The initial Carrickfergus Castle was built in 1177 and today functions as a major tourist attraction. The foot soldier in chainmail and kettle hat in the image above can be seen (in statue form) at the castle, along with a variety of other soldiers from the Norman and English forces that held the castle throughout the centuries.
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Robert King, of the 12th Royal Irish Rifles, who joined the army from the Ulster Volunteers, was “awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in action on 1st July 1916” at the Somme. The two sides of the medal are shown in the top right, with George V on one side and “for bravery in the field”. The 12th Rifles were drawn from the Central Antrim regiment of the Ulster Volunteers including the Newington area of Larne; King, however, was from Ship Street.
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The ‘hooded gunman’ is alive and well, as evidenced by this “1st East Antrim – D. Company Ulster Volunteer Force” mural in Wellington Green, Larne.
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A happier image from Oakfield Drive (compared to Glenfield Community Noticeboard): the interests of local children are reflected in the tiles they made: a Union flag and Ulster banner but also a heart and “Liverpool”. One of four such tile collages on the front of the (now-defunct) Glenfield Community Association building.
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February 2015 saw the controversial painting of two UDA murals in the Glenfield estate, Carrickfergus. They are now graffitied over with “child beaters”, “fuck ur UDA” (above) and “child molester”, “fuck yerz” and the red hand x’ed out (below). It’s not clear what (or who) the allegations concern.
For the originals, see Glenfield Community Association.
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Two images of pleasing shapes formed by cabling, street signs, and the shadow of power lines on plastered walls.
Previously in accidentally-geometric-walls, the Mondrian-esque Composition With Orange, Bathroom Tile And Dolphin Wallpaper.
Boyne Square is a loyalist area of Larne. It hosts a bonfire and Orange Order arch in the marching season.
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“¡No pasarán! In memory of the International Brigades and the men from Derry, Donegal & Tyrone who served in the struggle against fascism in defence of the Spanish Republic 1936-38. … I measc laochra lucht oıbre go raıbh a n-aınm – May their names [name] be among the heroes of labour. Erected by the North-West Spanish Civil War Project, July 2013.”
For brief biographies of those named, see Ireland Spanish Civil War. For some background see DonegalDiaspora. The plaque is above the Unite offices in Carlisle Road, Derry.
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A mythological Celtic queen under the Lecky Road/Barrack Street flyover. Painted by RAZER (ig).
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The tarp says féıle is “a year round cultural experience” but the main event is still the Gasyard Féıle in August. This year’s féıle included a screening of the film 66 Days (Derry Now). The festival ends on the 18th. (Final night write-up from Derry Journal.)
On the rear of Free Derry Corner.
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Carrickfergus United Loyalists portray Peter Robinson, Mike Nesbitt, and Theresa Villiers as the three monkeys who “hear no evil, see no evil, speak no evil”. The evil that they fail to recognize is the oppression of Orange culture in the form of the blocked 2013 parade at the Ardoyne shops. The march was completed and the protest camp dismantled on October 1st. (NewsLetter) The phrase “graduated response” comes from the Unionist response to the collapse of 2014 talks. (Irish News)
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Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 