Clonduff prepares for Eleventh Night with a bonfire off Clonduff Drive and bunting in Tullyard Way. There are also nine (at least) vintage “UVF Release The Prisoners’ stencils in the area.
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Copyright © 2009 Peter Moloney
M04903 M04905 M04904 [M04914]
The plaques read “36th Ulster Division – dedicated to all our fallen comrades who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country. Greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for his friends. For God and Ulster.” and “From the officers and volunteers of East Belfast to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Great War.” The quadrants of the mural show (clockwise) soldiers in the trenches, soldiers manning a machine-gun, the death telegraph for William MacFadzean, and a soldier reflecting on a grave. UVF YCV “Lest we forget”
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Copyright © 2009 Peter Moloney
M04913 [M04907] [M04908] [M04909] [M04910] [M04911] [M04912]
The power station below Divis tower, rather than the so-called International Wall a little further up the road, is becoming the starting point for (republican) west Belfast. Visitors from around the world are greeted in a variety of languages. The board is sponsored by Gort Na Móna Historical Society. Above it is a Fáılte Feırste Thıar [Welcome To West Belfast] tarp: “Promoting west Belfast tourism”.
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Copyright © 2009 Peter Moloney
M04901 M04902
“Over 40 years ago, the presence of this flag on this street unleashed a vicious campaign of discrimination and violence against this community lasting decades … 45 years on this flag can flow freely from every corner… all flags are welcome on this road and so are you … fáılte go dtí west Belfast .” The incident referred to is the “Tricolour Riots” of the 1964 Westminster election campaign, in which the IRA’s Billy McMillen (shown in the middle) stood for office. Armed police raided his Divis Street headquarters and removed a Tricolour in the window. An Phoblacht has an account of the election and events. Here is news video from 1964 of charges subsequently brought against 70 people. The US Stars & Stripes is included prominently in the array of flags, but the Union Flag is absent. Coıste’s website is now coiste.ie rather than .com.
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Copyright © 2009 Peter Moloney
M04900 [M4897] [M04898] [M04899]
“Reject sectarianism – join Fıanna Éıreann” – republican (CIRA or RIRA) graffiti in Rockmount Street, Belfast.
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Copyright © 2009 Peter Moloney
M04895
Here is a close-up of the plaque on the James Connolly mural in Rockmount Street, Belfast. “This plaque is dedicate to the memory of James Connolly, trade unionist, socialist and revolutionary who was executed by the British Army on 12th May 1916 in Kilmainham gaol, Dublin. Unveiled by Bridie Croston.” For background on the mural and a picture of it in better condition in 2006 see M03108.
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Copyright © 2009 Peter Moloney
M04894 M04893
Here is a set of 2009 images of the left half of “Freedom Corner” on Newtownards Road.
Compared to the 2005 images:
the background of the UFF mural has been repainted;
“Loyalist East Belfast” replaces the letters “UFF”;
the Red Hand Of Ulster replaces “Feriens Tego” (From Ripley’s Believe It Or Not, 1953: “The strangest victory in all history: Heremon [Érımón] O’Neill racing a rival chieftain for possession of Ireland became the first man to touch its soil by cutting off his own hand and hurling it ashore! His sacrifice made Heremon the first king of Ulster, 1015 B.C. The red hand of Ulster is still the provinces coat of arms thousands of years later.” Most people believe it not.) Notice that outline is of the six-county Northern Ireland rather than of the historical Ulster;
and the “Ulsters Past Defenders” mural has been completely repainted with the emblems of the UDR and B-Specials at the centre (“This is dedicated to those who served in our conflict – we forget not”, “Formed in 1970, the Ulster Defence Reg. was an infrantry [sic] regiment of the British army intended to carry out security duties in NI. It was later disbanded in 1992. A total of 197 members were killed through the troubles”, “Formed in 1920, the Ulster Special Constabulary had been set up taking action against the IRA. It was divided into three categories A, B, and C specials. Later in 1970 they were disbanded. Then the UDR replaced them.”)
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Copyright © 2009 Peter Moloney
[M04877] [M04878] [M04879] [M04880] M04881
M04882
M04883
[M04884] [M04885] [M04886] [M04887] [M04888] [M04889] [M04890] [M04891] M04892
M04867 wide shot
From left to right the plaques read: “In memory of R McCreery 7-10-1984, V Dougherty 17-07-2003, J Moore 28-01-2007. Gone but not forgotten.”, “Young Newton. In memory of our fallen comrades Volunteers R Warnock 13-9-72, W Warnock 16-10-72, A Petherbridge 7-2-73, K Watters 17-2-74, G Reid 26-2-74. Lest we forget. Quis separabit.”, “In memory of R Algie Snr 15-09-1989, TW Black Snr 5-10-2002. Gone but not forgotten.” With Young Newton and UFF wreaths. Young Newton was an east Belfast “tartan” gang (History Ireland) and then part of the UYM (WP).
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Copyright © 2009 Peter Moloney
[M04874] [M04875] [M04873] [M04871] [M04872] M04676
East Belfast is a patchwork of paramilitary territories. Western east Belfast (Ballymacarrett) is UVF territory but this is perhaps the eastern limit of this particular enclave, next to the UDA memorial and “Freedom Corner”.
Convention Walk, east Belfast
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Copyright © 2009 Peter Moloney
M04870
“HMS Belfast – built in Belfast to protect Britain’s future. Pro tanto quid retribuamus. [What shall we give in return for so much? – the motto of Belfast city]”. The mural shows HMS Belfast being launched on March 17, 1938. Tower Street, Belfast. After serving in WWI and Korea, the ship is now a tourist attraction in London.
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Copyright © 2009 Peter Moloney
M04869 [M04688]
Peter Moloney Collection 