Belfast

Vita, Veritas, Victa

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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. 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).

“Vita, veritas, Victoria” [life, truth, victory] is the motto of Londonderry. Here we have “vita, veritas, victa” [life, truth, conquered; perhaps the intended meaning was “conquering” rather than the passive]. The crest is also not quite the crest of the Apprentice Boys, with a ship in the bottom right rather than a skeleton. Get in touch if you can resolve either discrepancy.

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Copyright © 2001 Peter Moloney
M01525

Their Name Liveth For Evermore

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The apocryphal book of the Bible Ecclesiasticus reads “their bodies are buried in peace, but their name liveth for evermore” (44:14), which is here applied to 910,000 “British empire casualties” from the Great War, including the Ulster Volunteers and Young Citizen Volunteers raised by “Sir Edward Carson” which became the 36th (Ulster) Division and particularly the Royal Irish Rifles and fought at the Somme 1916.

Apsley Street, south Belfast

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Copyright © 2001 Peter Moloney
M01524

Brig. J. McMichael

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Somewhat faded version of a mural (seen before in 1995) to 12 UDA ‘A’ battalion volunteers, headed by Brigadier John McMichael. Compared to the 1995 version, Harry Black and Raymie Elder have been added. (Samuel Curry will be added when the mural is repainted). 

Rowland Way, Sandy Row, south Belfast

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Copyright © 2001 Peter Moloney
M01518

In Proud Memory

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2001 image of the Sandy Row UDA funeral volley mural previously seen in 1997. The same “fuck Rangers” graffitist who sprayed the Sandy Row UFF ‘wings’ mural also got to this mural. “In proud memory of our fallen comrades. We forget them not – at the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them.”

Boyne Court, Sandy Row, south Belfast

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Copyright © 2001 Peter Moloney
M01517

The Dark Days

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Paint-bombed mural to members of the Ulster Volunteer Force, Belfast Brigade, in the 36th (Ulster) Division, with (anachronistic) Ulster Banner and Union Flag: “they arose in the dark days to defend our native land for God and Ulster”, “And when the Lord thy God shall deliver them before thee, though shalt smite them and utterly destroy them, thou shalt make no covenant with them nor show mercy unto them – Deuteronomy 7 verse 2”.

Blythe Street, Sandy Row, south Belfast

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Copyright © 2001 Peter Moloney
M01515