Ronnie’s hardware shop in east Belfast, vacant for many years and the site of Our Brave Defenders, was finally torn down last year and a pocket park created with murals commemorating east Belfast volunteers who died in the Great War and the UVF Regimental Band (tw), this year celebrating its 50 anniversary (video of the launch).
See previously: 40th anniversary banner at the same spot (next to the Belvoir Bar at the old Newcastle Street in east Belfast).
After the Nationalist coup in 1936, the UK and US continued to recognise Spain’s Republican government but did not intervene militarily. Individuals from these counties thus participated in the conflict by joining the British and Lincoln battalions of the XV International Brigade, fighting alongside Balkans, Belgians, and Cubans at Jarama, Brunete, and the Ebro river, among other battles. For background on Belfast socialism of the period see this article by Stevie Downes.
“International Brigades – Spanish Civil War 1936 – 39. Commemorating all those who served and died with the XV International Brigade in the fight against fascism including the following Brigadistas from the Shankill area: William Beattie … Bill Henry … William Laughran … Henry McGrath … James Isaac Hillen … Joseph Lowery … Andrew Molyneaux. No pasarán. Unveiled by Tommy and Freddie McGrath, nephews of Henry McGrath, and Baroness May Blood, trade union & community activist. International Brigade Commemoration Committee. Saturday 1st February 2014.”
The East Belfast UVF memorial parade primarily commemorates hitman Robert ‘Squeak’ Seymour, who killed the IRA’s James Burns in his own home in 1981. He was killed by the IRA in 1988. Here is video from the 2019 parade. Seymour’s portrait is included in Ballymacarrett (see Standing Guard) and in London Road (Ulster’s Brave).
“Even Protestants love Marxism/Leninism – just ask Wolfe Tone.” Tone, an Anglican, was an Irish republican and famously thought that the “men of no property” would play a part in the revolution, but what he thought their role would be in the new Ireland is much less clear. The graffiti is in loyalist east Belfast.
A sticker protester in Bloomfield Avenue is tired of high rates: “UVF bonfire riots are to add £500 to your rates. Thank your morons”, “UVF scum push up rates + selfish bonfire builders”, “High private rentals and lack of council homes = EU open border German plan”.
Policing at two east Belfast bonfires last year cost 188 thousand pounds (BBC-NI), but it’s not clear that had any impact on rates. Commercial rates will increase by £138 this year, due in part to the allocation of half a million pounds for “bonfire diversionary schemes” (up from 400,000 pounds in 2018), resulting in a rates increase of 1.98% compared to a planned increase of 1.67% (Irish News | BBC-NI). The scheme has been called a “carve up” for special interests as the allocation of funds was decided by Sinn Féin and the DUP alone. Last year’s allocation was investigated by the NI Audit Office, and it appears that the office will investigate this year’s too in order to see that the recommendations made were adhered to (Alliance).
The other issue seems to be that immigration into Europe (including Belfast) is forcing up rents. Most immigrants to east Belfast live in privately-owned accommodation (NIHE). Germany ended its open-door migration policy in June 2018 (Vox).
Please get in touch if you can shed light on any of the issues.
With less than a month to go until 11th night, bonfire builders are busy collecting materials for their pyres, but although they want people to “dump wood”, they don’t want to become dumps. “No shite” is on Lanark Way (west Belfast). For a more articulate list, see previously Stuff We Don’t Need.
The other three images are from the RYL [Roslyn?/Ravenhill? Young Loyalist] bonfire site in Lismore Street (east Belfast). where the “Irish News [is] not welcome” to write stories and take pictures of sites as the controversies surrounding them resurface each year, such as toxic fumes from tyres (see e.g. Tyre-Free Pyre and Tyred Of Your Culture) and state attempts to exchange funds for conditions on fires (see e.g. Culture Before Cash and Real Loyalists Will Never Be Bought).
Sınn Féın leader Mary Lou McDonald drew criticism for appearing behind an “England get out of Ireland” banner at the St Patrick’s day parade in New York city (BBC-NI). This Shankill Road graffiti reverses the sentiment (replacing “Britain” with “England”), commenting perhaps on the difficulty the Northern Ireland border poses for the UK’s attempt to exit the European Union.
Former TUV but now independent Councillor Jolene Bunting (web) was elected from the Court district in west Belfast in 2014. Her 2019 campaign posters (seen here around Lanark Way and Shankill Road) have drawn criticism (NewsLetter) – in addition to those shown here are “Put veterans before immigrants” and “Local homes for local people”. Her appeal against a 4-month suspension for anti-Islamic remarks was rejected last week, despite her claim that elected representatives have enhanced freedom of speech (Irish Times).
The ‘Liverpool No. 4 battalion’ UVF mural in Tynan Drive, Monkstown, (seen previously) has been replaced by a Dee Craig (Fb) mural to the soldiers of the Ulster Volunteers (see the ‘bleeding hand’ symbol in the apex) at the Somme. The small plaque on the fence to John Webster (a.k.a. Webber), Lee Irwin & Steven Cook, remains.
Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 