painted wall

Sleeping Where No Shadows Fall

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“In loving memory of military commander Stevie ‘Top Gun’ McKeag, born 1970, died 2000. Sleeping where no shadows fall.” The plaques and the photograph in the centre are new (see previously 2007). The upper plaque [M04257] reads “This mural is dedicated to the memory of Stevie (Top Gun) McKeag from the officers & members of C Company 2nd Battalion UFF. Gone but not forgotten. Quis separabit.” The lower plaque [M04256] reads “In loving memory of our big brother Steven McKeag from jackie, Mary & Melissa. Simply the best.”

Hopewell Crescent, lower Shankill, Belfast

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2008 Peter Moloney
M04259 [M04258]

Boyle & Somerville

Extramural Activity2 Comments

Harris Boyle and Wesley Somerville were UDR soldiers and UVF volunteers. They were “killed in action” when the bomb they were planting on the minibus of the Miami Showband went off prematurely. Of the pair, only Somerville’s arm with its “UVF Portadown” tattoo remained identifiable (WP). The plaque is in Princess Way/Gloucester Avenue, Portadown.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2008 Peter Moloney
M04133 [M04132] M04134
2013 [M10298] [M10299]

Rising Sons Flute Band

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Rising Sons Flute Band (Fb) East Belfast 1985″ with the emblem of the Red Hand Commando on either side, flanking the insignia of the 36th (Ulster) Division, Ulster Volunteers, Royal Irish Rifles, UDR, and B-Specials (Ulster Special Constabulary). “Their name liveth forever more.” Seen in progress in 2005.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2008 Peter Moloney
M04046 [M04042] [M04043] [M04044] [M04045]

Glentoran Community Trust

Extramural Activity1 Comment

Glentoran Community Trust (web) is a supporters trust (i.e. an outreach organisation from the club to the community) formalised in 2006. This mural celebrates the 125th anniversary of the club and highlights from its past, starting with the 1914 Vienna Cup (GFC). On the right of the mural, the Detroit Cougars were a locally-branded Glentoran team participating in a short-lived USA league playing during the summer (BelTel). The “proudest moment” (centre bottom) is the 1973-1974 Cup Winners’ Cup, in which Glentoran got through two rounds to reach the quarter finals (where they lost to Borussia Mönchengladbach). Famous players from the past are featured below the advertising hoarding, including Danny Blanchflower who began his career at Glentoran (WP).

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2008 Peter Moloney
M04041

Shipyard Workers

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The Harland & Wolff shipyard is on Queen’s Island, a piece of land formed when the channel into Belfast was expanded. Workers would walk from east Belfast to the shipyard. This is the scene in (modern-day) Armitage Close/Harkness Parade in east Belfast, with a mural of turn-of-the-century shipyard workers by John Johnston, drawing inspiration from William Conor’s Shipyard Workers Crossing Queen’s Bridge and Over The Bridge.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2008 Peter Moloney
M04040 M03039

Ernesto Che Guevara Lynch

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Che” Guevara’s father, also called Ernesto Guevara Lynch, was an Argentinian descended from Patrick Lynch, who emigrated from Galway (in 1742?) and married in Buenos Aries in 1749. (Based on these rodovid pages: one | two | three.) Che’s father is the source of the quote at the bottom of the mural: “In my son’s veins flowed the blood of Irish rebels.”

The Irish inscription, ‘Th[ı]ocfadh an réabhlóıdeach a mharú ach ní an réabhlóıd a scríosadh”, means (roughly) “It may be that the revolutionary is killed, but not that the revolution is destroyed.” Fahan Street, Derry. Launched October 13th, 2007 (An Phoblacht).

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2008 Peter Moloney
[M03979] M03980

The Battle Of The Somme 1916

Extramural Activity1 Comment

Soldiers from the 36th (Ulster) Division go over the top at the battle of the Somme – the original photograph can be seen at the BBC. In faded or newly-sketched letters on the right, “At the going down of the sun/And in the morning/We will remember them.”

The UDA mural on the left of the youth club is to Sgt Lindsay Mooney.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2007 Peter Moloney
M03903 [M03904] [M03905] [M03906] M03907