East Of Carrick

2015-01-23 EdenUDA+

The town of Eden, on the outskirts of Carrickfergus, is defended by the walls of Carrickfergus castle and the arms of the UDA. For the previous version of this board, see Loyalist Eden.

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Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02480 ulster freedom fighters defence association saltire quis separabit terrae filius

Alternative Ulster

2015-02-06 CastlemaraUFF+

The upper flag on the right-hand side of this mural – purple saltire on a blue background with star and red hand – is the proposed flag of Ulster nationalists. The position was espoused by the UDA of the 1970s, under the guise of the political parties the Ulster Loyalist Democratic Party and the Ulster Democratic Party, and for a time by the Red Hand Commandos under the Ulster Loyalist Central Coordinating Committee.

For the previous (identical) version, see UFF Carrickfergus in the Peter Moloney collection.

Previously: Northern Island. For the obscured mural on the right, see Out Of The Trenches.

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Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02500 hooded gunmen, long kesh uym terrae filius quis separabit northern ireland scotland st. andrew carrickfergus

Summer In The City

2014-09-15 SpiersPlaceClose+

Above and below is the scene at the end of summer in the courtyard of the Rex Bar – bunting and bouquets join the flags of the home nations and various boards celebrating the queen’s diamond jubilee and commemorating the 36th Ulster division “who selflessly gave their lives for King and county at the battle of the Somme”. The new boards (on the left hand side of the wide shot) were featured previously in The Last Post, along with the Union flag of The People’s Army. For the same scene ten years previously, see Betting Office.

2014-09-15 SpiersPlace+

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02194 X02195 no carry outs in seating area no surrender 1952 2012 royal irish rifles no greater love the great war 1914 1918 officers ncos volunteers

Who Will Separate Us?

2014-08-26 Monkstown1stBatt+

This Monkstown mural commemorates four UDA volunteers: Malcolm Fisher, Colin Weir, Jim McClurg and William Hobbs. Hobbs and McClurg were killed when a bomb went off prematurely (CAIN’s Sutton Index 1977) ; there is no mention of the other two. Please leave a comment or send an e-mail if you have any information.

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02118 absent friends quis separabit at the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them

End Maghaberry Torture

2014-08-07 EndTorture+

“End British Internment – End Maghaberry Torture – Strip searches, isolation, controlled movement”. The board above at the top of Havana Street, Ardoyne, shows a a prison guard in Union colours beating a prisoner in the Tricolour’s green, white, and orange. On the left is the barbed wire symbol of the Irish Republican Prisoners Welfare Association (IRPWA) and on the right the emblems of the PSNI, the RUC, and MI5 are crossed out under a swastika. A wide shot, showing the CLG/GAA mural in the background, is below.

Previous IRPWA posts: Scaırt Amach | IRPWA | Maghaberry Prisoners. Another view of the Ard Eoın Kickhams mural.

2014-08-07 EndTortureWide+

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Loyalist Prisoners & Widow’s Welfare

2014-09-10 PeoplesArmyNew+

A second plaque has been added to “The People’s Army” wall on the Shankill Road (at Moscow Street) by the LPWWA Scotland: “In everlasting memory of Volunteer Alastair Von (Ziff) 19th October 2009”. It joins a plaque to “A true soldier – Big Bill Campbell”, leader of the UVF’s 1st Scottich battalion. Campbell and Von were imprisoned for bombing Glasgow pubs in 1979 and Campbell is suspected of involvement of the McGurk’s Bar bombing in 1971. (See also: The Economist gives a brief history of Glasgow sectarianism.) Below are a close-up of the plaques and a shot of the wall last year. Song in honour of Bill Campbell. The Campbell plaque was originally on the Northland St mural of the Shankill West Belfast 1st Batt A Coy 5th Plat before it was reimaged as a Thiepval memorial mural.

See previously: Shankill Reflections

2014-09-10 UVFWBelfastPlaque+

2014-09-10 PeoplesArmyOld+

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Copyright © 2014 Extramural Activity
X02180 X02182 X02181 west belfast regiment uvf 1st battalion belfast died 8th january 1997 lest we forget no. 5 platoon no. 1 ‘a’ company for god and ulster

Eddie Rides

2014-06-23 EddieRides+

The famous “Eddie the Trooper” figure, previously seen marching over a field strewn with bodies in green and gold, is now on horseback in the Fountain area of Londonderry. For background, including the connection to Iron Maiden, see The Trooper and the Visual History page on Eddie.

