North Down West Belfast

Here are two UDA/UFF “North Down – West Belfast” boards, one in Clandeboye Road, Bangor (above) and the other in Lenamore Park, Newtownards (below). The UDA in North Down is split into two factions, one associated with the Shankill (west Belfast) UDA and the other with the East Belfast UDA. The former is based primarily in Newtownards, but not exclusively, as the board above shows. It is also remarkable for its use of hooded gunmen in “active” poses.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Boom

Three members of the Miami Showband were killed in 1975 at a fake check-point set by members of the UVF’s Glennane Gang. The explosion during the incident did not kill the musicians (as the graffiti on the poster above in loyalist east Belfast suggests); they were shot. Rather, a bomb exploded prematurely as it was being planted on their van, killing two of the attackers – see Boyle & Somerville – prompting the shooting spree (WP) that left three of the five band-members dead.

For the mural in the background, see Please Pay Here.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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South Belfast Volunteers

The main panel (shown below) is a tribute to soldiers in the Great War (1914-1918), with a border of poppies and silhouetted soldiers reflecting over helmets on crosses. To the side, however, is the modern UVF volunteer (shown above), with balaclava and assault rifle.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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East East Belfast

This hooded gunman from the East Belfast UVF – like the series of stencils featured previously in EB UVF – is on a wall in Newtownards’s Westwinds estate. Below is a EB UVF mural at the bottom of Bowtown, not far from the West Belfast UDA mural in Greenwell St. The UVF and UDA also compete in the Glen estate; compare Today’s Local with Our Heritage In Your Hands.

Questions about EB UVF lawlessness in north Down arose over the summer with a “business opportunity” presented to local hostelries (Belfast Live | ITV).

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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EB UVF

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These “East Belfast Ulster Volunteer Force” stencils are all over the Westwinds estate in Newtownards. Four are shown here, including one that has been defaced with some illegible graffiti. For the tension between East Belfast and North Down brigades of the UVF, see previously: Always A Little Further.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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1st Batt – 3rd Batt

This UVF hooded gunman expresses solidarity between the East Antrim 1st battalion and the (North Belfast?) 3rd battalion.

Drumahoe Gardens, Millbrook. The same hooded gunman is used in Armed And Ready in Larne.

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Copyright © 2016 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Monkstown UFF

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The background, at least, has been repainted on this UFF mural in Monkstown with three hooded gunmen in balaclavas, black jackets, and blue jeans posing with assault rifles on an outline of the north coast in the colours of the Northern Irish flag. For the original, see Monkstown UFF 1st Batt.

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Copyright © 2014 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Inclusion

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“Progression Requires Inclusion” – a new UVF mural (painted last Saturday, 2013-06-22) in Carrickfergus shows a balaclava’d head and assault rifle. Wide shot below. For the three boards, see End Political Censorship. For the two boards, see It’s Dangerous To Be Right.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Volunteering

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Two of the UVF flags put up to commemorate the 100 year anniversary of the formation of the UVF still flying (on May 5th) above the black-and-white UVF mural in Carrington Street at the junction with the Ravenhill Road. The flags were supposed to come down directly after the parade on April 20th (BBC-NI) but there is now confusion as to who is responsible for their removal.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Defenders Of The Woodvale

“Defenders of the Woodvale from 1969 B Coy”. The Woodvale Defence Association (WDA) was the largest of the local associations which merged together in 1971 to form the Ulster Defence Association (UDA).

Disraeli Street, Woodvale, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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