This Castlemara, Carrickfergus, board is not remarkable so much for what it depicts — the new prince and princess of Wales, “baron & baroness of [sic] Carrickfergus” — but for what it replaces, namely, the Carrickfergus Eddie, which had been in place since (at least) 2000 — see Show No Mercy.
This means that there are no large murals of Eddie remaining; there are only some smaller versions of Eddie of boards or tarps. Eddie has his own Visual History page.
“Rangers ’til I die.” Here are images from the courtyard of the Carrickfergus Rangers Supporters Club, (Fb) and the approach to the clubhouse.
First, a pair of UVF boards above the courtyard listing both local (Carrickfergus, Ballyduff, Ballyclare, Greenisland, Glengormley, Monkstown, Rathcoole, Larne, Whitehead) and affiliated British units (Drumchapel (Glasgow, Scotland), Springburn (Glasgow) Possilpark (Glasgow), Paisley (Scotland), Falkirk (Scotland), Liverpool (England), Blackpool (England), Corby (England), and Blairgowrie (Scotland)) of the 1st East Antrim Battalion, “The people’s army”.
Second, the tarp on the back of the Men’s Shed.
Third and fourth, the boards on the lawn and the painted columns of the railway bridge on St Bride’s Street/North Road.
Here are images of murals from the interior and the outside patio of the Rangers Supporters Club (Fb) in Carrickfergus. January 2nd, 1971 – included in the panel above – is the date of the Ibrox disaster, in which 66 people died (WP). “Fleshers’ Haugh” [Butchers’ Low-Lying Meadow] – included in the panel below – is the part of Glasgow Green where Rangers played their games in the first three years of the club’s existence (Scotland Guide). Edmiston Drive (above) and Copland Road (third image) are streets adjacent to the stadium.
“All gave some; some gave all.” During its twenty-two years of operation, 197 UDR soldiers were killed. The scroll on the left gives the dates of the regiment’s operation: 1970 (April 1) was the year it replaced the Special Constabulary, and 1992 (May 31) was the year seven of the nine battalions were amalgamated with the Royal Irish Rangers’ two battalions to form the (modern) Royal Irish Regiment (WP) – the piper in the top right is carrying a flag of the Royal Irish Regiment.
The inscription on the plaque reads: “Ulster Defence Regiment mural, dedicated on the 19th March 2016 by Chairman Roy Burton, Carrickfergus Glasgow Rangers Supporters Club [and] Chairman Stephen Weir, Carrickfergus Ulster Defence Regiment Association CGC. Lest we forget.”
March 10th was the 53rd anniversary of the killings of three Highland Fusiliers, Dougald McCaughey and teen-aged brothers Joseph and John McCaig, who were drinking in a city centre pub and lured to their deaths in north Belfast at the hands of the (Provisional) IRA. The killings led to the resignation of NI prime minister James Chichester-Clark and an increase, to 18, in the minimum age for service (WP).
“In memory to all who fought and gave their lives.” This is the tribute to the Ulster Division at the Carrickfergus Rangers Supporters’ Club, citing the words of Wilfrid Spender “I am not an Ulsterman but yesterday, the First of July [1916], as I followed their amazing attack, I felt that I would rather be an Ulsterman than anything else in the world.” (For more of Spender’s tribute to the 36th Division, see I Am Not An Ulsterman.)
“Let others come after us – we welcome the chase.” The exterior wall of the Carrickfergus Rangers Supporters Club presents a gallery of the club’s managers from 1899 to 2018. In order they are William Wilton, Bill Struth, Scot Symon, David White, William Waddell, Jock Wallace, John Greig, Graeme Souness, Walter Smith, Dick Advocaat, Alex McLeish, Paul Le Guen, Ally McCoist, Stuart McCall, Mark Warburton, Pedro Caixinha, Graeme Murty, Steve Gerrard (and since then, there have been Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Michael Beale, and (currently) Philippe Clement).
Here is Carrickfergus castle by Dan Kitcherner (ig), painted on a wall in the town centre that had a piece of “RIP GFA protocol” graffiti on it (Street View). The mural is based on the actual scene, though the shopfront marked “castle” is actually Mayur Indian restaurant.
Funded by the International Fund for Ireland’s Peace Impact Programme (BelTel).
About 100 people came out to Marine Gardens for the live broadcast of the coronation of Charles III on May 6th (Mid & East Antrim youtube), one of about nine such live-streams across Norther Ireland (Bel Tel).
The young people of Sunnylands (Carrickfergus) are encouraged to “follow your dreams”. On the left, a young man dreams of being a film-maker; on the right, a young woman dreams of being a cosmetician. There is also a lot of soccer: Leeds United, The Northern Ireland team, Glasgow Rangers (“55“), and Carrickfergus Rangers are all included. Follow the example of Scooby Doo, who “don’t doo drugs” and celebrate the centenary of Northern Ireland by “chill”ing in your Orange Order sash on the bonfire (seen previously in Stop Sign).
Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 