PUL

Resolve

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The Bunch Of Grapes in east Belfast was an infamous UDA bar known in particular for the

torture and killing of Georgie Legge in 2001 (Irish Times). The east Belfast Resolve NI (Fb | tw) office – formerly a DUP advice centre – sits across from it at the junction of Beersbridge and Castlereagh roads. The pub has been derelict for 5 years or more and an apartment building is to be developed on the site (BelTel). Demolition would also remove Friz’s Hope, Life.

For a short time (2006-2008?) the pub was called the Ibrox Bar and, when this proved controversial with Rangers FC, the Eye-Brox Bar.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X06327 [X03626] Castle Inn

Dumnie Pamiętane I Nigdy Nie Zapomniane

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“Proudly remembered and never forgotten.” The ‘Band Of Brothers’ mural, which celebrates the contribution of Polish airmen stationed in Northern Ireland to the Battle Of Britain in WWII, was partly covered over with a vertically aligned Polish flag, obscuring fire damage from August(?) seen in the third image. The wreath on the right-hand side interestingly combines poppies (perhaps for Armistice Day and the centenary of the end of WWI) and the Polish writing used as the title of this entry, along with the Polish WWII eagle (perhaps commemorating the end of the Battle Of Britain, which is marked (in the UK) on September 15th). The wreath of poppies is next to the Kitchener mural.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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East Belfast Ulster Volunteers

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The Union Flag/UVF side-wall is a new addition to the Ulster Volunteers/UVF memorial in London Road, east Belfast. The main panel shows WWI soldiers going over the top (see Between The Crosses) while the four portraits to its right are of deceased UVF volunteers of the 70s and 80s – Seymour, Long, Cordner, and Bennett – (see Ulster’s Brave).

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X06316

Victoria Crosses Of The 36th (Ulster) Division

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Dee Craig has updated the Victoria Crosses mural in Cregagh, honoring G[eoffrey St. George Shillington] Cather, W[illiam Frederick] MacFadzean, R[obert] Quigg, and E[ric] N[orman] F[rankland] Bell. Five more were included in a board on the Shankill and another in Willowfield Street. (For the previous Cregagh version, see M03390)

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X06313 [X06314] X06315 cappagh gardens

We Shall Defend Our Island

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The mural in Castlereagh Parade has been repainted for the centenary of the end of WWI, but with some notable differences. Three flag-holders have been added above. On the right are now a poppy and mourning soldiers. The quote comes from a speech by Winston Churchill on 1940-06-04 – “We shall defend our island whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches. [We shall fight on the landing grounds.] We shall fight in the fields and in the streets. We shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender.” – but the current first line was previously omitted in favour of another Churchill quote: “We have nothing to offer but blood, tears, and sweat.” See: Whatever The Cost May Be.

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Sweet Way To Go Gay!

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“Handily packed, delicious to eat, Spangles are the fruitiest sweet! Only 3d a packet. Made by Mars.” A 1952 magazine advertisement for Spangles in the window of a vintage shop in Carrickfergus, showing a street party, perhaps in anticipation of the coronation of Elizabeth II, 16 months after she became queen in February 1952. The boiled sweets were a staple of life until 1984 (WP).

Other early ads for Spangles, which were introduced in 1950, note the price is 3d “and only one point”, meaning that customers would have to use one of the 16 points for non-essential goods from their ration books; control of sweets did not end until February, 1953 (WP).

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X06301

Orange Lodged

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For the third time, these two panels – one of the signing of the Covenant in 1912 and the other of soldiers in collarettes and sashes defending their trench against a German attack – are visible at Barrington Gardens. They were originally on the gable at the corner before it was demolished (see July 1st); during re-development they were placed on a metal frame (see Out Of The Rubble).

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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The Earl’s Thorn Bush

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The emblem on the flats at the mini-roundabout (where Glandore and Skegoneill avenues meet) depicts a tree and a face, perhaps a reference to the name “Skegoneill” or ‘the earl’s thorn bush” after the place at which Anglo-Norman earl William de Burgo was assassinated in 1333 (PlaceNamesNI).

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Copyright © 2018 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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