plaque

Herbie McCallum

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“In loving memory of Brian (Herbie) McCallum. We will remember him. The officers and members of Sweeneys ‘A’ company, 1st Belfast battalion, Ulster Volunteer Force.” Brian “Herbie” McCallum was a 29 year-old attending a contentious loyalist parade to Whiterock Orange Hall, being re-routed by the RUC, when the grenade he was carrying exploded prematurely, killing him instantly. The mural and memorial shown above is at the top of Ainsworth Avenue, close to the spot of the incident. He died in hospital three days later (CAIN | Border & Border Politics | Irish News article at Nuzhound | Independent).

Ainsworth Avenue, Belfast

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Copyright © 2008 Peter Moloney
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The Young, The Brave, The Fearless

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Young Citizen Volunteers of both the Home Rule (1912) and Troubles periods are shown shouldering rifles. On the side wall: “In loving memory of Volunteer Colin Castle, died 17th February 2006. Lest we forget.”

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Copyright © 2008 Peter Moloney
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Vol. John Hanna

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“In loving memory of Vol. John Hanna, murdered by the enemies of Ulster 10th September 1991. Always remembered by the offices and volunteers of 2nd Batt. “B” Coy Village. Its [sic] not for riches nor for glory but the love of one’s country which [we] are prepared to die for. Here lies a soldier. Gone but not forgotten. FGAU.” The two smaller plaques on either side of the RHC wings on the left are to “Friend Sammy Mehaffy 13th November 1991” and “Volunteer Stevie McCrea 18th February 1989”, both “murdered by the enemies of Ulster”.

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Copyright © 2008 Peter Moloney
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United Irishmen 1791-1798

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Images from inside Kelly’s Cellars in Belfast city centre, with portraits of Henry Joy McCracken and Theobald Wolfe Tone. ‘The Man From God Knows Where’ is Thomas Russell, an Anglican from Cork who joined the British navy and then the cause of the United Irishmen and the Emmet rebellion. He was executed for treason after the rising in October, 1803 (video of the full poem by Florence Wilson | Irish News account of his death).

There is also a “blue plaque” on the exterior wall.

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Copyright © 2008 Peter Moloney
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Mid Ulster Brigade Ulster Volunteer Force

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This Portadown mural combines the Ulster Volunteers of 1912 with the contemporary UVF. The panels show “UVF gun-smuggler 1913”, “Firearms training 1913”, and “Sir Edward Carson about to address troops at Portadown railway station” while the roll of honour lists modern-day volutneers Joey Neill, Horace [Harris] Boyle, Wesley Summerville [Somerville], Derek McFarlane, Jackie Marshall, Wilson “Winky” [also “Winkie”] Fry, Robin Jackson, Richard Jameson, Mark “Sqid” Elliott. This is progress compared to the previous mural, shown below, which had hooded gunmen active in the centre of the mural, with the crest of the 36th (Ulster) Division on the side-wall.

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Copyright © 2008 Peter Moloney
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Volunteers From The New Barnsley Area

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The New Barnsley memorial garden is greatly expanded over the single plaque from 2005, to include a larger main plaque, a smaller one commemorating early resistance “Sheas sıad le chéıle” [They stood together], and wrought-iron gates with a phoenix and “Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann”.

Update: painted gates in 2015:

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Copyright © 2008/2015 Peter Moloney
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