Orange Order/ABOD – Extramural Activity

The Shankill Arch 2024

2024-07-082025-01-08Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“This arch was erected in memory of Bro. William (Belter) Bell, LOL 633. It has been kindly donated by the Bell family circle. 14th June 2024”

Speeches at the launch (youtube) note that the arch was not displayed during the Troubles (News Letter (paywall) says mid-60s), and was stored on the roofs of nearby shops for the sixty years since. Businessman Ian Bell (of video gaming companies Slightly Mad (WP | Belfast Live) and Straight4) is also specified as the main sponsor of the arch’s restoration, in memory of his father, who died on June 7th, 2008.

See also: the arch in Denmark Street (lower Shankill) in 2022 and 2023.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2024 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X15143 X15137 X15138
X15135 X15142 X15141 [X15136] X15139
X15140

DUP Sellout

2023-12-302025-01-08Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

TUV (Traditional Unionist Voice) has put up placards attacking the DUP (Democratic Unionist Party) – including outside the office of DUP leader Jeffrey Donaldson – in response to the possibility that the DUP might re-enter Stormont – which has been defunct now for two years – and implement the NI Protocol (BBC | BelTel).

It hasn’t happened yet, but a combination of public dissatisfaction concerning inaction over strikes by transport workers on December 22 and a general strike planned for January 18 (ITv)) and a financial package for pay awards are keeping the pressure on (Shropshire Star).

For the Orange symbols above, see Your Kingdom Will Endure Forever; for Psalm 95 see We Are The People; for the Lamentations, see אי כניעה (“No surrender” in Hebrew).

Click and click again to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X14578 X14579

Love The Brotherhood

2023-08-132025-07-10Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

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.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X12873 X12872 X12858 X12859

Shankill Parade

2023-07-172025-01-08Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The Shankill Area Social History (SASH) (Fb) celebrates the people and events of the Shankill Road with a new mural in Downing Street.

From left to right: girls wrapped in Union Flags watching the parade; boys on pallets; the Shankill Mission; Orange Order parade; the Summer festival in Woodvale Park (The Cabin); the former Belfast Savings Bank, now an undertaker’s; the Winter festival and switching-on of the Christmas tree lights, with Mrs. Claus, the Grinch in Santa jacket and hat, and last year’s (2022) celebrity guest Charlie Lawson (youtube); local band Casual Riots (ig). (SASH Fb Gallery)

For a mural of famous Shankill faces and places, see Save The Shankill.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X12698 X12700 X12699 X12697

The Global Order

2023-01-102025-01-07Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

There are Orange Order lodges in Ghana and Togo and there were previously lodges in South Africa and Nigeria (History Ireland | WP). A photo of the Ghanaian representative in the mural – Dennis Tette Tay – is included in this BBC article. The Canadian representative is perhaps from “Mohawk Loyal Orange Lodge No. 99” on the Mohawk Reservation at Desoronto, Ontario, Canada (Fb).

Vandalised with “KAH” and “UDA scum!” graffiti.

The Fountain, Londonderry

Update: The cleaned-up board in February of 2023 can be seen in the Paddy Duffy collection.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X11059 [X11058] X11061 [X11060] [X11062] in god our trust faith hope charity

Gertrude Street Defenders

2022-12-282025-01-07Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Gertrude Street no longer exists – it was just east of where Wolff Close now is. But the Gertrude Street Defenders LOL 525 (Fb) brought back a former lodge (Lees Temperance/East Belfast Orange) March 2017, with former members of the Gertrude Star flute band (News Letter). For the five-flowered board on the right, see The Flax And The Lily. This pair of boards is on the courtyard fencing around the Westbourne Glentoran Supporters Club, off the Newtownards Road in the old Solway Street.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X11950 X11948 X11949

We Are Victorious

2022-11-152025-01-07Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The Campsie Club (of Londonderry) is the youngest of the eight parent clubs of the Apprentice Boys “founded 1950” and is the only one named after one of the apprentice boys who shut the gates against the forces of James II in 1688 – Henry Campsie (web).

This Irish Street board puts the “Bro. Scott Goligher Memorial, Londonderry, Loyal Orange Lodge No. 461” (history of the lodge at Grand City Lodge) and the Campsie Club on either side of the “Protestant Boys flute band” (Fb).

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X11027 X11028 X11029 X11030 strule gdns via veritas victoria

Fife And Drum

2022-10-092025-01-07Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Here is one of the pieces from the East Belfast Chalk Art and Community Festival that took place on July 9th: a parade of five, with fife and drum.

Upward

2022-08-242025-07-10Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

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.

Flags Of The Kingdoms

2022-07-252025-01-07Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

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.