For Armistice Day commemorations 2015 an old mural (below) depicting east Belfast mill workers in cloth caps going to work beneath the H&W cranes was replaced with an image of a single soldier standing over a WWI burial cross with head bowed. In front are the same kind of small wooded crosses and poppies featured in Row On Row from Pitt Park. By Glenn Black and Ken Maze of Blaze FX (web).
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Copyright © 2013 Seosamh Mac Coılle
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In early August the RNU blacked out an Ard Eoın Kickhams GAA mural in Ardoyne (featured previously) and replaced it with a tarp calling for the RUC/PSNI to be disbanded (see this Belfast Live article for an image). After complaint from the local community, the tarp was removed and the central part of the mural was repainted, showing the celtic cross of Cumann Lúthcleas Gael, a football, sliotars, and hurleys. Members of the RUC were forbidden from GAA membership until “Rule 21” (WP) until 2001; they are now permitted to join and play Gaelic games, even if they not welcome in the area – see the image below.
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Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02758 X03138 founded 1907 MI5 british army not welcome in this area gaelic athletic association GAA CLG
The memorial garden in Mount Vernon, which previously had and Ulster Volunteers mural and UVF stone has undergone a major redevelopment this year with a new “cut-out” mural to the 36th (Ulster) Division and memorial plaques to six UVF members who died between 1974 and 2000, including (in the second image) Joe Shaw, who was shot by the UDA during the 1974-1975 feud. (For details of the killings and its aftermath, see this Balaclava Street article.) See the final image, below, for the plaque on the outside wall of the garden listing all six members.
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Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03109 X03108 X03110 [X09891] X09892 X09893 X09898 X09897 X09896 X09895 Joe Shaw 18-5-1974 Samuel Frame 13-3-1976 Jackie Irvine 16-3-1989 Colin Caldwell 28-11-1991 Bertie Rice 31-10-2000 Mark Quail 1-11-2000 murdered in the service of ulster we salute also all volunteers at home and on the mainland who served with dignity and pride 3rd battalion north belfast ulster volunteer force lest we forget ulster defence association the great war soldiers marching profile we will remember them 1914-1918
Incidents involving ships of African emigrants seeking refuge in Europe are so many that there is a separate Wikipedia page for them. In response to the crisis, an old mural in Crocus Street (see M01486) remembering the emigration of Irish to North America during the Great Hunger was repainted and the lower part (which had images of the Great Hunger) replaced by stencilling which makes reference to the 2015 situation: “Ireland/Éıre 1845 – Europe/An Eoraıp 2015”, “Refugees welcome – Fáılte roımh theıfıgh”, and “No human is illegal – Níl aon dunıe [duıne] mídhleathach”. It was immediately vandalized with a “not” (see the final image, below; Fb) but has now been repaired, along with the mis-spelling.
Update 2015-10-19: the mural has been graffitied with “SF hate blacks” – see the fourth image, below.
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Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
sınn féın youth famine X03011 X03012 X03104 X03142 originally finished 2015-09-12
The board featured here (above and three shots below) has a dual purpose. On the one hand, it is part of celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of the Battle Of Britain, which was waged from July to October in 1940. On the other, it is part of an anti-racism project, celebrating in particular the contributions to the Battle made by roughly 145 Polish aviators (WP) and especially the 303 squadron: “The Polish nation – part of us then, part of us now”. The 303 was later stationed in Northern Ireland for a time. (BBC-NI)
The artist is Ross Wilson. The colour version of the central photograph is available at the Housing Executive’s write-up of the project. Other reports: Belfast Live | NewsLetter
Video of speeches from the launch:
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Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X02994 X02995 X02996 X02997 churchill never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few 21st august 1940 after the invasion of poland by germany on september 1st 1939 many young polish airmen made their way to britain the luftwaffe had full control of the skies over poland and any attempt to fight there would have been futile a rapidly modernising royal air force was an attractive alternative especially as they had been equipped with the ultra-modern spitfire and hurricane fighter planes with a shortage of experienced pilots polish airman became the largest group of non british personnel in the RAF during the battle of britain they joined already established squadrons in fighter command however on july 13th they were given their own squadrons one of these was the highly successful 303 polish squadron during the battle destroyed more aircraft than any other fourth highest tally of all 2nd world war shot down 20% of all experience of seeing their homeland at the mercy of the german forces hardened their resolve regarded by fellow pilots as highly focused and courageous josef frantisek highest scoring fighter ace had it not been for the magnificent material contributed and their unsurpassed gallantry i hesitate to say that the outcome of the battle would have been the same air chief marshall sir hugh downing per ardua ad astra we do not forget that you were the first to resist the aggressor neither do we forget that you came after manifold trials to our aid when we most needed your help your valiant fighting alongside in the forefront helped to restore the fortunes of the allies throughout the years of struggle in good times and bad you have stood by us and shared their losses and their victories sir archibald sinclair british air minister letter to polish airmen 1945 general sikorski honours rations outside their mess hut john alexander kent feric grzeszcczak zumbach lokuciewski hennerberg daszewski szaposznikow from this day to the ending of the world we in it shall be remembered we few we happy few we band of brothers for he today that sheds his blood with me shall be my brother henry V william shakespeare the legend of 303 polish squadron they gave their lives high up there somewhere where earthly matters are so distant the rays of the sun so pure and god so close we must wonder if mankind is yet aware of the credit that is their due pete bleakley ross wilson housing executive lower shankill community association
William Connor (later William Conor) was born in the Old Lodge area of Belfast (in 1881) close to the location of the new bronze statue shown in today’s images, which is at the corner of Northumberland Street and Shankill Road, replacing the UVF/Shankill Protestant Boys (see M02457). The info board (shown below) describes his methods in capturing the Belfast street scenes for which he is most famous: “Conor was developing a spontaneous drawing technique by recording quick impressions, and it soon became a habit for him to go out into the streets with a newspaper, which contained loose leaves from his sketchbook. When he saw anything of interest he leant against a lap post or wall, took out his newspaper as though he were simply reading the sports results and sketched away.”
