Lewis Carroll’s Tweedledee and Tweedledum (as imagined by Tim Burton for Disney) have been turned into Twaddelldee and Twaddelldum, Twaddelldee using an Orange collarette as braces and Twaddelldum with face-mask, concealed brick, and “KAT” tattoo. The protest at Twaddell Avenue continues, after more than 600 days. For background, see previously: Protest Camp | Civil Rights Camp | Supporters Club | No Surrender
On May 8th, 1915, the various brigades of the 36th (Ulster) Division gathered together from all over the province (including some soldiers from Cavan, Monaghan, and Donegal) to be reviewed by Major General McCalmont in south Belfast; they then paraded to City Hall (South Belfast Friends Of The Somme Association). To commemorate the event the words “36th Ulster Div” have appeared on Black Mountain above Highfield and Ballygomartin (taking a leaf from the Gael Force Art book). The wide shot, below, is taken in front of Fernhill House in the Glencairn estate, where the Ulster Volunteers paraded in 1914. In July 1915 the 36th would leave for Sussex to continue their training and eventually find themselves at the battle of the Somme in 1916.
At first glance the piece above looks like a colourful mural but, as the close-up immediately below shows, it is in fact a large painted carving of lions rampant on either side of the emblem of the Shankill Protestant Boys flute band (Fb), named for the Shankill Boys of the original Ulster Volunteers and the Ulster Special Service Force unit within it which was designed to be a unit of “first responders”, ready to react at short notice to action by republicans or British forces anywhere in northern Ireland (historyireland).
The officers and members of the Shankill Protestant Boys flute band strive to achieve the same respect that our 1st battalion West Belfast Ulster Volunteers and Ulster Special Service Force “USSF” forefathers rightfully achieved in 1913, as they marched from Lawnbrook Ave to Fernhill House to enlist in Carson’s Army to defend Ulster from the 3rd Home Rule Bill, then again in May 1915 as they enlisted in Kitcheners Army as the 36th (Ulster) Division marching from Stewards Yard Aberdeen Street as the 9th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles through Belfast and off to fight in the Great War 1914-1918. wear the USSF badge and to this day we are proud to have USSF bloodline in our ranks, grandfathers grandsons and great-grandsons marching extensive repertoire consists of many wartime tunes such as Mountjoy clydevally the UVF gunrunning ship and many relating to the modern day volunteers SPB were formed in 1980 and many founder members are still marching today the reasons for forming the band were much more simply that establishing another flute band wanted to promote and express culture remember servicemen fought and died during the Somme offensive perished in during the conflict against violent republicanism flags 1982 carried with honour and dignity every parade humble homemade uniforms our wives made regimental uniforms over 125 members join more than learning music discipline educating our youth on our culture and history. no better feeling than marching with your own community clapping and cheering you on fellow bandsmen decorum SPB till we die carnan street c coy thiepval messines cambrai st. quentin arras ypres 1917 langemarck passhendaele passchendaele picary courtrai uvf ycv
Shepard Fairey used Mannie Garcia’s AP photo of Barack Obama for his ‘Hope’ poster of the 2008 US Presidential election (WP). The three-quarter profile, faraway look and four-tone shading have been repurposed for the board, shown above, in east Belfast: a boy gazes beyond Samson and Goliath, backgrounded by a sunburst: “Dream, Seek, Achieve, Educate, Achieve!”
“RNU call for the release of Leonard Peltier – http://www.freeleonard.org“. The lower left-hand panel of the RNU spot on Northumberland Street is serving as a changeable notice-board – it was previously The Popular Front.
Peltier has been in jail since 1977, convicted of killing two FBI agents on the Pine Ridge Reservation in 1975 and sentenced to two life-sentences (WP).
The pikemen of 1798 go into battle under the flag of the United Irishmen in a detail from a new mural on the Falls Road for the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising. Below are work-in-progress images showing artists Gerard ‘Mo Chara’ Kelly and Bill Bradley.
Here’s a PUL mural in classic style, though not seen much of late: King William “Billy” III of Orange crosses the Boyne, sword drawn, on a white steed that walks on water. The crests of Scotland and Northern Ireland (labelled as “Ulster”) and the Scottish thistle and orange lily of the Orange Order fill out the quadrants.
Chinese, Cantonese, European, and Presbyterian. Three signs outside the Chinese take-away in Ballycarry: the Chinese lettering for the restaurant, a DUP poster supporting Sammy Wilson, and an Ulster-Scots heritage banner: “1613 The Arrival of Edward Brice – The first presbyterian minister in Ireland”.
On a barn wall in Ballycarry, County Antrim: a African youth (perhaps Ethiopian Mursi tribe) with painted face and a headdress of warthog tusk and aluminium coils. (By Liquid Colour Design – see also The Craic Is Mighty.)
Seosamh Mac Coille Collection 