Belfast east

Standing Guard

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2013-12-20 EastBelfBattDetail+

Here are four shots of a late 2011 UVF mural, with memorial wall, on Ballymacarrett Road in east Belfast. The four members named are Robert Seymour, shot dead by the PIRA; James Cordner and Joseph Long, who were killed in a premature explosion, and Robert Bennett, killed by the British Army during a riot. These same four are commemorated in the controversial 2013 mural featured in Years Of Sacrifice.

The nearby memorial (through the railings of which the third image, below, was taken) was constructed in 2003.

2013 saw the 25th anniversary of Seymour’s death; the final image, below, is of a flyer announcing a commemorative parade.

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2013-10-17 SqueakSeymour+

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01509 X01512 X01510 X01511 X01397 murdered 15th june 1988 joseph long killed in action 27th feb 1977 james cordner robert bennett 7th 1973 in proud memory of fallen comrades ulster volunteer flute band east belfast memorial parade in memory of volunteer squeak 25th anniversary saturday 15th june 2013 leaving parkview bar at 6.00 pm finishing at mural on island street lest we forget

Red Star Army

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2013-12-20 DevineStar+

INLA member Mickey Devine was the tenth and final hunger-striker to die in 1981, on August 20th. The mural above, in the familiar style of the IRSP/INLA (see Patsy O’Hara), is in Chemical Street, in the Short Strand, across from the set of five murals on Mountpottinger Road (Visual History) – see the wide shot below.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
[X01506] X01507 X01508 irish national liberation republican socialist sands hughes mccreesh mcdonnell hurson lynch doherty mcelwee

On That Journey

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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.

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

Time Changes

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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

Years Of Sacrifice

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As can be seen from the initial cartoon for this mural, below, it was originally intended to have two hooded gunmen firing a funeral volley, but because of protest by locals (see, e.g. NewsLetter) this was changed to two unmasked men, one of whom is clearly of the WWI era. The Nissen huts and towers of Long Kesh, however, remain in the image, which thus expresses the complex relationship of loyalists (and especially the UVF, whose members Robert Seymour, James Cordner, Joe Long, and Robert Bennett are listed on the left-hand side) to the British army. As Bill Rolston put it: “How could one display visually the value of opposing British policies in the name of remaining British? What could be the symbols of such a schizophrenic message? (Drawing Support (1), p. ii).

The side-wall to the right of shot is painted solid black but otherwise remains unfinished as of the end of 2013.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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Connswater Commemorates

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2013- 10-22 Connswater1+

These three painted boards, in frames, on the exterior of the Connswater Community Centre, were unveiled this past December (2012). The first commemorates Titanic, the second the Somme, and the third the WWII Blitz.

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X01412 X01409 X01410 X01411 union castle dunvegan southern cross ulster prince white star olympic britanic eagle dunotter seaquest canberra harland and wolff ships men iron steel this mural commemorating the centenary launch of the rms titanic was unveiled by the rt. hon. lord mayor of belfast alderman gavin robinson on 21st december 2012 36th 16th 10th 1914 1918 glorious dead dear mother by the time you receive this i will probably be dead and god was with them as they passed over and the trumpets all sounded for them on the other side battle of the somme ranger andrew allen 1st batt. royal irish regiment ballymacarrett 1941 many killed in night of terror arp sgt. edward donnan irish guards 1940-1956

Tamery Pass

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2013-10-21 TameryPassWide+

Graffiti next to a mural commemorating various battles of WWI reads “Prejudice is all in your head!” The Young Citizen Volunteers (YCV) were formed in 1912 and in 1914 became a battalion of the UVF.

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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X01407 X01406 somme, ypres, arras, thiepval, st. quentin, grandcourt, messines, fricourt, young citizen volunteers