physical force

That We May Live In Freedom

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The old C Batt mural further up Hornbeam Road has long been painted over. It used the same line – “They gave their lives that we may live in freedom” – to remember Wesley Nicholl and Brian Morton. A plaque to Morton is now included on top of the new mural. “Brian Morton (Morty) killed in action 07/07/1997, a true Ulster patriot who gave his life in defence of his country. Feriens tego.” As with republican memorials, “active service” means that Morton was killed by a premature bomb exploding.

Previously on this wall: Queensway Flute Band.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X11904 X11905 X11903 All gave some, some gave all.

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]

Heeding The Call

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Where so ever, how so ever or whenever we are called upon to make our exit, we will do as proud men.” This is quite a different message from the one produced within the Rathcoole estate for the 50th anniversary of the Red Hand Commandos, which stated that despite its venerable age, the four Rathcoole companies of the RHC “Await In The Shadows“. (That mural also depicted the kneeling men with sticks (on the left of today’s mural) and the linked post also contains the original photograph.)

It’s not clear who or what within loyalism might call upon the RHC to stand down; loyalist rhetoric at the moment is full of anger at the protocol and warnings/threats about of a return to violence (e.g. BelTel | BBC).

For the use of “Lamh Dear Abu” as the slogan, see Ulster Says “Tá”.

O’Neill Road, Newtownabbey.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X11870 [X11872] [X11871] [X11873] X11867 [X11868] X11869 X11865 [X11866]

Bap McGreevy

Extramural Activity1 Comment

IRA volunteer Frank “Bap” McGreevy spent 15 (Irish Times) or 17 (An Phoblacht) years in Long Kesh (for a crime of which he was innocent, says Anthony McIntyre; possibly the car bombing of the Klondyke Bar in Sandy Row). He was attacked by two assailants at his home in (the old) Ross Street, near this memorial board, in March 2008 and died of his wounds after three days in hospital.

As the wide shots below show, there are now a dozen pieces along this stretch of the Falls Road. The other pieces have all been seen in previous posts. For close-ups, see
Kieran Abram with Charlie Hughes
plaque and map of The Falls Road Massacre
Unrepentant Republicans Billy McKee, Alec Murphy, and Brendan Hughes; the Falls Curfew
Web Of Corruption: Drop The Rents; PSNI Not Supported; Divis 81 in Defund The Police
For A Socialist Republic

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X11830 X11836 X11824

S Company, C Company

Extramural Activity2 Comments

Joe Coggle and Paul McClelland were arrested as they sat with weapons in a car on the Falls Road in 1991; they were jailed for 18 years (Independent) but released under the Agreement. The Sunday World also report that the pair were involved in the killing of David Braniff in 1989. Both UVF men are said to be deceased; Coggle died in September.

Coggle had previously served 18 months for running over and killing Elizabeth Masterson in Beechmount in 1986 and her descendants objected to the mural (Irish News | BBC).

S Company was a predecessor to C Company; it existed from 1969 to 1974, when C Company was formed (see M08105 for an older S Coy – C Coy mural in Ballygomartin). A previous UVF uzi can be seen in M01186.

Replaces Here Dead We Lie. For the mural of five volunteers to the right (in the wide shot), see C Coy Street.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
Carnan St four step volunteers greengairs thistle flute band
X11801
X11844 [X11847] [X11799]
X11800 [X11845] [X11846]
[X11848] X11849 [X11802]
X11843 [X11842] X11849
X11854 [X11803] [X11804] [X11805] [X11806]
X11798

The Enemies Of Ulster

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Mark Quail, of the UVF, was “murdered by the enemies of Ulster” – that is, shot by the UDA – at his Rathcoole home on November 1st, 2000. His was the fourth death in four days (after David Greer, Bertie Rice, Tommy English) (Irish Times) as the UVF-UDA feud that began in the Shankill with the infamous “loyalist day of culture” in August 2000 spread to north Belfast and Newtownabbey (though the BBC says they are unrelated). There were also attacks in east Belfast (BelTel) before the feud ended in mid-December (BBC | Guardian).

See also Jackie Coulter (and Bobby Mahood) and Sam Rockett “Murdered By Cowards”.

This is a repainted mural; for the previous version see Marky Quail.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X11787 X11785 X11788 [X11789] [X11790] X11786 innis park 3rd belfast battalion

Fallen Not Forgotten

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

What’s most unusual here is the tree cross-section (or “tree disk”) (on the left) that has been decorated with a hooded gunman and the insignia of the (east Belfast) UVF and YCV – the final image shows a close-up.

“The uniform may have changed but the cause remains the same. Ulster Volunteer Force. Fallen, not forgotten.” There is a very close variant of this wording on a mural in Bowtown (Newtownards).

For the Tom Moore mural to the side, see You’ll Never Walk Alone.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X11730 X11728 [X11729] X11732 X11731 tullyard way

The Stolen Child

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The re-painted mural to plastic-bullet victim Julie Livingstone was rededicated this past Saturday (October 15th). For the previous mural, see 2010. “The Stolen Child – Come away, O human child/To the waters and the wild/With a faery hand in hand/For the world’s more full of weeping/Than you can understand… – WB Yeats.”

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X11700 X11699 X11698