The mural to UDA assassin Stevie ‘Top Gun’ McKeag is again (or, still?) in progress. Compared to the 2009 version (itself incomplete) the poppies around the portrait have lost their leaves (perhaps due to a new background colour) and his dates of birth and death have been turned into a Union Flag and Ulster Banner. See also 2008 and 2007.
Hopewell Crescent, west Belfast
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Copyright © 2010 Peter Moloney
M05746
“Fáılte Go Dtí Ard Eoın. Ardoyne – a confident, colourful, creative community, and the people who made it so” particularly the local schools, whose insignia are shown on the left: “Thnx 2 all r teachers past and present.” The previous mural in this spot (M01783) is invoked by the banner across the top: “Everyone has the right to live free from sectarian harassment” and the inclusion of Holy Cross Girls among the schools
Whitney Houston and Bobby Sands are invoked on the right “We believe the children are the future – value the laughter of our children“.
Estoril Park, Belfast
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Copyright © 2010 Peter Moloney
M05699 [M05698] [M05700] [M05701]
The usual UVF “for God and Ulster” is replaced with “release the prisoners”.
Vintage mural in Ballysillan Park, Belfast.
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Copyright © 2010 Peter Moloney
M05702
Northern Protestants prepare to resist the Home Rule act, c. 1912. Clockwise from top left, gun-running on the Clyde Valley, the Covenant, Carson and the Central Antrim Volunteers (see also M04206), mounted rifles of the Ulster Volunteers (see also M00545).
The plaque reads “They shall not grow old/As those who were left behind grow old//Age shall not weary them/Or the years condemn//As the going down of the sun/And in the morning//We will remember them” (Binyon ‘For The Fallen‘)
Forhill Drive, Ballyduff, Newtownabbey.
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Copyright © 2010 Peter Moloney
M05688 [M05689] [M05690] [M05691] [M05692] [M05693] [M05694]
Depicted on the skin of a lambeg drum, a young boy plays a lambeg drum. the insignia is from “Carnmoney 1551”, perhaps related to Glengormley Purple Star LOL 1551.
Two sides of an electrical box in Fairview Road, Ballyduff.
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Copyright © 2010 Peter Moloney
M05686 M05687
Three images from Cloyne Crescent in Monkstown, commemorating the Ulster Volunteers who fought at the Somme in 1916.
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Copyright © 2010 Peter Moloney
M05678 M05679 M05677
This is a new version of the Monkstown UDA 1st battalion mural on Devenish Drive. The previous showed volunteers on manoeuvres in front of Three Mile Water aqueduct in the top portion. This new mural shows graveside volunteers with assault rifles point down, mourning William Hobbs and James Boyd McClurg. The two died from a premature bomb explosion on May 10th, 1977, across the road from the mural in Seagoe Gardens; Hobbs died immediately, McClurg of his injuries a few weeks later. “All gave some, some gave all.”
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Copyright © 2010 Peter Moloney
M05676 [M05675] [M05674]
“Unbowed, unbroken.” Five of the original 18 portraits are missing – see the image from 2006 (as well as the plaque just out of shot to the left.)
This is a version of the earlier Éıre/Ireland mural (depicted as a female in the centre of the mural) seen in 2005.
Mountpottinger Road, Belfast.
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Copyright © 2010 Peter Moloney
M05648
“Understand the past – and build a better future le chéıle Catholic, Protestant and Dissenter.” “The past” in this case is the Battle Of St Matthew’s (“Chath Naomh Máıtıú”), one of the formative events of the Provisional IRA (“Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann”) (WP). The “better future” is symbolised by the dove and the absence of a weapon in the arms of the central figures – compare to this Derry mural from 1985. The mural was unveiled as part of the commemorative events to mark the 40th anniversary of the Battle.
Mountpottinger Street, Belfast.
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Copyright © 2010 Peter Moloney
M05647
The theme “Remember the fallen from war” is illustrated by a bombed-out Ballymacarret library on Templemore Avenue and St. Patrick’s church, which is just across the street from the mural, both of which were hit during the blitz in 1942, a police land rover perhaps indicates the dead during the Troubles, while Cuchulainn stands for the IRA (and/or for the UDA?). The word “peace” appears next to an image of Stormont (bottom right) painted in white rather than grey.
We are supposed to remember the dead because (perhaps) their deaths were unnecessary and misguided as means to peace, at least according to the saying along the bottom (sometimes attributed to Einstein): “Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding” – understanding of the Nazis during the blitz, it seems, and of loyalists during the Troubles. If you have a better interpretation, please (please!) leave a comment.
The mural was imitated on the hoarding around the Cultúrlann on the Falls Road during its renovation, though this version does not mention the blitz and seems to be lamenting the CNR dead and calling for understanding of the CNR community (sc. by Britain and the Orange state) – see X01279.
Lendrick Street, east Belfast
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Copyright © 2010 Peter Moloney
M05643
Peter Moloney Collection 