A memorial stone has been added to the fading mural of soldiers of the 15th battalion heading to France in 1915, beginning a list of former members of the Rathcoole Friends Of The Somme (Fb). For the names of the five portraits, and the mural in better condition, see Many Did Not Return.
The title of today’s post is the title of Jonathan Evershed’s book (youtube).
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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.
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Here are two Sons Of Kai tarps in “the C-double-O” (Rathcoole), celebrating fifty years of the flute band. For the controversy over the name (and date of formation) see The Famous.
In the background of one of the wide shots can be seen (the latest version of) the Marky Quail mural.
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… to the state opening of the first parliament of Northern Ireland – with new prime minister James Craig – at Belfast City Hall on June 22nd, 1921. The monarchs in question are King George V and Queen Mary. Pathé has video of the royal arrival and travel to City Hall. In his speech, George appealed “to all Irishmen to pause, to stretch out the hand of forbearance and conciliation, to forgive and to forget, and to join in making for the land which they love a new era of peace, contentment, and goodwill.”
For the coat of arms, see previously The Lion And The Elk. It is not clear whom the twelve framed portraits depict. The six gentlemen in the background are the members of the original Executive Committee, which served as a cabinet to the Commons and Senate – for a full list, with offices, and the original photograph, see WP. Carson’s statue at the entrance to Stormont is on the left. The photograph of spectators at the parade (on the far left) can be seen in this News Letter article. The photograph of the royals in their carriage can be seen here and of the King inspecting the guard here.
The project was undertaken by Rathcoole Friends of the Somme (Fb), with support from the Housing Executive’s Community Cohesion unit.
See also Floreat Ultona in south Belfast.
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Sons Of Kai flute band (ig) re-formed in 2006 (youtube | Coin Talk) but here claims as its origin date “1972”. IWM gives the founding year as 1970, and quotes one of the founders, Bo Kerr, saying that the band was named after Danish soccer player Kai Johansen (WP), who played for Rangers from 1965-1970, and that the “tartan” gang (History Ireland) ‘Rathcoole KAI’ subsequently took its named from the band. Then (BelTel) and now (Irish News | Slugger) “KAI” is understood to stand for “Kill All Irish”. A 1982 image of the Rathcoole KAI “red devils” mural can be seen in the Ciaran McGowan collection at IWM.
[2024 update: the band’s foundation story is told in more detail in Kai Johansen’s Bar.]
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“The people of Rathcoole send their sincere and heartfelt congratulations to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the historic occasion of Her Platinum Jubilee.” The Monday at the end of May is usually a bank holiday in the UK, but this year it is being postponed until the end of the week and combined with an additional one to create a four-day weekend beginning this Thursday in celebration of the 70th (“platinum”) anniversary of the accession of Elizabeth on February 6th, 1952 (the coronation was on June 2nd, 1953).
The mural centrally shows an official portrait from 1992, wearing the orders of George VI and George V; the four medallions show Elizabeth at her birth, her coronation, “trooping the colour” on her birthday, and 70th wedding anniversary in 2017.
With support from RATH (Rathcoole Achieving, Transforming, Helping each other) and Dalaradia (web). For another Dalaradia board in Rathcoole, see Kingdom Of The Pretani ; for a Cuchulainn version of the Dalaradia board, see Defending Ulster From Gaelic Attacks.
See previously: Rathcoole UDA celebrate the golden jubilee.
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Derry’s Bogside is at odds with everyone, it seems: above, the English Queen and her platinum jubilee, below, NATO, and … Creggan!
Lasair Dhearg’s take on the jubilee is entitled 70 Years A Parasite.
The anti-NATO placard has a small hammer-and-sickle at the bottom.
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Copyright © 2022 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
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Celebrations of the centenary of the creation of Northern Ireland have been dampened by the fall-out from Brexit and the NI Protocol, the on-going coronavirus restrictions (and the leadership races in both the DUP and UUP). This Rathcoole house a flag to mark the centenary (the coat of arms of NI on a St Patrick’s Saltire) and stickers decrying the Protocol (“Northern Ireland unionists against NI Protocol”) and thanking the NHS.
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Darth Vader in a bowler and collarette on a Rathcoole porch demanding “equal rights” for “British citizens” and protesting the NI Protocol (“No Irish Sea border”), which is result of Brexit. Lord Vader is accompanied by more traditional icons of loyalism: King William III and Eddie The Trooper (who has his own Visual History page).
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“By order of R. Coole.” Two of the Rathcoole towers have been scheduled for demolition by the NIHE, beginning with Monkscoole House this summer, to be followed later by Abbottscoole House. In their place, 50 homes will be built, about half as many as currently reside in the two blocks; this has led to graffiti in the estate protesting the plan (Newtownabbey Times).
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Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 