (BelTel).

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Copyright © 2022 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
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Byrne Out, Foster Out

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Arlene Foster yesterday repeated her demand that the Chief Constable of the PSNI Simon Byrne resign over the DPP’s decision not to pursue any prosecutions in connection with the Bobby Storey funeral (BelTel). Residents of the Fountain in Londonderry – in a stencil painted before the current rioting – want both of them to step down.

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Copyright © 2021 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
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Make Your Mama Cry

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“It’s no lie – drugs will make your mama cry!” Sisters Bridget and Geraldine McKay died within three weeks of each other, one from heroin and the other from prescription dugs (iTV | BelfastLive | BelTel). Between them, they leave nine children behind. The graffiti above is at the Colin transport hub, not far from Geraldine’s Suffolk Road home; Bridget lived in the New Lodge flats.

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Copyright © 2019 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Loyalist Ballymacash

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Ballymacash estate, now part of Lisburn, was once a village around the location of Drayne’s Farm, with a school at the junction of Glenavy, Brokerstown, Ballymacash, and Nettlehill roads. Lisburn.com has a history of the area. Today it is famous for its enormous 11th night bonfire (see Ballymacash Bonfire, as well as Skull & Crossbones | Death & Life).

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Pride Of Ballymacash

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The Pride Of Ballymacash flute band, formed in 2011 from the Pride Of Prince William (bottom left) and Ballymacash Young Conquerors (bottom right), uses the emblem of the 36th (Ulster) Division, in the centre of the mural. In the background on the left is the Thiepval Memorial and, on the right, the UDR memorial statue in Market Square, Lisburn. To the left (in the second image) is a UDA plaque “In memory of fallen comrades Ballymacash B coy D battaltion, South Belfast Brigade. Quis separabit.” For a close-up of the memorial on the ground, see Death & Life.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Death & Life

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The skull-and-crossbones is the emblem of the Ballymacash Young Conquerors, which merged with the Pride Of Prince William in 2011 to form the Pride Of Ballymacash. (Fb)  The symbol is a potent one, however, and still used by the new band in addition to its own. In the mural in its memorial garden, it is surrounded by poppies, thistles, and orange lilies. If you know the name of the young man in the memorial display (second image), please comment/get in touch.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Guard Bear

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The Milltown bonfire will be lit tonight during “11th night” celebrations. It’s not clear if the teddy-bear who was on guard last week goes with it.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Skull And Crossbones

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The skull and crossbones was the emblem of the Ballymacash Young Conquerors flute band in Lisburn, and it is still used by members of the new band, the Pride Of Ballymacash (Fb).

For close-ups of the bonfire in the background of the second image, see Ballymacash Bonfire.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Ballymacash Bonfire

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The bonfire in Ballymacash, Lisburn, is big and getting bigger in recent years, and generating some controversy (e.g. 2015 BelTel | 2017 BelTel) which is perhaps the reason for the “No shooting – police notified” sign in the final image. This year is no exception, as today’s images make clear. The third shows that the pyre can be seen over the tops of the houses. Here is drone footage of the 2017 bonfire.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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