On the Ballysillan Road at the bottom of Kilcoole Park.
The stencils of King Billy have appeared all over Tyndale and down onto the Ballysillan Road outside the Boys’ Model.
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The kerb-stones along the Edlingham Street (Duncairn Avenue) entrance into Tiger’s Bay have been repainted in preparation for this year’s Twelfth and the two pillars given bands of red, white, and blue.
The bonfire is on the waste-ground at Adam Street. The fact that the land is owned by the Department Of Infrastructure made the bonfire controversial in 2021 (see Move At Your Own Risk).
For the mural in the community garden, which now appears defunct, see Seek And You Shall Find.
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The Templemore Avenue area of east Belfast readies itself for the Twelfth: above, a few pallets are collected in Thistle Court, just across the Short Strand “peace” line; immediately below, bunting in Tower Street; finally, flags flying on the “understanding” mural in Lendrick Street.
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During the second World War, six basic designs for pillboxes, numbered from ‘Type 22’ to ‘Type 27’ were promulgated by the division of Fortifications And Works as part of anti-invasion planning (WP). This Type 24 is still standing in a corner of the Oval grounds in east Belfast. This image – showing the door – is of the rear of the pillbox; the anticipated line of attack was along Belfast Lough.
“The Oval’s Type-24. In the early hours of the 5th of may the German Luftwaffe (air force) attacked a number of targets in the heart of Belfast. This ‘Type 24’ military pillbox was one of the defence positions around the city which was manned on that morning by a platoon of soldiers of the Gloucestershire Regiment who were based at nearby Victoria Park. … The Oval, the home of Glentoran Football Club was reduced to smouldering rubble as bombs and incendiary mines landed on an area perceived by German intelligence to be an oil storage facility adjacent to both Harland and Wolff shipyard and Short Brothers aircraft factory.”
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It is a year since the new policy on bilingual street signs was made public; by September there had been 500 applications (Belfast Media) but by January of this year no new signs had been erected and 600 applications were awaiting decision (Belfast Live | Irish News from Feb). One new sign – shown here – was erected in February on Clifton Street (Belfast Media).
From 2016: Céıde Bhaıle Uí Mhurchú
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A statue of Our Lady Of The Sacred Heart stands in front of the “peace” line on the Divis side of Boundary Street.
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The road in Glynn is painted with loyal emblems and slogans: on one side of a red hand in a six-pointed star, “God save our Queen” with the Union Flag, and on the other “No surrender – 1690” with the constituent flags of England (St George’s Cross), Scotland (St Andrew’s Saltire), and Ireland (St Patrick’s Cross). Above the road painting is the arch, on one side of which is the traditional King Billy and on the other a soldier (perhaps covering both WWI and the B Specials & UDR) standing in front of a cross.
For the Lambeg drums at the Eleventh celebrations, see While I Live I’ll Crow.
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This is the scene around the Boyne Square (Larne) bonfire, hours before it was set alight on 11th night. There are multiple flags from Constable Anderson Memorial flute band (and LOL 1297 Boyne Defenders); Clydevalley flute band “stand with Soldier F”. On the bonfire itself there are only loyal flags – compare with the Tricolours and electoral posters on the Sunnylands bonfire in Carrickfergus.
There’s also a sticker for live coverage of the Craigyhill bonfire on The ‘Gers TV.
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Andrew Cairns of the UVF was chased and beaten by about a dozen people before being killed by a single shot to the head (BBC). The killing took place next to the burning Boyne Square bonfire and the memorial (shown below) is on the other side of the bonfire site. Sutton attributes the killing to the UDA (Sutton); the Sunday Mirror reported that the killer was rejected by the UDA and was a member of the LVF (Free Library); see also BelTel | Guardian. One of the accused (Irish Times) was later UDA South East Antrim chief (BelTel).
Cairns was included in an old UVF mural, also in Wellington Green.
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The Craigyhill (Larne) bonfire was officially measured at 202.3 feet in height, exceeding the existing Guinness World Record for tallest bonfire, a 199-ft pyre in Austria in 2019. More than 40,000 pounds was raised for the effort (Belfast Live). In preparation for lighting, houses around the green were boarded up with sheets of plywood (see below).
The red and blue pallets mostly go at the bottom because they are sturdier pallets; they are also longer lasting and more expensive to produce. The red pallets come from La Palette Rouge while the blue come from CHEP (Commonwealth Handling Equipment Pool) (Belfast Media). They can be legally bought or sold only by their respective companies.
In nearby Antiville, a bonfire builder fell to his death. See With Heart And Hand.
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Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 