Brig. J. McMichael

This is a UDA roll of honour mural to John McMichael and other “A battalion” south Belfast UDA volunteers.

“In memoriam: Brig. J. McMichael, Jim Kenna, Frankie Smyth, Ernie Dowds, Sammy Hunt, Steven Audley, William Kingsberry, Joe Bratty, Tommy Morgan, William Hamilton”

Rowland Way, Sandy Row, south Belfast.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 1995 Peter Moloney
M01183

Nationality

m00957

Wide shot showing the low wall between the two “Ulster’s defenders” murals: “Our message to the Irish is simple: Hands off Ulster; Irish out; The Ulster conflict is about nationality”, and “We will maintain our faith and our nationality” above images of the Bible. Newtownards Road, Belfast.

M00957

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 1992 Alan Gallery, All rights reserved alan@alangallery.com
M00957

Defender Of Ulster From Irish Attacks

m00959

Cú Chulaınn (Visual History) – the “ancient defender of Ulster from Irish attacks over 2000 years ago” with Ulster banner shield – is made a precursor of the UDA’s East Belfast Brigade – “Ulsters present day defenders”. The volunteer is – unusually – unmasked; it might be Ian Adamson (a civilian, but here given paramilitary gear) the UUP politician and proponent of the hypothesis that north-east Ulster was settled by settlers from Scotland – the Cruthin – who were at war with the Irish Gaels and that the Táın describes part of this conflict, with Cú Chulaınn the hero of Ulster single-handedly holding off the invaders from Connacht (WP).

Newtownards Road, Belfast.

This is the third gable on the so-called “Freedom Corner” (though it is not clear that it bore this name at the time of this image); here is the second gable (which in turn links to the first). A fourth gable was painted in 1993.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 1992 Alan Gallery, All rights reserved alan@alangallery.com
M00959