St Andrew’s Saltire

HM Queen Elizabeth II

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“HM Queen Elizabeth II 1952-2012”. Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor acceded to the throne of the United Kingdom in 1952 (she was crowned in 1953). 2002 was her golden jubilee year. She is surrounded by the flags of the four constituents of the UK: Northern Ireland, Wales, England, Scotland.

There was previously a “scroll” below the portrait reading “This mural was commissioned by 1st batt A coy South East Antrim UDA UFF UYM.” This has been painted over in black but the UFF and UDA emblems remain.

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Copyright © 2011 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Rangers Ready

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Rangers Football Club, founded in 1872 (rather than the 1873 shown here – Brittanica), has its home in Glasgow, Scotland, but has a large following among Northern Irish Protestants.

Union Street, Edgarstown, Portadown.

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Copyright © 2011 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Andrew Jackson

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“Andrew Jackson was the 7th President of the USA and the first of Ulster-Scots descent, his family emigrated from Carrickfergus to North Carolina in 1765. After leading the army to victory in the Battle Of New Orleans in 1815 Jackson became a national hero and became known as “Old Hickory” after the tough wood of the native American tree. His “common man” credentials earned Jackson a massive popular vote and swept him into the Presidency for two consecutive terms (1829-1837).” He also hated the British, owned slaves, and signed the Indian Removal Act of 1830, which led to the infamous “Trail of Tears” (Irish Times).

See also the Visual History page on Ulster-Scots murals.

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Copyright © 2008 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Stevie McKeag

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“In loving memory of military commander Stevie ‘Top Gun’ McKeag – sleeping where no shadows fall. Born 1970, died 2000.” McKeag’s portrait (now a head-and-shoulders shot rather than just the face – see M03803) is on a board at the centre of a mural of flags – UFF, Ulster Banner, St Andrew’s Saltire, and UDA .

A previous McKeag mural (on Shankill Parade) had been re-imaged in 2004 (into a Cuchulainn mural). This one was painted in 2006 across the green in Hopewell Crescent.

Lower Shankill, west Belfast.

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Copyright © 2008 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Welcome To Loyalist Eden

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King William’s True Blues flute band from Eden Village (outside Carrickfergus) amalgamated with the South East Antrim Defenders. That group disbanded in 2007 but was re-established in 2010.

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Copyright © 2004 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Brittania

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“The Union flag, or Union Jack, is the national flag of the United Kingdom and it is so called because it embodies the emblems of three countries united under one sovereign – the Kingdoms of England and Wales, of Scotland and of Ireland. The flag consists of three heraldic crosses, those of St Patrick, St George and St Andrew. The Welsh dragon does not appear on the Union flag. This is because when the first Union flag was created in 1606, Wales by that time was already united with England and was no longer a separate principality.”

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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United Kingdom

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The central panel in Thorndyke Street, Belfast, reproduces a postcard from during the Home Rule debate: “Ulster to Britain: thou mayest find another daughter with a fairer face than mine, with a gayer voice and sweeter and a softer eye than mine; but thou canst not find another that will love thee half so well!” The Ulster Banner (a flag of Northern Ireland) is used to represent Ireland in the quartet of flags while the shamrock stands alongside daffodil, rose, and thistle. For the Anglo-Norman French around the crown’s coat of arms, see Honi Soit Qui Mal Y Pense.

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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East Belfast Historical And Cultural Society

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In 2004 the East Belfast Historical And Cultural Society sponsored a series of 14 murals in Thorndyke Street charting Protestant history from Cromwell to Cluan Place. This post contains two wide shots.

Individual panels, from left to right, can be seen in the following entries:

  • Covenant M
  • Lord Protector M | X
  • The City Is Saved M | X
  • Civil & Religious Liberty M | X
  • Better The Grave Than Slavery M | X
  • Their Sacrifice Our Freedom M | X
  • United Kingdom M | X
  • Hitler Attacks Belfast M | X
  • Defending The Community M | X
  • Unity Solidarity M | X
  • Their Loyalty Betrayed M | X
  • Out Of The Ashes New Life M | X
  • Brittania M | X
  • Commonwealth/Sponsors M | X

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Copyright © 2004 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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