Morris – Dolan

2013-10-23 MorrisDolan+

Above is a new plaque (unveiled August 11, 2013) in Etna Drive/Corán An Ardghleanna (in Ard Eoın) to Seamus Morris and Peter Nolan, who were shot by the Protestant Action Force (UVF) twenty-five years ago, in August 1988. It reads “Brutally murdered for their faith …  by loyalist death squad aided by British crown forces. Never forgotten by family and friends.”

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01413 in proud and loving memory aged 18 25 years

Michael McKevitt

“12 years interned. End selective internment.” Michael McKevitt was found liable in civil court for the Omagh bombing and sentenced (in criminal court, in 2003) to twenty years in Portlaoise for “directing terrorism” (WP).

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On That Journey

2013-11-10 Collins+

Part mural, part board, this is a new piece honouring Colonel Timothy Thomas Cyril “Tim” Collins, OBE, whose speech to troops on the eve of the Iraq invasion in 2003 is reproduced in part on the right: “There are some who are alive at this moment who will not be alive shortly. Those who do not wish to go on that journey, we will not send. As for the others, I expect you to rock their world. But if you are ferocious in battle, remember to be magnanimous in victory.” (More at WP)

As can be seen from the second image, the piece was sponsored by Charter NI (amongst others). The piece is one of three pieces which have recently been completed (NewsLetter), the other two being Boxing Through The Ages and Past/Future (Lendrick St). It replaces one of the two UDA 4th battalion panels in the set, the other of which can be seen in the third and final image: the piece in its setting alongside the Kenbaan Street memorial and the pink UDA, UYM and LPA murals.

2013-11-10 TimCollins+

2013-11-10 PinkWide+

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01440 X01441 X01448 royal irish regiment for god and the empire

Tomorrow Belongs To Us

2013-11-10 Pink4thBatt+

Here are two more pieces of the memorial in Kenbaan Street to deceased UDA members. A previously-featured panel honoured the LPA; these are devoted to the UDA’s 4th (Castlereagh) battalion and its youth wing, the UYM – Ulster Young Militants.

2013-11-10 PinkUYM+

2013-11-10 PinkDouble+

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X01444 X01447 X01445 quis separabit terrae filius

People Of The Colin Area

2013-11-14 OglaighColin+

This mural commemorates Gerard Fennell, John Rooney, Bobby Sands, and Frankie Ryan, IRA volunteers from the Twinbrook and Poleglass areas who died between 1974 and 1991 (Ryan). The mural is visible to drivers on the Stewartstown Road. Painted by Rısteard Ó Murchú.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01451 óglaıgh na héıreann always remembered by the people belfast brigade

We Forget Them Not

2013-11-10 PinkLPA+

This LPA (Loyalist Prisoners’ Association) mural in Kenbaan Street (at the junction of Castlereagh Road and Street) shows a red hand in barbed wire against a background of the towers and walls of Long Kesh.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Time Changes

2013-11-08 TimeChanges+

“Time changes! But the sacrifice remains the same.” Pictured is a board in Ogilvie Street in east Belfast, sponsored by the EU and the Cosy Somme Association, showing, in black and white, a WWI soldier, who is comforting another solider, in modern gear and in colour. The emblems of the 36th (Ulster) division and Royal Irish Rifles are also shown.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01438 launched September 24th 2012

Martin Meehan

2013-11-04 Meehan+

Above is a recently unveiled printed banner to Martin Meehan, an IRA volunteer from the local Ardoyne area. As can be seen from the flyer in the second image, the launch took place on November 3rd, on the sixth anniversary of his death. A gallery of images of the launch can be found at Demotix. The photograph which informs the controversial central portion can be seen on Meehan’s WP page. The piece was paint-bombed on Nov. 6th (Irish News)

Replaces The Flight Of The Earls, and before that, Collusion Is Not An Illusion.

2013-11-04 MeehanReflection+

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X01431 X01432 Ardoyne Ave independent commemoration in honour of óglach sunday 3rd avenue organized by family & friends fáılte gach daoıne everyone welcome poblacht na héıreann the provisional government of the irish republic 1945-2007

The Hard Road

2013-10-22 BootsyBegley+

Thomas “Bootsey” Begley died when a bomb he was carrying into a fish shop on the Shankill Road exploded. The bomb killed Begley and nine others. The plaque above was unveiled in Ardoyne on October 20th, 2013 – twenty years after the event – to protests from relatives of the deceased (BBC-NI).

See also the plaque on the Shankill to the nine people who died.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01408 belfast brigade oglach died on active service 23rd october 1993 always remembered by his many comrades and friends it takes courage and devotion to your people to take the hard road to freedom seamus twomey

Insignia

2013-10-14 Insignia+

This mural and its accompanying plaques, at the mouth of Canada Street, commemorate WWI and celebrate the Victoria Crosses won by members of the 36th (Ulster) Division “For valour”: Cather, McFadzean, Bell, Quigg, Emerson, De Wind, Seaman, Knox, and Harvey. The main mural features insignia of more than thirty units of types ranging from machine gunners to vets. Repainted version of East Belfast Volunteers.

2013-10-14 InsigniaDetail+

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X01390 X01391 east belfast volunteers 8th. batt. r.i.rifles 36th ulster division 1914 1918 cap badge transport brigade staff officers 9th w. vols 10th s. 107th m.g.c. machine gun coy. 110th field ambulance r.a.m.c. 15th  167th t.m.b. trench mortar batt. 121st royal engineers 233rd divisional employment c’batt 173rd artillery 153rd train 9th inniskilling fus. 10th tyrone derry ammunition donegall fermanagh y.c.v 48th mobile vets 16th co. down pioneers 109th 150th 108th 22nd armagh monaghan cavan central antrim 108th signal royal irish rifles fusiliers john mccrae In Flanders fields the poppies blow between the crosses, row on row, that mark our place; and in the sky the larks, still bravely singing, fly scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago we lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, loved and were loved, and now we lie in Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw the torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die we shall not sleep, though poppies grow in Flanders fields. moina michael Oh! you who sleep in Flanders Fields, Sleep sweet – to rise anew! We caught the torch you threw And holding high, we keep the Faith With All who died. We cherish, too, the poppy red That grows on fields where valor led; It seems to signal to the skies That blood of heroes never dies, But lends a lustre to the red Of the flower that blooms above the dead In Flanders Fields. And now the Torch and Poppy Red We wear in honor of our dead. Fear not that ye have died for naught; We’ll teach the lesson that ye wrought In Flanders Fields. July 1st, 1916 5553 officers and men had been killed mournful praise glorious meaning in which no shade of contention can enter the lost generation freedom east belfast historical and cultural society