Union Flag – Extramural Activity

Something Old, Something New, Something Red, White And Blue

2020-07-312020-07-31Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Above is one of the few remaining houses in the old style in Tiger’s Bay. This is one of three on Mervue Street; there is a row of six on Halliday’s Road which survived the rebuilding there – for images of loyal drawings in the boarded up houses that were replaced, see The Queen In Tiger’s Bay. Below, however, is an image of the freshly-repainted kerbstones just above the house, at the junction of Mervue and Edlingham streets.

Click to enlarge (to full size)

Camera Settings: f4.1, 1/100, ISO 80, full size 4788 x 2052

Click and click again to enlarge (to full size)

Camera Settings: f16, 1/100, ISO 200, full size 1772 x 827

X07304 X07070

A Matter Of Life And Death

2020-07-262020-07-26Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Eddie The Trooper is a British red-coat version of Iron Maiden’s Eddie The Head. And “These Colours Don’t Run” is a song from the band’s 2006 album A Matter Of Life And Death. The phrase is a pun equating the colours of the flag with the army beneath it – neither the colours nor the army “runs”. This lower Shankill sticker, from Rangers FC “ultra” supporters the ‘Union Bears’ (Fb | web) is on the side of a butt bucket – another reason for not running.

The specific design seems to be the most recent version from Londonderry – see Eddie The Trooper’s own Visual History page.

Click and click again to enlarge (to 1316 x 1800)

Camera Settings: f3.5, 1/400, ISO 80, full size 3264 x 4464

X07324

Loyalist In Lockdown

2020-07-142020-07-14Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Due to the coronavirus pandemic, people celebrating the Twelfth yesterday were encouraged to maintain physical distance from others by staying in their gardens as the bands marched by. Homeowners decorated their properties (perhaps using these Twelfth At Home packs in Lurgan). Here is video from the Belfast Telegraph of yesterday’s marches.

Click and click again to enlarge (to 1200 x 800)

Camera Settings: f5.6, 1/200, ISO 80, full size 4896 x 3264

Click and click again to enlarge (to 1200 x 800)

Camera Settings: f3.9, 1/200, ISO 80, full size 4896 x 3264

X07295 X07294

Eddie Supports The Flag

2020-01-082020-01-08Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Happy Christmas, Belfast.” A time of mythical creatures and twelve days of gifts. On the seventh anniversary of the flag protests (in response to a vote by the Council to fly the Union Flag from city hall only 18 days a year as in the rest of the UK) my true love gave to me a dozen or so Union Flags (and a few Ulster Banners) attached to the railings. Santa was nowhere to be seen but, as is fitting for a zombie, Eddie The Trooper continued to stalk the land. For Eddie’s previous appearances, see his Visual History page.

Click and click again to enlarge (to 1800 x 1160)

Camera Settings: f9 1/80, ISO 160, full size 4896 x 3156

Click and click again to enlarge (to 1800 x 1094)

Camera Settings: f3.8 1/80, ISO 80, full size 4896 x 2976

X06957 X06956

Stephen Desmond McCrea

2019-11-182019-11-22Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

RHC volunteer Stevie McCrea (born 31.5.52, killed 18.2.89) was imprisoned for his role in the killing of 17 year-old Catholic James Kerr in a Lisburn Road garage, on the same day as the RHC bombed Benny’s Bar in Sailortown. He was killed in an IPLO attack on the Orange Cross (the Shankill Social Club). This Village mural is the second tribute to McCrea this year – see also A True Soldier Of Ulster in the lower Shankill, near the former location of the Orange Cross in Craven Street.

“Stevie was raised in The Village Area of South Belfast. He was just a young man when The Troubles started but without hesitation answered the call by joi[ni]ng the Village RHC. He soon started making a name for himself by putting himself on the front line with his brothers in arms in the RHC. These men where [sic] one of the most active units in Ulster by taking the fight the republicans. In 1972 at the height of The Troubles Stevie was sentenced to life for his part in a retaliation shooting and was imprisoned in Long Kesh. After serving 15 years with dignity and courage he was released. On the 16th February 1989 just after receiving his last pay cheque [from a transitional work scheme] he decided to join a few friends in The Orange Cross Club in the Shankill area. This would be his last drink as republican scum decided to target the Loyalist club. Stevie sacrificed himself to protect his friend by throwing himself in front of a hail of bullets. Stevie died 2 days later from his injuries in the Royal Victoria Hospital.”

