Young Guns

Sixteen year-old Glen “Spacer” Branagh was killed by a premature blast bomb during a riot on Remembrance Sunday, 2001. His portrait is on a board at the centre of UDA flags and guns (and the tigers of Tigers Bay).

“If the Provos and the pan nationalist front and the British and Irish governments keep trying to succeed in a united Ireland then they may prepare themselves for another 30 bloody years for the battle will have just begun.”

The term “Pan Nationalist Front” was used (first by nationalists) to describe the co-operation between John Hume (SDLP) and Gerry Adams (Sinn Féin) in 1994 that led to the IRA ceasefire and the Downing Street Declaration.

Edlingham Street, north Belfast

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Copyright © 2005 Peter Moloney
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Brig J McMichael

This mural of UDA A Battalion volunteers, led by John McMichael, is a repainted version of a previous one at the same site (see 1995 M01183 and 2001 M01518). The name of Samuel Curry has been added on the right-most column. The wall in front has been painted with steps (obscured by the cars) with the words “In proud memory of our fallen comrades who lost their lives in the conflict – we forget them not.”

Rowland Way, Sandy Row, south Belfast

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Copyright © 2005 Peter Moloney
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Robert Dougan

South Belfast UDA commander Robert Dougan killed by the IRA on February 10th, 1998 while sitting in a car outside Balmoral Textiles in Dunmurry, two months before the Good Friday Agreement was signed. “Murdered by the enemies 10th February 1998. In memory of our fallen comrade – gone but not forgotten. Quis separabit.”

Blythe Street, Sandy Row, south Belfast

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Copyright © 2005 Peter Moloney
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Brigadier John McMichael

UDA “Brigadier John McMichael, murdered by the enemies 22nd December 1987. “We forget him not.”” McMichael was killed by a car bomb planted by the IRA, perhaps on intelligence received from inside the UDA. He was a Northern Ireland separatist and author of Beyond The Religious Divide and Common Sense.

Blythe Street, Sandy Row, south Belfast

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Copyright © 2005 Peter Moloney
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Tomorrow Belongs To Us

Michael Stone is removed from the central circle (see T00637) and replaced by an UYM fist. Jonathan “JJ” Gray – son of Jim Gray – died on holiday in Thailand in 2002. Jim Gray, who once owned the pub at the top of the street (Avenue One), himself would be shot in October 2005 after being expelled from the UDA in March. Rab Brown is perhaps the UVF commander – it’s not clear why he’s on a UDA mural. The flag of the ‘Ulster nation’/independent Northern Ireland is retained alongside the Ulster Banner.

Templemore Avenue, east Belfast

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Copyright © 2005 Peter Moloney
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