painted wall

Can It Change?

Extramural Activity1 Comment

On the side wall: “This mural portrays Protestant men defending their community which was subjected to constant attempts of ethnic cleansing with petrol bombing attacks of their homes on a day to day basis. Eventually vigillanty [sic] groups were formed to secure these areas.”

From the Belfast Telegraph: “Several hundred familys [sic] were forced to flee their homes last night as homes came under attack from republicans. The number homeless is running into several thousand, more people were moving out of riot areas today. The women and children have been offered shelter in cities across the sea. Security forces moved in to bring calm into riot areas.”

The event referred to is the rioting in Bombay Street in 1969.

Hopewell Crescent, lower Shankill, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2007 Peter Moloney
M03801 [M03800] [M03799] [M03798]

REM 1690

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These three are all from Carlow Street. In the first image, the “UFF” lettering has been over-painted with “UVF”. This is a vintage “bare background” (the wall is not completely painted) mural, dating back perhaps to 1994.

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Copyright © 2007 Peter Moloney
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Guernica

Extramural Activity2 Comments

The information board for this reproduction of Guernica is in Basque, Irish, and (lastly) English: “This mural of Picasso masterpiece Guernica was created by Danny Devenny and Mark Ervine, muralists from the two main communities in Belfast, in August 2007. Picasso painted Guernica over a period of three weeks in 1937 during the Spanish Civil War to protest the Nazi bombing of the Basque capital of Gernika (at the request of Franco’s forces) on April 26 that year which resulted in hundreds of deaths. Gernika was viewed as (and remains today) the town symbolising the Basque desire for freedom. Viewed as one of the 20th century’s greatest anti-war works of art. This work was sponsored by gasta.com and the newspaper publishers in Ireland and the Basque Country Belfast Media Group and Berria. 12 Lúnasa 2007.”

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Copyright © 2007 Peter Moloney
M03788 M03757

Bangor Ulster Young Militants

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A UDA gunman welcomes you to the Kilcooley estate in Bangor. Ordinarily, the insignia of the Ulster Freedom Fighters would appear alongside those of the UDA and UYM, but in this mural, it is replaced by a map of the “home nations”; the Republic Of Ireland is presented in outline rather than by its flag.

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Copyright © 2007 Peter Moloney
M03713

Bangor Young Newton

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Young Newton is the Newtownards Road division of the Ulster Young Militants (UYM) and formerly a Tartan Gang. This mural, however, is in Kilcooley estate, Bangor, indicating the close connection between the UDA in the estate and in east Belfast. (For a 2018 update, see Ulster Defence Unions.)

See previously: Young Newton Says No (1989) and Young Newton on the Newtownards Road (2005).

There was previously a wall to the right that read “Freedom Corner II” – see J0475.

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Copyright © 2007 Peter Moloney
M03712

Remember Them Who Gave Their All

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“It is not for glory or riches that we fight but for our people” (based on the Declaration Of Arbroath; see e.g. UDA 3rd Battalion) and “At the going down of the sun and in the morning we will remember them.” are familiar but “As poppy petals gently fall/Remember them who gave their all” here makes a very infrequent appearance. It comes from The UDR Soldier, by John Potter. The mural and stone thus link together the 36th (Ulster) Division of WWI, the UDR (1970-1992), and ‘D’ Company of the North Down Red Hand Commando.

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Copyright © 2007 Peter Moloney
M03702 [M03703] M03704

Conflict Or Compromise

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Barbed wire divides the quadrants, with poppies providing an upper border and Ulster Banner and Union Flag below. In the top left is the A company mural from across the street. The bottom right reproduced (or at least is based on) an 1990s mural of the same name in Dover Place (lower Shankill) in Belfast. The other quadrants and centre contain images relating to the 36th (Ulster) Division and WWI. The two other images are from the low wall to the front right.

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Copyright © 2007 Peter Moloney
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