Previously in this location: Vita, Victoria, Veritas

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Yes Scotland/Viva Ireland

2014-09-08 YesScotlandBarracks+

Black Mountain/Slıabh Dubh’s ‘Viva Palestine‘ became ‘Viva Ireland’ – shown below – which in turn was quickly replaced with ‘Yes Scotland’, shown above as seen over the wall of the Springfield PSNI barracks from the (Protestant) Springmartin Road: a union flag and a St. Andrew’s (Scottish) saltire fly from houses in the foreground. These two flags are being used in the media to represent the opposing sides: the Saltire for ‘Yes’ and the Union flag for ‘No’. Scots go to the polls on Thursday the 18th; the two polls of the past week (You-Gov | TNS) suggest that the sides are running neck-and-neck.

Previously: A message To The People Of Scotland

See also: the Slıabh Dubh Visual History page.

2014-09-01 VivaIreland+

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Hard Hats Must Be Worn

2014-08-17 CluanConfederate+

Below the “peace” line, a confederate flag flies alongside the union jack over a new board in Cluan Place reading “Unbowed, Unbroken” and “east Belfast UVF” graffiti.

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02085 camlachie royal star flue band welcome to uvf

A Taste Of Tradition

A pre-launch version (from May) of the Whiterock Flute Band mural in Brookmount Street can be seen in the Peter Moloney collection; this includes the main panel and the ‘brief history’ on the left. Since then a golden disc has been mounted above the main panel, and to the right have been added another panel of photographs, a list of members past and present, and an updated history panel. [The final image, from 2015, shows the addition of “Whiterock F.B.” in bold, white, lettering along the top right

“A sunny Saturday, 14th June 2014, witnessed another memorable afternoon in the fifty-two year history of the Whiterock flute band by the unveiling and dedication of new colourful piece of mural artwork erected on the gable wall at the corner of Brookmount Street and the Shankill Road. The detailed display reflects images and reading articles dating back to the foundation of the band during the year 1962.

This eventful day began around 1:00 pm parading from the and practice rooms at Highfield Rangers with many invited Loyal Order Brethren in attendance to Brookmount Street junction where Band Chairman Robert Wellington opened the service by welcoming all there.

Worshipful Brother, Reverend Dr Billy Malcolmson BD officiated with prayer and scripture reading, which was then followed by the unveiling of the mural, the honour being bestowed on Alex Thompson as the Whiterock’s longest serving band member with fifty-one years of service. Before pulling the string to unveil the mural, Alex initially thanks the band secretary, Rab Hillis and a loyal friend Brother Ed Spence for their contribution to the construction of this project; along with his appreciation to the band’s President and Vice President respectively, Matt and Joan Nimmo from Newcastle in the North East of England for their personal attendance at the proceedings.

After Alex had unveiled the mural Worship Brother; Reverend Malcolmson conferred the official dedication which was followed by the Whiterock’s rendition of one of their first learned tunes in 1962 .. “the Blackboard of my Heart”.

The project could have gone ahead without the kind assistance of the local MLA, Btother William Humphrey who secured the necessary funding from the Northern Ireland Housing Executive’s Community Cohesion unit through the support and kind assistance of Ms Jennifer Hawthorne head of Income Collection and Neighbourhoods.

Thanks was also publically recorded to the West Belfast Athletic and Cultural Society, for their assistance and support throughout the lead-up proceedings to ensure the overall project went as smooth as possible, overtly demonstrating the working in partnership that is for the better good of the Greater Shankill area and its people.

As a token of that appreciation and to mark the day’s events, each of the aforementioned, received a commemorative certificate.

Finally the officers and members of the Whiterock flute band wish to extend their combined sincerity to everyone, who in any way, no matter how small it may have been, contributed to the success of this unveiling and dedication ceremony, which is and will remain, truly appreciated. The mural will also be forever, a lasting expression of our gratitude to the people of the Shankill Road for their support down through the years, and may God bless you all … ‘the true salt of the earth’.”

Update: further additions were made to the display in 2021.

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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