Here are images of a long wall of printed boards from the Bangor Protestant Boys Flute Band (Fb).
On the far left is a (modern) shield of the 36th (Ulster) Division – the Union flag and Irish harp above a red hand on a field of shamrocks – on a garland of orange poppies and WWI battlefields on a purple ribbon – orange and purple being the colours of the Ulster Volunteers.
Right of the long board is an emblem for the band itself: the lion and the unicorn on either side of crossed rifles and the red hand of Ulster on an oval.
The five small boards use the Ulster Banner and Union Flag as book-ends. Between them are three concerning the Ulster Volunteers. Recruiting for the Ulster Volunteers in Down was so successful that it was divided into four areas (North, South, East, and West), each with a battalion, and the North down battalion comprised 15 companies (History Ireland). The Down battalions became the 13th battalion of the (108th Brigade) Royal Irish Rifles in WWI. The YCV (Young Citizen Volunteers) was formed separately (in 1912) but joined the Volunteers in May 1914, before becoming the (109th Brigade) 14th battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles when the war broke out (WP). Both began their campaigns at Boulogne-Sur-Mer in October, 1915 (WP).
For the previous (mural) version of this wall, see Bangor Protestant Boys from 2015.
For the tall UVF board in the background, see Loyalist Kilcooley.
Owenroe Drive, Kilcooley, Bangor
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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