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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Remember The La Mon Bombing

“Remember the La Mon bombing – 13 protestants killed for what??? Sinn Fien [sic] vote!” The La Mon hotel and restaurant, outside Belfast, was filled with civilians enjoying dinner-dances at the time it was bombed by the IRA in February 1978 (WP).

Ravenhill Avenue and Clara Street. There was identical graffito in Carrington Street.

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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We Shall Never Surrender

A message from “E.B. [east Belfast] Loyalists” in Castlereagh Parade, combining two speeches of Winston Churchill’s: We have nothing to offer but blood, tears, and sweat. Whatever the cost maybe, we shall fight on the beach’es, we shall fight in the fields and on the street’s. We shall never surrender.”

1940-05-13: “I would say to the House, as I said to those who have joined the government: I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat. We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering. You ask: What is our policy? I will say: It is to wage war, by sea, land and air, with all our might and with all the strength that God can give us, to wage war against a monstrous tyranny, never surpassed in the dark and lamentable catalogue of human crime.”

1940-06-04: “We shall defend our island whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches. We shall fight on the landing grounds. We shall fight in the fields and in the streets. We shall fight in the hills. We shall never surrender. ”

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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Time For Peace

A three-stone memorial to army soldiers in Tullycarnet, featuring a line from the gospel of John (“Greater love has no-one than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” 15:13) and a song by Randall Wallace for the 2002  movie We Were Soldiers called ‘The Mansions of the Lord’: To fallen soldiers let us sing, where no rockets fly nor bullets wing, our broken brothers let us bring, to the mansions of the Lord. No more weeping, no more fight, no prayers pleading through the night, just divine embrace, eternal light, in the mansions of the Lord. Where no mothers cry and no children weep, we will stand and guard though the angels sleep, Oh through the ages safely keep, the mansions of the Lord.”

By Ross Wilson with support from the International Fund For Ireland (IFI)

The garden of reflection is in front of a mural reading “Time for peace. Invest in kids … not war!”. The image of a boy playing with a ball against a wall is based on a 1994 photograph by Crispin Rodwell. The slogan in the photograph, originally, was “Time for peace; time to go” but for publication, as here, the second part was cropped out.

King’s Road, Tullycarnet

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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Craigavon House

Craigavon House was the home of James Craig, a political centre during the (3rd) Home Rule crisis – an estimated 100,000 people congregated at Craigavon House on the 23rd of September, 1911, to hear Edward Carson’s inaugural speech as Unionist leader (McNeill Ch. 4 | We Will Take Nothing Else) – and a hospital during the latter part of WWI (Bangor Historical). It has fallen into disrepair, covered over by the fourteen panels seen here, in order to serve as the rallying point of the 100th anniversary commemorative parade in April (RTÉ | BBC).

Various people and units are portrayed: USSF, post house staff, motor car corps, young citizen volunteers, the Larne gun-running, Fred Crawford, Edward Carson, James Craig, the nursing corp, Ethel Burnside, the 36th Division, the Ulster Covenant.

Circular Road, Belfast

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Copyright © 2013 Peter Moloney
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In Memory Of Our Forefathers

The Ulster Volunteers of 1912 joined the 36th Division of WWI. After the war, many of them joined the B Specials, which was disbanded in 1970 and the UDR created. The modern UVF was formed in 1965. There is a Willowfield UVF memorial garden in Cherryville St (M04070).

Ardenvohr Street, Belfast

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Copyright © 2012 Peter Moloney
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Where The Ulstermen Shop

2012 is a busy year – Queen Elizabeth’s diamond jubilee, the centenary of the Ulster covenant, and recent (2011-2012) home and away strips for Glentoran and new home and away strips for Ulster rugby in 2012-2013.

Newtownards Road, Belfast

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Copyright © 2012 Peter Moloney
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The Fiftieth Anniversary

Gertrude Star flute band was formed in 1961 and a new mural has been painted to mark the occasion, with Ulster Banners and Union Flags flanking the UK coat of arms – “Dieu et mon droit”, “Honi soit qui mal y pense”.

The following areas are listed: (left) Gertrude St, Clarawood, Templemore Ave, Woodstrock Road, Albertbridge Rd, south Belfast, Scotland, Antrim, Glengormley, Carrickfergus, Braniel; (right) Dee Street, Newtownards Rd, Cregagh Rd, Castlereagh Rd, Holywood, Ballybeen, Tullycarnet, Shankill Rd, north Down, Bangor.

Martin St, Belfast

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Copyright © 2012 Peter Moloney
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