Thiepval St.

The nameplate on the lower corner of Northland Street now reads “Thiepval Street” and the Thiepval board above adorns the end wall (replacing an earlier mural to UVF A Company 5th platoon; the stone shown below, although not present in 2006, perhaps belongs to the era of the previous mural). On the other side of Conway Street is/was North Howard Walk where a plate now reads “Passchendaele Court“. It’s not clear whether the names have been changed officially or not. The names are unofficial (as of November 15th, 2012). In the New Lodge earlier this year (April-May, 2012), Fishers Court became McGurk’s Way (U.tvBBC-NI).

Close-ups of the board and the stones below …

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X00731 X00734 X00732 X00736 u.v.f. when the last war is waged and the last post is played when the last boy is laid and the last prayer is said when the last mother cries and the last tear drop dries when the son is gone we’ll now remember the somme. this stone is dedicated to the memory of the fallen volunteers of no. 5 platoon, a company 1st belfast battalion, ulster volunteer force, as poppy petals gently fall remember us who gave our all not in the mud of foreign lands nor buried in the desert sands, in ulster field and farm and town fermanagh’s lanes and drumlin’d down we died that violent death should cease and ulstermen might live in peace; for god and ulster, lest we forget, “I am not an ulsterman but yesterday 1st. july as I followed their amazing attack i felt that i would rather be an ulsterman than anything else in the world” captian [captain] wilfred [wilfrid] spender – the somme, in proud and loving memory of our fallen charge from thiepval wood 1916, sir edward carson, 36th ulster division

July 1st

In the old style of calendar (prior to 1752), the Battle Of The Boyne took place on July 1st, the same date as the Battle Of The Somme (in the new style of calendar). It is reported that some soldiers from the 36th Division wore their Orange Order collarettes into battle. In the image above, which reproduces a painting by Carol Graham, they defend their trench from a German assault.

Carson signing the 1912 Covenant is the second of the pair.

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Copyright © 2012 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Ulster Volunteers

Centre: Carson signs the Covenant – the document is top right; top left: gunrunning on the Clyde Valley; bottom left, mounted rifles; bottom right, Carson presenting colours (and the 2011 Ballyduff bonfire).

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Copyright © 2011 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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We Won’t Have Home Rule

Dublin barrister Sir Edward Carson was the figurehead of Unionism at the time of the Home Rule crisis, overseeing the formation of the Ulster Volunteers and the Covenant in response to the third bill. Carson’s aim was to keep all of Ireland within the UK but advised unionists to accept the six-county Northern Ireland stipulated by the 1920 Bill.

For the side wall out of shot to the left, see M04206.

Broadway, Village, south Belfast.

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Copyright © 2010 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Ready For War

Carson inspects the Ulster Volunteers at Glencairn (the grounds are also mentioned in this mural). The date is June 14th, 1914: guns have been smuggled in, but Britain has not yet declared war (August 4th).

The is the middle of three murals concerning unionism at the time of the (third) Home Rule bill and First World War. The first depicts the signing of the Covenant; the third depicts women farmers protecting their lands.

The first also contains a wide shot of all three and the surrounding area.

The photograph on which the mural is based in the Mary Evans collection. See e.g. this copy at the Express.

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Copyright © 2004 Cathal Woods
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Betting Office

“Ulster Day. Sir Edward Carson (WP) signing the covenant (WP). Belfast City Hall, 28th September, 1912.”

This is the first of three panels on this wall that together trace the history of the Ulster Volunteers; see also the second (Carson and the Ulster Volunteers) and third (women defenders while the men fight in Europe).

Below is a shot of the full scene in the courtyard of the Rex bar, two weeks away from the 12th

Moscow Street/Shankill Road, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2004 Cathal Woods
X00049 X00050 1912, lest we forget, 36th ulster division, battle of the boyne, 1st july 1916, ycv, uvf, rex bar est. 1865 moscow street