physical force

Incendiary Device

Extramural Activity1 Comment

Irish-language rap group Kneecap (web) played in Falls Park on Friday night, sharing the stage with Imelda May and Damien Dempsey in a concert that Féıle entitled “Irish Voices“, but before that they revealed a mural in Hawthorn Street showing a PSNI land-rover on fire next to the phrase “Níl fáılte roımh an RUC [The RUC is not welcome]”.

Outraged responses to the mural have come from all quarters. The line comes from their song C.E.A.R.T.A. (youtube), about making sure the police don’t find the satirically enormous array of drugs – “cóc, speed, Es, agus moll marıjuana” to name only a few – they hope to take at a party: “Seans ar bıth go bhfaıghıdh sıad mo mhála MD/Mar tá cóısır ann anocht ‘s níl fáılte roımh an RUC”.

The Kneecap party and the middle Falls are the latest in a long line of places where the PSNI is not welcome, not just Ardoyne, Divis, and the Bogside (Derry) but also the Village, the Shankill, Carrickfergus, Millbrook (Larne), the Caw (Londonderry), and Tullyally (Londonderry).

The sticker shows a vintage republican image: see e.g. England Get Out Of Ireland and Stad Maggie Anoıs.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X11158 X11159 X11157 3CAG trí chonsan agus guta

Your Local Supplier

Extramural Activity2 Comments

The North Down and East Belfast branches of the UVF come within a stone’s throw at the top end of the Bowtown (Newtownards) estate. Above and immediately below, North Down signage; below that, three of the East Belfast installation on the fence across the Movilla Road.

Both portraits on the fence are of Dennis Hutchings, the former British Army soldier who died this year while on trial for the killing of John Pat Cunningham in 1974 (BBC).

The tarp is against the ‘Irish Sea border’, in the style seen in the image at the top of this Irish Times article about checks at ports.

The “erosion of our identity” board on the right can also be seen in east Belfast.

For another pair inside the estate, see previously: Bowtown UVF, and on either side of Abbot Drive, compare Our Cause Will Always Remain The Same with North Down UVF.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X11291 X11292 X11293 X11295 X11294 the battles we refuse to fight today become the hardships our children must endure tomorrow The prevention of the erosion of our identity is now our priority

Death Behind The Mask

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

In Eddie The Trooper murals, the reaper typically follows behind to collect the bodies. But lately he has been stepping into the limelight by himself, accompanied by a poem of terror (similar to the poem in The Reaper Come To Call): “The Provo’s fear the reaper/From the UFF he comes/The loyalist executioner/He brings death with his gun/He strikes when no one expects him to/From behind his hood cold eyes/The reaper brings stiff justice/As another Provo dies/He brought revenge for Teebane/In the Ormeau bookies five/And for the Shankill bombing/Greysteel was his reply/Sometimes his lust is chilling/As he goes about his task/The Provo’s fear the reaper/There’s death behind the mask”

The same poem appears on a fence board in Craigyhill, Larne.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
Ballyree Dr Bangor X11193 X11192

Shared Space

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

These UVF and UDA board are side-by-side at the entrance to the Glen estate, Newtownards; above and directly below, a North Down UVF and graffiti, while directly above it (final image) two UDA hooded gunmen take aim at the viewer on the pavement.

Also in Glen: a UVF hooded gunman at the bottom of the estate – Neighbourhood Watch – and UDA gunmen at the top of the estate – Hope That It Will Get Better.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X11210 X11209 [X11208] X11211 glenbrook rd

IRA Army Council Demands

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“The Parachute Regiment betrayed by the government to satisfy IRA Army Council demands.” The charges of murder and attempted murder against Soldier F were originally lodged (CNN) and pursued in 2019 (Guardian) but in 2021 the PPS decided to drop the charges. Five months ago that decision was quashed (BelTel | Guardian). The charges against Soldier F concerned two specific victims, William McKinney and James Wray, though witness testimony involves F in at least four of the deaths (Irish Central | Village). In response to the original charges, the Movilla UDA added the framed tarp shown here to their ‘hooded gunmen’ board in Georges Street, Newtownards.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
[X11262] X11264 X11263

You Are Now Entering Loyalist Kilcooley

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“East Belfast 6th battalion, North Down”, with UFF, UDA, and UYM insignia against a background of the Harland & Wolff cranes (in east Belfast) and Ulster tower (in Thiepval), at the upper entrance to Kilcooley estate, Bangor. An image of this tarp was included by Dee Stitt in a gallery illustrating “Protestant culture” (tw) which drew a correction from the Rev Bill Shaw, a director of Charter NI; Jamie Bryson responded on Stitt’s behalf (News Letter).

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X11142 X11143

Neighbourhood Watch

Extramural Activity1 Comment

Here is a selection of UVF boards on the fronts of houses in Whitehill (Bangor). Two flute bands are mentioned: Pride Of Whitehill (Fb) and Bangor Protestant Boys (Fb). In the final image, the date of the formation of the Ulster Volunteers is given in Roman numerals: MCMXII.

For David Gordon Dalzell, see Pride Of Whitehill. For the relationship between the East Belfast and North Down battalions, see East East Belfast and Always A Little Further.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X11169 X11168
X11160 X11161 X11162
X11163
X11164 [X11165] [X11166]
X11167
X11170 [X11171] [X11172]
[X11174] X11175 [X11176]
X11191

Our Cause Will Always Remain The Same

Extramural Activity2 Comments

“Through the years the uniforms may change, but our cause will always remain the same.” On the left (of the main panel) are the Ulster Volunteers drilling in 1914 (photograph at the Library of Congress) and a UVF show of strength on Newtownards Road (seen previously in East Belfast UVF On Parade).

On a wall along Abbot Drive (Newtownards) with purple and orange coping stones.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X11274 X11273

North Down First Flute

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Those we love don’t go away/They walk beside us every day”. The images in this post show Upper Greenwell Street in the Movilla of Newtownards, in the summer of 2022. The small boards are not new (see North Down West Belfast and North Down Ulster Young Militants) but the NHS/keyworkers and the North Down First Flute (Fb) murals have not been seen before.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X11268 X11267 X11271 [X11270] X11272 X11269