painted wall

Killarney’s World War II Hero

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Hugh O’Flaherty – the Scarlet Pimpernel Of The Vatican – is thought to have helped save 6,425 soldiers and Jews who were at large after the fall of Mussolini but prior to the German occupation of Italy and who made it to Rome to see O’Flaherty or the still-functioning Irish embassy at the Holy See. O”Flaherty was raised in Killarney and died in Cahersiveen; he is remembered in Killarney by this mural – painted by Ursula Meehan (ig) in High Street with support from Killarney Art Gallery (web) – and a statue by Alan Ryan Hall (killarney.ie) in Mission Road.

(HughOFlaherty.com | WP | Irish Central)

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X10485 X10483 X10484

That We May Live In Freedom

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The old C Batt mural further up Hornbeam Road has long been painted over. It used the same line – “They gave their lives that we may live in freedom” – to remember Wesley Nicholl and Brian Morton. A plaque to Morton is now included on top of the new mural. “Brian Morton (Morty) killed in action 07/07/1997, a true Ulster patriot who gave his life in defence of his country. Feriens tego.” As with republican memorials, “active service” means that Morton was killed by a premature bomb exploding.

Previously on this wall: Queensway Flute Band.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X11904 X11905 X11903 All gave some, some gave all.

New Look

Extramural Activity1 Comment

There is a fresh coat of paint and all-new lettering on this UDA mural in Rathcoole but the ensignia and hooded gunmen remain the same. Compare to the 2013 image in Rathcoole UFF.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X11672 X11680 [X11671] Inniscarn Dr

Unhappy Anniversary

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Noah Donohoe would have been 17 last Friday (November 25th). The inquest had been due to start on the 28th, but after the Coroner Joe McCrisker ruled at the end of October that it should take place in front of a jury, a preliminary hearing will be held on December 9th at which a new date might be set (Belfast Media | Sunday World).

There are 23 other posts featuring Noah Donohoe on Extramural Activity. This mural is at the entrance to the Kashmir Bar on the Springfield Road; for the mural on the outside wall, see The Best Singers In The West.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X11883 X11884 Marty Lyons

S Company, C Company

Extramural Activity2 Comments

Joe Coggle and Paul McClelland were arrested as they sat with weapons in a car on the Falls Road in 1991; they were jailed for 18 years (Independent) but released under the Agreement. The Sunday World also report that the pair were involved in the killing of David Braniff in 1989. Both UVF men are said to be deceased; Coggle died in September.

Coggle had previously served 18 months for running over and killing Elizabeth Masterson in Beechmount in 1986 and her descendants objected to the mural (Irish News | BBC).

S Company was a predecessor to C Company; it existed from 1969 to 1974, when C Company was formed (see M08105 for an older S Coy – C Coy mural in Ballygomartin). A previous UVF uzi can be seen in M01186.

Replaces Here Dead We Lie. For the mural of five volunteers to the right (in the wide shot), see C Coy Street.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
Carnan St four step volunteers greengairs thistle flute band
X11801
X11844 [X11847] [X11799]
X11800 [X11845] [X11846]
[X11848] X11849 [X11802]
X11843 [X11842] X11849
X11854 [X11803] [X11804] [X11805] [X11806]
X11798

Christmas Meat

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Yesterday was Thanksgiving in the United States, also commonly known as “turkey day”, and the orgy of eating is today followed by the orgy of spending – Black Friday. The terms are gradually creeping into local parlance, to mark an artificial beginning to the Christmas shopping season. One local petrol chain made headlines yesterday with its “Thanksgiving Thursday” promotion (BelTel | Belfast Live gallery), while one Woodvale butcher is encouraging people to “order your Christmas meat now”, using a saving club if necessary.

The mural underneath is Dan Kitchener’s Night Taxi.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
[X11874] X11875 Enfield St

West Belfast UFF

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Here is some vintage graffiti and a small UDA mural from behind the Tennent Street police station in the upper Shankill (Mill Street West). Above: “Ulster says No”. Bottom: “S/Hill West Belfast UFF 2nd Batt C Coy”.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
[X11750] X11751 X11752 X11754 [X11796] X11795 X11753

The Enemies Of Ulster

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Mark Quail, of the UVF, was “murdered by the enemies of Ulster” – that is, shot by the UDA – at his Rathcoole home on November 1st, 2000. His was the fourth death in four days (after David Greer, Bertie Rice, Tommy English) (Irish Times) as the UVF-UDA feud that began in the Shankill with the infamous “loyalist day of culture” in August 2000 spread to north Belfast and Newtownabbey (though the BBC says they are unrelated). There were also attacks in east Belfast (BelTel) before the feud ended in mid-December (BBC | Guardian).

See also Jackie Coulter (and Bobby Mahood) and Sam Rockett “Murdered By Cowards”.

This is a repainted mural; for the previous version see Marky Quail.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X11787 X11785 X11788 [X11789] [X11790] X11786 innis park 3rd belfast battalion

Flowers In A Stony Place

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

These flowery designs are in the alley leading from Central Drive to Rinmore Drive, where you can see the “RYAD” graffiti, which is presumably a variation on RAAD (see previously External & Internal) meaning “Republican Youth Against Drugs”.

The artist is unknown – please get in touch if you know it.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X10861 X10862 X10863 X10864 X10865 X10866 X10867 X10868

Death’s Parade Ground

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The bugler in period uniform and the language of the poem are reminiscent of WWI but all of the UVF mural, roll of honour, and reproduction of an old YCV mural refer to the modern UVF and in particular to William Millar [sometimes given as “Miller”], Bobby Morton, and Tommy McAllister. Millar and Morton were ambushed by the RUC on the 16th of March 1983 – Millar died and Morton was injured (Long Kesh Inside Out). Millar was included in an old Cregagh mural – see T00243). Morton died in 2016 (Young Conquerors), hence his portrait shows him as an older man. The same is true of McAllister’s portrait, though no information about him is readily available.

“As the bugler blows/O’er the graves in rows/As reveille sounds/Over death[‘]s parade ground/Where our fallen comrades lie/With our standards proud/Once their deathbeds shroud/We will come from far and near/To salute our dead/And the roles they played/With the Ulster Volunteers.”

The mural was launched on March 19th (ACT) in Pine St. Below the new mural are a roll of honour and a board reproducing a former mural by Gareth Keys one street over, in Walnut Street – see The Young, The Brave, The Fearless.

The vintage graffiti (second image) is in Oak Street.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X11712 X11715 X11714 X11713