Be Prepared

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

For this year’s Twelfth, the famous UVF “Prepared for peace, ready for war” mural that has stood over the entrance to Mount Vernon for twenty years was retouched. The most obvious change is in the apex, as a different UVF symbol – with flags – has been included, along with the words “3rd Battalion” which had been in the much earlier version of this mural on another wall.

The image above has been photoshopped to remove the lettering on the left.

For the previous version (and a link to the original wall), see Prepared For Peace, Ready For War.

Update 2024-12: The wall was damaged by Storm Darragh.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X10663 [X10662] [X10661] X10660 ycv protestant action force PAF

Flags Of The Kingdoms

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

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.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X10606 X10609 X10608 [X10610] X10615 X10607

While I Live I’ll Crow

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Lambeg drums can be as loud as 120 decibels – as loud as small aircraft. The skin is goat and the wood is typically oak, the middle part – or “shell” can be painted, with biblical, Orange, or loyal iconography: in the three close-ups presented here we see HMS Thrasher (which was docked for a time in Larne (Fb)), King Billy and the cock of the north, “the late Sir H[enry] Wilson” a high-ranking British Army soldier who was a supporter of the Ulster Volunteers and proponent of the Curragh “mutiny” (WP). The drums were played as part of the Eleventh celebrations in Glynn.

Here are 20 clips from the BBC programme Come Listen To Me Boys.

For another drum shell, see 100 Years Of Service.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X10616 X10618 X10617 X10614

100 Years Of Service

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“100 years of service for the love of one’s country – 1921-2021.” Cairncastle flute band (Fb) marks the centenary of Northern Ireland and local military force with a special shell on one of their drums. The Special Constabulary was founded in 1920, in advance of partition and the creation of Northern Ireland (The Irish Story) and survived until 1970 when the UDR was established; this in turn became part of the RIR in 1992 and the RIR exists to this day.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X10612 X10613 X10611 X10619

Stronger Together

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Suicide awareness and mental health initiative – Larne, stronger together.” With contact information for Extern (web), Lifeline (web), Childline (web), Samaritans (web). Possibly connected to Stronger Together NI (Fb).

For the drugs-awareness board on the left, see Stop Mephedrone Before It Stops You. For the sectarian boards, see The Flax And The Lily and The Loyalty Of Northern Ireland. For the women’s board, see Women Are A Whole Community.

See also the Stronger Together shutters on the Shankill.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X10571 X10567 X10568 X10570

Pledged To Your Service

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“I have in sincerity pledged myself to your service, as so many of you are pledged to mine.” Boyne Square (Larne) celebrates “70 glorious years” (the platinum jubilee) of Elizabeth. The quotation comes from Elizabeth’s coronation speech (Royal UK); the image of Elizabeth appears to be from 1952, in Nottingham Council House.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X10563 X10564 [X10565] X10566 god save the queen

NI Beyond 100

Extramural Activity1 Comment

Our Story In The Making – NI Beyond 100 is a NI Office programme collecting stories showcasing Northern Ireland “on the world stage”. It has lent its brand to the Ballycarry centenary boards shown in today’s post, which have black-and-white photographs on the left (beginning with “Home to Ballycarry – General Sir James Stuart Steele visits his birthplace”) and colour photographs on the right (beginning with children visiting the Steele monument).

A ‘Stand With Ukraine’ flag and Ulster Banner fly above the walls; a bonfire is being hastily erected in the background.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X10630 X10632 X10629 X10631

The Volunteers Who Bravely Fought For Our Freedom

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The emblem at the centre of this latest version of the 36th (Ulster) Division mural in Glynn seems to be a novel creation, putting together a crown sitting on a blue ribbon draped over a shield showing a (right-handed) red hand, with a garland of shamrock, thistle, and rose.

This is the fifth mural (at least) on this wall since 2008. The only images we have of the previous one shows it in a vandalised state (see the images from 2020 below); for earlier, see 2015, 2011 (Street View), and 2008.

The plaque on the stone to the right reads, “When you go home, tell them of us and say for their tomorrow we gave our today”

The new mural has the following to its left: “This mural was erected by the Friends of the Somme Co. Antrim in remembrance of the volunteers of the 36th (Ulster) Division who bravely fought for our freedom. ‘At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them.”

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle X10622 X10623 [X01624]
Copyright © 2022 Sabine Troendle (web | Fb) X07108 X07109 [X07110]

Communities In Transition

Extramural Activity1 Comment

The young people of Sunnylands (Carrickfergus) are encouraged to “follow your dreams”. On the left, a young man dreams of being a film-maker; on the right, a young woman dreams of being a cosmetician. There is also a lot of soccer: Leeds United, The Northern Ireland team, Glasgow Rangers (“55“), and Carrickfergus Rangers are all included. Follow the example of Scooby Doo, who “don’t doo drugs” and celebrate the centenary of Northern Ireland by “chill”ing in your Orange Order sash on the bonfire (seen previously in Stop Sign).

With support from Communities In Transition and Intercomm (Fb).

Unveiled August 22, 2021 (Fb)

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Seosamh Mac Coılle
X10647 X10646 Bridewell Drive