Girls Of Great Britain And Ireland

This mural in Kilcooley estate, Bangor, celebrates Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee, 70 years from 1952-2022. The portrait seems to be a flipped, horizontally-stretched, and colourised version of the first official portrait, taken on February 26th, 1952, with Elizabeth wearing the ‘Queen Mary’s Girls Of Great Britain and Ireland’ tiara (Crown Chronicles).

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Northern Ireland Centennial

Here is a 12-part history of Northern Ireland (and specifically Londonderry) along the length of Sperrin Park in the Caw. After the title panel, the topics are: King George V opens Norther Ireland Parliament, 22nd June, 1921; Amelia Earhart crosses the Atlantic & lands in Londonderry 21st May, 1932; Operation Deadlight: surrender of German U-boats at Lisahally 14th May, 1945; Queen Elizabeth II visits Guildhall Sq. Londonderry 3rd July, 1951; opening of Altnagelvin hospital 1st February, 1960; the exodus of people from Londonderry’s Cityside 1970s; Northern Ireland reach the World Cup finals in Spain 1982; first Maiden City Festival takes place August, 1998; end of ‘Operation Banner’ 31st July, 2007; Londonderry named first UK City Of Culture 2013; Prince Philip the Duke Of Edinburgh 1921-2021.

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Upward

The new arch at Denmark Street and Carlisle Circus, next to the Clifton Street Orange Hall, was a year in the planning, both technical and financial (News Letter). There are seven windows and four flag-holders built into the arch. On the Denmark Street side, we see the emblem of the Association Of Loyal Orangewomen Of Ireland, the breaking of the boom (to end the Siege Of Derry), National Memorial (in the arboretum in Staffordshire), Elizabeth’s platinum jubilee (crown and Bible over rose, thistle, shamrock, daffodil, New Zealand silver fern, and Canadian maple leaf), City Of Belfast Loyal Orange Widows Fund, Orange Order symbols. On the Carlisle Circus side, we see the shutting of the gates (to start the Siege Of Derry), William Johnston (WP), the stained-glass window in Schomberg House to murdered OO members, Pietro Annigonni’s 1995 portrait of Queen Elizabeth on garter day (WP), Wehle’s portrait of Martin Luther, and the 36th Division going over the top.

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Flags Of The Kingdoms

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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Pledged To Your Service

“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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Our Murdered Brethren

Orange Order Victims day is an annual commemoration (on September 1st) of the 339 members who were killed during the Troubles. The stained glass window reproduced in a board on the Newbuildings memorial garden is in the Museum of Orange Heritage in Schomberg House, south Belfast.

Compared with the garden in 2020 (see Newbuildings Victoria), there is a new NI Centenary board, and on the outside (replacing the tarps giving thanks for the NHS and commemorating the 75th anniversary of VE day) there is a celebration of the platinum jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. On the electrical box, there is a stencil in support of Bloody Sunday’s “Soldier F”, who continues to face murder charges (for the killings of William McKinney and James Wray) and five attempted murder charges after the PPS’s decision to discontinue prosecution was quashed in March (Guardian); the PPS has appealed (News Letter).

339 Orange Order members killed during the Troubles.

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The People’s Monarch

The long-standing display for Queen Elizabeth II’s sixtieth (diamond) jubilee has been replaced with a new set of images for her platinum jubilee, including a series of panels of colourings by local school-children: “The Platinum Jubilee mural has been created by P7 primary school pupils in the Greater Shankill area to celebrate Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth’s Jubilee in June 2022. The pupils involved from Edenbrooke, Glenwood, Blackmountain, Springhill, Springfield, Harmony, Forthriver and Malvern enjoyed creating the collage for a once in a lifetime art mural.”

The mural was launched on June 4th (Belfast Live).

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X10456 X10457 X10458 X10461 X10455 Crimea St “The people’s monarch, her sovereign majesty, Queen Elizabeth II.” “Dirige Deus gressus meos – May God grant my steps”. “Princess, queen, mother.” “As this day draws to its close, I know that my abiding memory of it will be, not only the solemnity and beauty of the ceremony, but the inspiration of your loyalty and affection. I thank you all from a full heart. God bless you all. – Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, 2nd June, 1952.”

Families Beyond Conflict

PUL areas all over Belfast have their own version of this tarp celebrating Queen Elizabeth’s platinum jubilee; the one shown today is in the upper Shankill: “Tennent Street would like to thank her majesty Queen Elizabeth II on devoting 70 years of service to our great nation. God save the Queen.”

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Four F*cks Given

Derry’s Bogside is at odds with everyone, it seems: above, the English Queen and her platinum jubilee, below, NATO, and … Creggan!

Lasair Dhearg’s take on the jubilee is entitled 70 Years A Parasite.

The anti-NATO placard has a small hammer-and-sickle at the bottom.

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Diu Regnare

The celebrations for Queen Elizabeth’s platinum (70th) jubilee officially began yesterday with the “trooping of the colour” (Guardian) (a birthday parade – which has been notable here for a BBC commentator’s description of the Irish Guards as “micks” (BelTel)) and the lighting of 1,500 beacons (Sky). Today’s church service at St. Paul’s Cathedral in the Queen’s honor will take place without her after she (again) experienced “mobility issues” on Thursday (Guardian). Today’s images are of jubilee merchandise for sale in Shankill shops.

See previously: On The Occasion Of Her Platinum Jubilee.

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