For more info, see the project’s web site. For images of many of Conor’s paintings, see ArtNet. For images of the sculpture in progress, see Lönze’s site and the project’s Facebook page.
Officially launched 2015-09-26
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Copyright © 2015 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X03026 X02954 X02955 X02956 X02957 X02958 Painter William Conor PRUA RHA ROI OBE (1881-1968) was born in Fortingale Street and developed many of his renowned paintings in this area known as Conor’s Corner. J. Wilson Conor’s work on display: Going to the Mills (1914, Crumlin Road, Belfast), Riveting, Lamp-post Swinging (1957, Belfast), The Twelfth (1918, Wellington Place, Belfast), Two Men Watching Lambeg Drummers, Digging. Sculpture & Concept: Holger C. Lönze, Cork. Architectural Design: Robert Morrow, Belfast. All images by William Conor collection ulster folk and transport museum
Samson and Goliath, the cranes of the Harland & Wolff shipyard in east Belfast, stand alongside crosses on the burial grounds of the 36th (Ulster) Division in Flanders (though Cave Hill might be in the background) in this Flora Street mural in east Belfast. UVF flags fly overhead. One of the cranes can be seen in the background of the wide shot, below.
On the headstone in the front-middle is written “Francis Lemon 1916”, perhaps this Francis Lemon, from Ballymacarrett, who died on July 2nd: FindAGrave | IWM.
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Copyright © 2015 Extramural Activity
X02989 X02990 francis lemon 1916 remembrance day armistice day veterans
Soldiers from the 36th (Ulster) division in the trenches of WWI prepare to go ‘over the top’. One waits for the precise moment according to his watch, ready to fire a shot, while the other prepares to blow a whistle and launch a flare. “‘Throughout the long years of struggle, the men of Ulster have proved how nobly they fight and die.’ King George V”. The quote also appears on the Ulster Tower in Thiepval (Ulster Tower) and on the Cenotaph in Belfast (WP).
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Black taxis were first brought from England to Belfast in 1970 by locals who wanted to provide an alternative, and locally-based, transport system to augment the Citybuses which were sometimes cancelled and sometimes burned out. “West Belfast Taxi Association. Providing Belfast with a public transport system for over 40 years/ A Dhıa deán trocaıre ar a nanamacha.”
The board above commemorates eight drivers who were killed during the troubles: “Dedicated to the memory of Michael Duggan 12/11/75, Jim Green 5/5/77, Harry Muldoon 31/10/84, Paddy McAllister 26/8/86, Caoımhín Mac Brádaıgh 16/3/88, Thomas Hughes 19/7/91, Hugh Magee 10/10/91, Paddy Clarke 2/2/92. Murdered in the service of their community.”
French documentary about black taxi drivers.
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X02905 community interest company WBTA divis flats st peters
Three images from the Tullycarnet Flute Band’s (Tw | Fb) memorial mural for members who have died. The mural is in Lochinver Drive, due south of Stormont, as can be seen in the third image, below. The mural shows two band-members in uniform “In memory of past members and supporters of the Tullycarnet Flute Band. In memory of Steven Dawson (Big Penny). Gone by not forgotten. A light shone in the night. In memory of Joseph Baxter Corry (Joe). Gone but not forgotten. You’ll always be in our hearts. Farewell our absent friend.”
The Pride Of The Hill’s memorial mural was previously featured in a previous Absent Friends
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Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 