Siege Of Derry

Love The Brotherhood

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This entry is an update to 2022’s Upward which showed the new arch in Denmark Street (the north side of the lower Shankill estate). To each side of the arch has since been added a quote from scripture: on the outside, “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel – Psalm 41 v. 13”, and on the inside “Love the brotherhood, fear God, and honour the King – [1st] Peter 2 v. 17”

The ‘Platinum Jubilee’ panel has been replaced with the image from the other side of the ‘Faithful Unto Death’ stained glass that is in Schomberg House (see Our Murdered Brethren), and it has been replaced with an image King Charles III.

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Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Friendship Across The Water

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Walker Clubs – one of the associated clubs of the Apprentice Boys – are named for George Walker, joint Governor of Derry (with Lundy) during the siege, who died at the Boyne, on July 1st/12th, 1690 while going to the aid of the Duke Of Schomberg. In the centre is the crest of Londonderry: “Vita, veritas, victoria“.

This board in Larne’s ‘Factory’ districts shows, (clockwise from bottom left): the apprentice boys shutting the gates, the breaking of the boom to relieve the siege, Walker (who was also an Anglican priest) inciting the apprentice boys to shut the gates with a cry of “No surrender”, and, clasped hands signifying the connection between Larne Walker Club (Fb) and Maybole Walker Club in South Ayrshire, Scotland. A list of all the Walker Clubs can be found at ABOD.

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Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The Relief Of Derry

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The Siege Of Derry began in June 1689 when King James II was rebuffed with cries of “No surrender!” It lasted 105 days, during which about half of the townspeople died. Part of the siege equipment was a boom placed across the River Foyle about halfway between Derry and Culmore. Five ships took part in ending the siege. Shown in this new Tullyally mural (by Glen Molloy) is the Dartmouth, which attacked the shoreline besiegers at Culmore so that three small ships could bring in provisions – the Mountjoy and Phoenix approaching the boom and the Jerusalem hanging back until success was assured. They were accompanied by a longboat from the Swallow, filled with sailors who with “hatchets and cutlasses” were “hewing and hacking away at the boom” (Witherow at Library Ireland) so that it could be broken by Mountjoy.

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Copyright © 2020 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
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Shutting Of The Gates

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The Apprentice Boys mural in Emerson Street, Londonderry, which was at least fifteen years old, was replaced in 2018 with a version of boards (shown above). The shutting of the city gates in December 1688 began the Siege Of Derry.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The Brave Thirteen

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The repainting of the Mountjoy ‘Breaking The Boom‘ in the Siege Of Derry is the second of three recent works in the Waterside. (The first of the three to be featured was City Of Temperance.) The work has been retitled ‘The Brave Thirteen’ and extended to include the closing of the gates by 13 Apprentice Boys, whose surnames are given here as Sherrard, Morrison, Steward, Campsie, Cunninghman, Sherrard, Conningham, Cairns, Hunt, Crookshannks, Irwin, Harvy, Spire (for first names and alternate spellings, see Apprentice Boys).

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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Apprentice Boys

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2015-08-05 Conningham+

On December 7th, 1688, thirteen apprentice boys grabbed the keys to Derry city and locked the gates against the on-coming Jacobite Redshanks. Their names were William Cairnes, Henry Campsie, John Conningham (also given as Coningham), Alexander Cunningham, William Crookshanks, Samuel Harvy, Samuel Hunt, Alexander Irwin, Robert Morison, Robert Sherrard, Daniel Sherrard, James Spike, James Steward and they each have a small plaque in the Fountain area.

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Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Falcons Cheerleading

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The Sandy Row Falcons (cheerleading) (Fb) take the place of King Billy in Linfield Avenue; the Siege Of Derry mural remains.

The Falcons are also included in Each One Teach One.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The City Is Saved

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Derry city was saved from its siege by the Mountjoy “breaking the boom” that had been laid across the river Foyle. James II’s siege had lasted from April to July, 1689. King William III is in the insert.

One of fourteen panels in Thorndyke Street, east Belfast. For a list of entries for each panel, see East Belfast Historical And Cultural Society.

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Copyright © 2004 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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