physical force

A Pension For All Victims

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The pension plan for the injured of the Troubles was scheduled to open at the end of August, rather than the end of June, because of a dispute over the eligibility of those who suffered at their own hand. The Tar Anall boards shown here (in N Queen St and the Antrim Rd) recommend “a pension for all victims” but in the end, they were considered not to be eligible. Another source of the delay was the dispute over how the scheme would be funded (Irish Times | BelTel).

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Copyright © 2020 Sabine Troendle (web | Fb)
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Britain’s Occupation Of Ireland

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“20,000 security personnel maintain Britain’s occupation of Ireland.” Lasaır Dhearg (web | tw) stencil on the Falls Road.

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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Against The Terrorist Threat In Ulster

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The original cairn commemorating three part-time members of the UDR (which can be seen in Carrickfergus RIR/UDR) – Henry Russell, Steven Carlton, and Walter Kerr – was replaced by a new obelisk in 2017. The medal in the middle is the Conspicuous Gallantry Cross, which was awarded to the entire RIR and UDR in 2006. (The UDR was merged with the RIR to form the Royal Irish Regiment in 1992.) (Video of the launch.)

Cyril Smith was a Catholic from Carrickfergus and a Royal Irish Ranger. The original cairn in his memory tells the story of his death at age 21 in 1990. For commentary, see this Irish Times piece.

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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Join 32CSM

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Today’s post updates the 32 County Sovereignty Movement (web | tw) mural seen previously in We Support All POW’s. The shot was evidently taken before the mural was complete: the stencil shown here, of a hand clasping a strand of barbed wire, and an e-mail address (Belfast32csm@hotmail.com) for people to “Join 32CSM” have been added.

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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X07335 Divis St

Balmoral Showrooms

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The fact that there are three memorials to the Balmoral Furniture bombing speaks to the shock felt at devastating bomb on a busy Shankill Road. The oldest is the small circular plaque: “Balmoral Furniture Showrooms bombed 12.25 pm Saturday 11th December 1971. 2 adults & 2 babies killed”; then the Poppy Cross (c. 2015) “in memory of the two men and two babies murdered at this spot by a no warning sectarian IRA bomb attack on the Balmoral Furniture shop on 11th December 1971”, and finally the traditional plaque (c. 2017), which names the victims: Colin Nicholl, Tracey Jane Munn, Harold King, Hugh Bruce.

On the side of the Shankill Leisure Centre.

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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Political Policing

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“Black lives matter”, a campaign against police brutality originating in the US, beneath a 32CSM (web | tw) tarp “Oppose British political policing”. The stencil is sponsored by People Before Profit (web | tw). Divis Street, Belfast.

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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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A Matter Of Life And Death

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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.

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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Rally Us Again

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“Active service” on paramilitary plaques means death by a premature bomb explosion rather than at the hands of enemy forces. All three of the IRA volunteers named here died in this way: Paul Fox in King Street in 1975, Sean Bailey in nearby Nansen Street in 1976, and Paul Marlowe on the Ormeau Road later that same year (Sutton). The central plaque (shown below) has been in place since at least 2006 but was augmented last year with portraits. The fourth is Tony Campbell, also from the 2nd battalion, dead by natural causes in 1985.

“I ndíl [ndıl] chuımhne ar Óglach Paul Fox A-Coy 2 Batt Belfast Brigade, died on active service 1-12-1975, Óglach Sean Bailey A-Coy 2 Batt Belfast Brigade, died at this location on active service 13-2-1976, Óglach Paul Marlowe A-Coy 2 Batt Belfast Brigade, died on active service 16-10-1976, Óglach Tony Campbell died of natural causes 4-8-1985. I measc laochra na hÉıreann atá sıad. In every generation we have renewed the struggle and so it will be to the end. When England thinks she has trampled out our blood in battle, some brave men and women rise and rally us again.”

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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Tour Of Clough

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The Red Hand Defenders flute band will commence its march from the Clough (Co. Down) Orange hall at 12:30 and its route will take it under the Orange arch in Main Street, shown here, with King Billy flanked by portraits of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip (on the left) and soldiers from the 36th (Ulster) Division (on the right). It will visit the houses in Jordanstown, Church Grove, Church Court, and Claragh Court (PC).

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Copyright © 2020 Sabine Troendle (web | Fb)
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As The Stars Are Known To The Night

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William McFadzean won a VC for sacrificing himself on the morning before the Battle Of The Somme (in WWI) and is commemorated in several murals. He shares a plaque here with “Vol W Miller”, who is perhaps the (modern UVF) volunteer Billy Miller from Donegall Pass who was killed in an RUC ambush in 1983 (Long Kesh I/O). The two names on the newer plaque are unknown on-line, perhaps having survived the Troubles and being recently deceased.

The title of today’s post comes from the Laurence Binyon poem For The Fallen.

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Copyright © 2020 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X07249 X07251 X07250 replaces the old Titanic mural in Ballarat St