For the Twelfth Of July, 2012, portraits of William Of Orange, as coloured by Charter Youth Club, Sandy Row and Donegall Place Youth Club, were displayed along the Lisburn Road, Belfast.
The famous “You are now entering loyalist [UDA] Sandy Row” mural, has been replaced by a new board celebrating the (Dutch) William of Orange (or “King Billy” as he is more commonly referred to) (WP) and his “Danish, English, Dutch, French Huguenots, Prussian, Scots, Irish, Swiss, Polish, Italian, Norwegian” forces. “William III encourages his troops, on the morning of July 12th 1690 [in Dutch]: ‘Let ambition fire thy mind/Laat amitie brand uw verstand'”
The mural was launched July 2nd, 2016, and was painted by artist Ross Wilson (Tele). A time-lapse video of the painting-over of the previous mural and the installation of the various pieces is available on Youtube.
“Context: This new artwork indicates a community moving forward. It replaces the Ulster Freedom Fighters mural located for many years on this site, the replacement of that mural did not come easily to this community, only happening after a long and detailed period of consultation. The Loyalist community of Sandy Row is proud of its culture and heritage, we believe that this new mural strengthens our identity in a way that is shared, confident and open. History: This mural celebrates the victory of William III over James II at the Battle of the Boyne in 1690 “The battle of the two kinds” there is a factual geographical link with William III as he passed through Sandy Row on his way south to the Boyne. The williamite ranks were filled with Irish protestants and international troops, William encouraged the hearts of his troops on the morning of the battle when he called out to them “LET AMBITION FIRE THY MIND” they followed him to victory. The original battle date was the 1st July 1690. However in 1752 the new Gregorian Calendar was adopted and since then the Orange Order have celebrated the Battle of the Boyne on the 12th July. Image: The mural shows angels holding a crown over the crest of King William and his wife Queen Mary (Daughter of James II) joint monarchs by the grace of God. The orange lily and crown relate to the Dutch House of Orange and the new kingship of William Prince of Orange. The two soldiers are the elite Dutch Blue Guard who led William’s army into battle at the Boyne. The large portrait shows William at the age of 40 in the year 1690, a man with ambition and vision in his heart the year of his most important victory. “je Maintiendrai,” I will maintain, the motto of the House of Orange. Artist Ross Wilson”
Above: “In proud and loving memory of the brave volunteers of Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann who unselfishly gave their lives for the cause of Irish freedom! Thug sıad gach rud, ní dhéanfar dearmad orthu go deo. [They gave everything; they will never be forgotten]” Billy Carson, Brian Smyth, Stevie Scullion, Sean Bateson, Nan Saunders, James Saunders, Denis Brown, Jim Mulvenna, Jackie Mailey, Seamus Cassidy Patrick Markey.
Below: “Dedicated to all the people from the Bone, Ballybone and Greater Cliftonville area who lost their lives to the armed forces of Britain and loyalism. They tried but failed to break their spirits and deny them their rights as equals. Ar dheıs Dé go raıbh a n-anam.” Cornelius Neeson, Brian Canavan, Michael Adamson, James Brown, Joseph Lynch, James Howell, Edward Brady, Liam Conway, John Maguire, Francis Burns, Sean Rafferty, Daniel Mackin, John Patch, Billy Smyth, Joseph Morrissey, Rosaleen Gavin, Seamus Duffy, Pauline Doherty, David McClenaghan, Ann-Marie Magee, Stephen Murphy, Leo McGuigan, Michael Scott, Sean Campbell, John Lovett, Thomas Madden, Thomas McLaughlin, Mary Smyth, Tony Molloy, Dermot McGuinness, Sadie McComb, Theresa Murray, Sean Madden, Charles Watson, Peter Orderly, Trevor Close, Thomas Burns, Martin Duffy
“Ulster’s covenant of hearts” is the title given to the main board in this collection commemorating the 100th anniversary of the signing of the Covenant in 1912 and the figure of Edward Carson, leader of the Ulster Unionist Party, founder of the Ulster Volunteers, and first signatory of the covenant on September 28th, 1912.
“… to stand by one another in defending for ourselves and our children our cherished position of equal citizenship in the United Kingdom …” (from the text of the Covenant)
“‘It is needful that we knit together as one man, each strengthening the other and not holding back or counting the cost’ – Ulster Council Resolution 1912”
Room 101 was a torture chamber in the Ministry of Love in George Orwell’s novel 1984. For women, the trials include racism, poverty, violence, injustice, sexism, trafficking. On the front side are posters protesting Marian Price‘s 295 days in isolation.
Two boards are added to either end of the many panels of the portraits of victims and the plastic bullet board (State Sponsored Killings) in Beechmount Ave/Ascaıll Ard Na bhFeá.
“At 8:47 pm on Saturday 4th December 1971, a no-warning bomb, planted by British terrorists, exploded on the doorstep of family-run McGurk’s Bar. Fifteen innocent men, women and children perished. Those who were not crushed or slowly asphyxiated by masonry where horrifically burned to death when shattered gas mains burst into flames beneath the rubble. Nearly the same again were dragged from the debris alive. In the aftermath of the atrocity, the British and Unionist Governments, RUC police force and British military disseminated disinformation that the bomb was in-transit and that the civilians guilty by association, if not complicit in this act of terrorism. This is despite a mountain of forensic evidence including a witness statement that saw the bomb being planted and lit before the British terrorists escaped into the night. From the moment the bomb exploded and for 40 years since, the families and friends of those murdered have campaigned constitutionally and with great dignity to clear the names of their lived ones. It is a Campaign for Truth that continues to this day. Join us at themcgurksbarmassacre.com” “
“Springhill–Westrock Massacre. Belfast’s Bloody Sunday. Time for truth! On the 9th July 1972 a team of British Army snipers took up firing positions in Corry’s timber yard overlooking the nationalist Springhill/Westrock estates. Within less than an hour five civilians lay dead and two critically wounded. Among the dead were three teenagers, a father of six and a priest on his way to administer the last rites to the dead and injured. There has never been a proper police investigation, and not one solider has spent a single day in prison in connection with their deaths. The families deserve, and demand the comprehensive facts be told by the British establishment. The truth costs nothing.”
East Tyrone remembers IRA volunteers Patrick Vincent, Sean O’Farrell, Peter Clancy, and Barry O’Donnell, who were killed by the SAS after attacking Coalisland RUC station with a machine gun mounted on the back of a lorry on February 16th, 1992 as they were switching from the attack vehicles to getaway cars in Clonoe (WP). With republican graffiti: “End strip searches in Maghaberry jail on republican POWs”.
For the “International Day Of Peace – 21st September”, a collage of photographs from both sides of the “peace” line, the Shankill and the Falls. “Peace day – every day”.
Northumberland Street, west Belfast, has its own Visual History page.