Click to enlarge (to 2000 x 1398)

Camera Settings: f3.7, 1/250 ISO 80, full size 4668 x 3264

X06870 [X06871] Kilburn St lamh dearg abu lest we forget here lies a soldier

Concerned Unionists

2019-11-062019-11-24Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Public meeting. Concerned unionists of south Belfast. Wednesday 6th November 7.15 pm Sandy Row Orange Hall. Stop the #BetrayalAct”. Tonight will see a meeting in south Belfast (and another at the same time in Antrim) discussing the current Conservative Brexit plan that would allow some cross-border economic activity to continue – see The Betrayal Act. “VTOT” is “Village Team On Tour“.

Click to enlarge (to 1500 x 1794)

Camera Settings: f3.3, 1/60 ISO 80, full size 3264 x 3904

Click to enlarge (to 1800 x 1272)

Camera Settings: f5.5, 1/80 ISO 400, full size 4620 x 3264

X06866 X06867 rockview st

Loyalist Prisoners Of War

2019-09-072019-09-07Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This UVF LPOW mural in Inverary Drive, east Belfast, probably dates back to the years after the Agreement, when the release of prisoners from both sides was being implemented between 1998 and 2000. That would make the mural about 20 years old.

Click to enlarge (to 1200 x 1542)

Camera Settings: f5.3, 1/320 ISO 80, full size 3672 x 4720

X06778

Kill Your Speed

2019-08-242019-08-24Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

A message from the students at Glenwood Primary School: “Kill your speed, not a child. Look at the road, not your phone.” With support from the Greater Shankill A[ction for] C[omunity] T[ransformation] Initiative (Fb). Although these are boards, they have been printed to look as though they are on brick. BelfastLive has a gallery of images from the 2016 launch. Shankill Road at the top of Lanark Way.

Click to enlarge (to 1800 x 1200)

Camera Settings: f3.7, 1/200 ISO 80, full size 4896 x 3672

X05998

British And Proud

2019-08-012019-08-02Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The UDA roll of honour mural (led by John McMichael) in Rowland Way was blacked out in the mid-2000s but has been gradually reappearing since then. (The steps painted on the wall in front read “In proud memory of our fallen comrades who lost their lives in the conflict – we forget them not.”) The banner was used for the “flag protests” surrounding the flying of the Union Flag on Belfast City Hall (in 2012-2013) and then was first hung next to the King Billy mural at the bottom of the Row.

Click to enlarge (to full size)

Camera Settings: f3.5, 1/100 ISO 80, full size 1812 x 1812

Click to enlarge (to 1500 x 2000)

Camera Settings: f3.5, 1/100 ISO 80, full size 3672 x 4896

X06633 [X06632] X06631

Stop The Genocide Of Yemeni People

2019-04-292019-07-31Extramural Activity1 Comment

The United Nations in February called the humanitarian crisis in Yemen the worst in the world (UN) with famine and cholera affecting 18 million people (WP). According to UNICEF, a child is dying every ten minutes (UNICEF). The crisis results from the on-going civil war. Saudi Arabia (with arms, training, and intelligence support from the UK (Theresa May on the left next to Union Flag headscarf), the US (Trump on the right next to US flag headscarf), and France (French flag on the lowest missile) has conducted an air campaign to restore Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi, who was driven from Aden in March, 2015, by Houthi forces. The Saudi intervention has been criticized for killing citizens and destroying infrastructure (WP), shown in the mural above by bombs falling on a hospital and a school. Update: UK sales were found to be illegal by the Court Of Appeal on June 20th, 2019 (BBC).

Click to enlarge (to 1700 x 1618)

Camera Settings: f5.1, 1/800, ISO 80, full size 3720 x 3540

X06543 Divis St

	Confederate flags fl… on The War Of Northern Aggre…
	Extramural Activity on Keep On Praying
	John Doherty on Keep On Praying
	EAST BELFAST UVF SHO… on Years Of Sacrifice
	Extramural Activity on RPG Avenue

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this:

Share this:

Like this: