A Sword Bathed In Heaven

South Belfast MP Robert Bradford was assassinated by the Provisional IRA in Finaghy at a meeting with constituents; the caretaker of the community centre, Ken Campbell, was also killed by the fleeing attackers. Taking place in late 1981, with the hunger strikes having ended only a month before, the killing was noted around the world and raised fears of broad civil unrest (BBC | NYTimes). The board immediately above replaces an earlier mural to Bradford on the gable wall that now hosts the large board shown above, commemorating the Siege Of Derry and specifically the “Apprentice Boys Of Derry No Surrender Club” of south Belfast.

Oak Street.

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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1688 – 1689, April 18 to July 28 played a key role in the victory of the Williamite forces in Britain and other parts of Europe. The success of William III and the Glorious Revolution effectively stopped the rise of a tyrannical Empire under Louis XIV of France and his ally the deposed king of England, James II. The theory of the divine right of Kings was replaced by reforms created by King William III and Queen Mary, establishing the supremacy of parliamentary democracy and its freedoms which continue to this day. during the war of the three kings showing the jacobite fortifications and position of the boom across the foyle gold mask of the sun king vita veritas victoria protestant nobles stewart dynasty prince of orange convention parliament abdicated battle of the boyne kingdom of england scotland ireland londonderry toleration of roman catholics dissenters cousin dutch citizens walls of derry but the cry was siege of 105 days duly initiated in apprentice boys’ memorial hall shutting of the gates rules and ritual roaring meg siege key
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my role is to say harsh things oft-times, but to bathe the sharp sword of my word in heaven, to temper what I say with love and lead people from their folly to a life of fuller service with their king for seven violent year from 1974 to 1981 unionist mp for south belfast an outspoken champion for liberty in ulster unafraid to speak his mind despite the danger he faced daily from terrorist death threats finally they murdered him while he was on constituency duty doing the special work god had called him to do one of the worst political assassinations in recent british history sent shockwave around the world

Daffodil Nation

“The Ulster conflict is about nationality. This we shall maintain” with the red hand for “Ulster”, the thistle for Scotland, the Union Flag for the UK, the rose for England, and – new to this version of the mural – the daffodil for Wales. For the previous version of the mural, which uses the dragon for Wales, see M02376.

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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Freedom Must Be Demanded By The Oppressed

Hooded gunmen return to Sydenham, in east Belfast. The George Best mural that had “re-imaged” a UVF emblem has now (controversially – BBC | Guardian | U.tv video | Slugger) been replaced by an armed gunman.

The quote on the right – “Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed” – comes from the section of Martin Luther King’s Letter From A Birmingham Jail in which he considers the merits of civil disobedience or direct action.

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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Moss Side Community Hall

“Moss side” is probably Scots, with “moss” meaning “marsh” or “(peat) bog” (DSL) and this mural is appropriately on Ballybog Road (in Dunmurry), “bog(ach)” in Irish meaning “soft (ground)..

In the mural, “QFB” is Queensway Flute Band – they used to have a mural in Seymour Hill – and “LOL 136” is a lodge in the Derriaghy District (Fb). It’s not clear if there is a specific referent for the dolmen in the centre.

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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One Man, One Love, One Country

The South Belfast UDA/UFF commander John McMichael (1948-1987) was killed by an IRA car bomb. In addition to organising a team of assassins in the 70s and 80s, he founded a Political Research Group and wrote two documents proposing an independent Northern Ireland, 1979’s Beyond the Religious Divide and 1987’s Common Sense (available at CAIN), promoting the philosophy of ‘Ulster nationalism’. The quote on the board comes from the end of the Introduction to Common Sense:

“There is no section of this divided Ulster community which is totally innocent or indeed totally guilty, totally right or totally wrong. We all share the responsibility for creating the situation, either by deed or by acquiescence. Therefore we must share the responsibility for finding a settlement and then share the responsibility of maintaining good government.”

“One man, one love, one country. Commonsense. In loving memory. Quis separabit.” “A Coy” “Old Warren”

The Smallwoods plaque is the same but the trio of boards is new, as compared to 2010.

Drumbeg Drive, Lisburn.

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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The Relief Of Ulster

This is the scene at the junction of Pollock Drive and Mourne Road in Mourneview, Lurgan. The images, in order, show the top level of boards (including some on the sides of the building) and then the four along the bottom.

Top: (on side) Inniskilling Dragoon Guards | South Belfast UDA, B battalion, 1 company | Ancre Somme Association | 9th battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers | Craigavon Protestant Boys flute band (Fb) | Carson signing the Covenant in 1912 | (on side, above Mourneview Youth) Upper Bann Fusiliers flute band (Fb) | Upper Bann Fusiliers

Bottom: No Home Rule including the unfurling of “The Largest Union Jack In The Empire” | The Covenant | The Relief Of Ulster including the Ulster Volunteers and the Larne gun-running | The Great War including the VC won by William MacFadzean – “To them, bravery was without limit; to us, memory is without end”.

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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lamentations the pioneers brownlow house somme bonar law crawford our only crime is loyalty


The Sacrifice Remains The Same

“Time changes! But the sacrifice remains the same.” Pictured is a board in Ogilvie Street in east Belfast, sponsored by the EU and the Cosy Somme Association, showing, in black and white, a WWI soldier, who is comforting another solider, in modern gear and in colour. The emblems of the 36th (Ulster) division and Royal Irish Rifles are also shown.

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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