Ulster Banner

The Great War And The Recent Conflict

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“In remembrance of all those Ulster men and women from the greater Dunmurry area who died during the Great Wars 1914-18 and 1939-45. Also those men and women who died during the recent conflict. Lest we forget.” These are the same words as appeared on a plaque on the previous memorial, which included the Special Constabulary. In the background is a “Welcome to loyalist Seymour Hill” board with flags and poppies, along with a 2021 tarp reading “Seymour Hill says no to the Irish Sea border”.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X11890 X11889 X11891 [X11892]

Loyalist Movilla

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Here is a gallery of images from the junction of Upper Movilla Street and Georges Street in Newtownards. In the image above, a handdrawn UDA emblem can be faintly seen, behind the modern board that has fallen down (possibly off a house in Wallaces Street). In a separate post, see IRA Army Council Demands.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X11257 [X11256] X11258 X11259 [X11260] X11261 X11265 [X11266]

Gertrude Star

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Gertrude Star flute band (Fb) celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2021 and to mark the occasion this (2022) May, the two side-walls were painted with the emblems above and immediately below. For the mural, which was painted for the 50th anniversary in 2011, M08166.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X10729 X10731 X10728 X10730

Welcome To Antiville

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Antiville” is perhaps derived from the Irish “an tıgh bhıle, “the house of/by the sacred tree” (rather than just “the house of the old tree”, as on the board below). The two boards shown here are at the Linn Road entrance to the estate: above is the UDA’s welcome, below is the welcome from the Bonfire committee and Antiville Partnership (Fb), showing a tree. The 2022 Antiville bonfire was torn down after the death of one of its builders, John Steele – see With Heart And Hand.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X10509 X10511 Antiville Partnership

Uplit Sunnylands

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Loyalist Sunnylands & Woodburn celebrates 100th anniversary Northern Ireland”, and the silver jubilee/25th anniversary of the Ulster Grenadiers flute band (Fb), 1996-2021, and salute Captain Sir Tom Moore, hero fundraiser during the Covid lockdown. The Maintain The Union wall in Woodburn was recorded previously; added here are close-ups from the fence and also the same boards in Sunnylands.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X10648 [X10656] X10655 X10657 X10649

Our Murdered Brethren

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Orange Order Victims day is an annual commemoration (on September 1st) of the 339 members who were killed during the Troubles. The stained glass window reproduced in a board on the Newbuildings memorial garden is in the Museum of Orange Heritage in Schomberg House, south Belfast.

Compared with the garden in 2020 (see Newbuildings Victoria), there is a new NI Centenary board, and on the outside (replacing the tarps giving thanks for the NHS and commemorating the 75th anniversary of VE day) there is a celebration of the platinum jubilee of Queen Elizabeth II. On the electrical box, there is a stencil in support of Bloody Sunday’s “Soldier F”, who continues to face murder charges (for the killings of William McKinney and James Wray) and five attempted murder charges after the PPS’s decision to discontinue prosecution was quashed in March (Guardian); the PPS has appealed (News Letter).

339 Orange Order members killed during the Troubles.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Andy McDonagh/Eclipso Pictures (ig | Fb)
X10375 X10376 X10377 [X10378] X10371 [X10372] X10377 [X10379] X10373 faithful unto death Revelation 2:10

The Six Counties

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Of some interest in this Mersey Street NI Centenary board is the use of St Patrick’s saltire (in the background). The saltire is an anglo symbol of Ireland and was included in the Union Flag when the union was between Britain and Ireland and thus – like the word “Ulster” – has been reduced to meaning Northern Ireland after partition.

There is also an anti-Irish Sea border board on the next house along – see An Act Of Betrayal. This features the Union Flag together with flags representing the “home countries”: the Welsh dragon, the English St George’s Cross, the Scots St Andrew’s Saltire, and the Northern Irish Ulster Banner.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X10358 X10356 X10357

The Famous

Extramural Activity2 Comments

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.]

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X10175 X10176 X10174 rathmullan dr derrycoole way

Get Ready To Make Your Move

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Here are two signs of protests at the NI Protocol along with the third version of graffiti complaining about parking spaces being taken by people working at the Boucher Road complexes. The original version (in 2020) threatened that “your car will be burnt” (Street View). It’s not clear whether it’s new construction or existing businesses that are the target, though the Boucher Road area has been busy, with a refit of B&Q (BelTel) and new Lidl being built next to the Olympia (BelTel) (not to mention the stage for the Ed Sheeran concerts (Newsletter)).

“Loyalist Village says NO! to an Irish Sea border”, “Loyalist Village will never accept a border in the Irish Sea.”

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X10098 X10083 [X10084] [X10085]

In Memory Of Those Who Died

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This mural – which perhaps memorialises the RUC in particular – has evidently been rolling since 1984 and the two different styles of house and brick (in the image below) explain its longevity – it’s in a narrow alley between two different stages of construction on Sydney Street West, initially to where the old Harrybrook Street used to be and then extended out to Snugville Street.

Some other murals blocked out (and so preserved) by new construction: Tomorrow Belongs To Us | Say No To Blow

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X09991 [X09992] [X09993] X09990 X09994 [X09989]