Another mural on Upper Newtownards Road on the lamplighter theme: Ballyhack-Amore by Alana McDowell (ig | web). The name “Ballyhackamore” comes not from Italian but from Irish: Baile an Chacamair, town of the mud flat (PlaceNamesNI).
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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Episode 38 of the BBC’s “Year ’21” podcast considered the life (and diary) of a lamplighter in east Belfast who witnessed the violence that gripped the city in 1920-1922. The tribute on Newtowanards Road is by emic (web) with support from Daisy Chain (tw) and EastSide Partnership (tw).
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“It’s okay not to be okay” – These are the shutters of Beep’s ice-cream and sweet shop (Fb) on the Woodstock Road, painted last October in support of mental health in the community.
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Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The Maidens was originally a pair of lighthouses built on a pair of rocky islets (also called the Maidens) about 9 km from Ballygally, first made operational in 1729. One tower was abandoned in 1903 and the remaining tower was automated in 1977 (WP).
“Audrey Kyle is a watercolour artist from Islandmagee and draws inspiration from the area’s rich maritime history and beautiful scenery. Her painting shows one of the Maidens Lighthouses off the coast of Islandmagee, along with a Schooner and the Princess Victoria. This is to demonstrate maritime history both old and new. One of the local stories related to the Maidens is from 1830s when the Assistant Keeper of one lighthouse fell in love with daughter of the keeper of the other. He would visit his love by boat, until the girl’s father found out and he forbade them to meet. The story ends with the couple eloping to Carrickfergus on the mainland.”
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“‘Rubicon’ – the family home of Pte. William F. McFadzean, Victoria Cross, who gave his life to save his comrades at Thiepval Wood on 1st July 1916 immediately prior to the Battle Of The Somme.” McFadzean died when he threw himself on a fallen box of grenades; for this action he was awarded the VC (WP).
The plaque is on Cregagh Road at Cregagh Park. There’s a picture of McFadzean standing outside the house at Royal Irish.
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“25 years of regeneration” – 2021 was the 25th year of work in east Belfast for EastSide Partnership (web | tw). This video highlights some of their activities and projects. The tarp shown above is below the Luminaries & Legends board in Connswater Street.
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The bricked up first floor of the Tudor Lodge (formerly the Telstar) is still standing at the bottom of Gray’s Lane, with UFF graffiti that goes back a decade. For even earlier (2005) graffiti around the Tudor Lodge, see Sinn Féin Toadies.
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Copyright © 2021 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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“At the going down of the sun.” The smaller of the two World War memorials in Whitehead was updated last year for the 100th anniversary of the Royal British Legion. The stone (shown last, below) was originally dedicated in 1996, for the 75th anniversary. The plate on the bench reads: “In memory of Mr Royal British Legion, Hector (Sandy) McGregor, 1920-2014. ‘Service not self'”
The larger memorial (shown above) was dedicated in 2019 (Mid&East Antrim) and replaced a smaller memorial which also had the names of the locals who were killed in the world wars. “Greater love hath no man – We will remember them. In grateful memory of the men from Whitehead who gave their lives in World War I & II.” With a wreath from LOL 968.
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Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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A new backdrop – of a field of poppies beneath a blue sky– has been added to the UFF memorial garden in Tigers Bay. The four stones/plaques in the garden are shown below in the order that they were added to the garden, starting with two to the North Belfast Brigade that were present in 2008 (see M04397). The third was a roll of honour of the “Scottish Brigade North Ayrshire”. The fourth is generically to “those we have loved and lost” but contains a strand of barbed wire, symbol of POWs.
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This Tigers Bay house is showing its support for soccer teams in all territories and at all levels: Rangers from Glasgow, Scotland; Northern Ireland internationally; Liverpool from England; and local team Crusaders.
For the UDA memorial garden to the left, see Honur, Loyalty, Liberty, Sacrifice. The remembrance day board was also seen in east Belfast.
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Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Extramural Activity 