PUL

South Belfast UDA

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“South Belfast UFF commander Joe Bratty, murdered by the enemies, 31st July ’94.” Bratty was killed along with Raymond Elder by the Provisional IRA (WP). The pair were also remembered in a Lemberg Street mural in 2001, and later in the Sandy Row memorial garden.

The red fist in the larger mural famously has five fingers and two thumbs.

Roosevelt Street, south Belfast

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Copyright © 1999 Paddy Duffy
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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) is familiar in loyalist murals – see e.g. For Freedom Alone) 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 thus links together the UDR (1970-1992) and D Company of the North Down Red Hand Commando.

Owenroe Drive, Kilcooley, Bangor

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Copyright © 1999 Paddy Duffy (no date given)
T01181

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.

The wall to the right reads “Freedom Corner II” – again a connection to east Belfast and the series of walls called “Ulster’s Freedom Corner“. See J0475 for a wider image.

Drumhirk Drive, Kilcooley, Bangor 

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Copyright © 1999 Paddy Duffy (no date given)
T01180

James Buchanan

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“”My Ulster blood is my most priceless heritage …” – James Buchanan 15th US president 1857-1861″. This is the first of the murals in the “From pioneers to presidents” series to be painted in Belfast, depicting James Buchanan. Three murals had already been painted in Londonderry, to Theodore Roosevelt, James Buchanan (which contains more information about Buchanan and his heritage), and George Washington.

The words along the bottom read, “250,000 Ulster Scots emigrated to America in the 1700s and were the driving force behind the American Revolution.”

The small plaque to the right reads, “Shankill Ulster-Scots Cultural Society. The Buchanan Mural. This mural was dedicated to the memory of those early Ulster-Scots emigrants by Ms Jane Benton Fort, US Consul General, on Thursday November 4th, 1999. Sae monie hairts gaed far frae hame – bot ilka yin oor ain fowk [So many hearts went far from home – but every one [is/remains] our own folk]. This project was funded by Belfast City Council and Making Belfast Work.”

See the Visual History page on Ulster-Scots Murals.

Ainsworth Street, Woodvale, west Belfast

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Copyright © 1999 Paddy Duffy (no date given)
T01196

Lamh Dearg Abu

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On the left, volunteers from the Red Hand Commando with bare faces stand with lowered flags beside a plinth “in memory of Ulster’s fallen”.

On the right, “In memory of Ulster’s fallen.” “Lamh dearg abu” [= “Lámh dhearg abú”] [= “Red Hand to victory”], “Ulster to victory”, “It is not for glory or riches we fight but for our people” (from the Declaration Of Arbroath). With the insignia of the Red Hand Commando and a pair of bald-headed eagles.

Glenwood Street, upper Shankill, west Belfast

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Copyright © 1999 Paddy Duffy (no date given)
T01184 T01187

UVF 2nd Battalion A Company Donegall Road

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“In loving memory of fallen volunteers [from the] Ulster Volunteer Force Belfast Brigade, Donegall Road 2nd Battalion, A Coy”. The two plaques unfortunately cannot be read.

The side wall shows volunteers with lowered weapons flanking a memorial “In proud and loving memory of Vol. Stevie McCrea, Friend Sammy Mehaffy”.

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Copyright © 1999 Paddy Duffy
T00445