These two boards from the Armagh True Blues flute band (Fb) in Barrack Hill commemorate the Ulster Volunteers of 1912 who went on to join the 9th (County Armagh) battalion of the Royal Irish Fusiliers (Wartime Memories).
The “1st batt” emblem (in the third image) applies to both the Ulster Volunteers of the Home-Rule era and the Troubles-era Mid-Ulster UVF.
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“Carrickfergus congratulates Rangers FC on their 55th title” on “Champions Row” (that is, Irish Quarter West) Carrickfergus.
As Chairman Dave King appointed Steven Gerrard as the new manager of Rangers in 2018, he predicted that a single league win for Rangers would cause Celtic to “fold like a pack of cards” (Sky Sport). Under Gerrard, Rangers clinched their 55th Scottish championship in spring of 2021. Celtic, however, won in 2022 and 2023 (WP).
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T03361 we welcome the chase back where we belong kings of scotland we are the people
Queen Elizabeth died at the age of 96 and after 70 years as monarch of the UK. She was succeeded by Charles III.
“1926-2022 ERII. “Thank you” from the residents of Ballee [Ballymena]”.
The mural is by Craig “Chilli” Gilmore on Ballee Way, above UDR Checkpoint and The Lion Wears The Crown. The in-progress shot is from April.
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“Marching into the future”. The 35th anniversary board – and the Pride Of The Bann flute band (Fb) itself – is still going over a decade after it was mounted in Harpur’s Hill, Coleraine; here is the board in 2012. It has now been joined by a board aimed at young people, designed by members of Sunlea Youth Club.
Tullyarton Road, Coleraine.
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Here is a gallery of the larger pieces of street art in Coleraine, starting, above, with Others by emic (ig) in New Row West. Below is Flora And Fauna by Karl Porter of UV Arts (ig).
Many of these pieces (not including the piece above and Hilken’s Salmon Fishing) are part of the ‘Revitalise’ programme from Causeway Coast & Glens borough council (press release | map). There is a separate entry for some of the very many smaller pieces – see Voyage Of Discovery.
Hope (Hope Macaulay knitware (ig)) by Rob Hilken (ig) in Church St
Nook Of The Ferns (from the Irish “cúil rathain”) by emic (ig) in Queen St
Spacer by Shane Sutton (ig) in Queen St – a reference to Alexander Anderson’s work in 1920 on black holes (WP).
Sara O’Neill [ig] And The Fates Of Destiny by Friz (ig)
Willie Stewart by Meadow Toye (ig) in Park St
Salmon Fishing by Rob Hilken (ig) in Circular Rd
Illuminate by Friz (ig) in Abbey St
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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
Department Of Communities Causeway Coast & Glens Housing Executive
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“In proud [and] loving memory: Vol William Campbell, a true Ulsterman who paid the supreme price for the love of his country. William Campbell, who lost his life on active service 3rd January 2002. Quis separabit. 2nd Batt Coleraine.”
This is the third memorial board to Campbell – who died at the age of 19 when a pipe-bomb exploded prematurely – replacing others seen in 2013 and in 2007.
Tullyarton Road, Harpur’s Hill, Coleraine
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Here is a small gallery of Portrush street art. From top to bottom, the pieces are by surfer by Aches (ig), Graeme McDowell by an unknown stencil artist (perhaps for the 2019 Open golf Irish News) on the side of the Springhill Bar, a surfing seagull in Eglinton St by FGB (ig), ‘Get Portrush a skate park’ and ‘Largey’s Lane’ by KVLR (ig) in Mark St Ln.
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Local children painted portraits of four “Great Communicators” for the BT building at the corner of Main Street and Dundarave Road in Bushmills (NALIL). The set of less colourful boards, which also contain quotes, might be by adults.
Alexander Bell, 1847-1922: “Ideas do not reach perfection in a day, no matter how much study is put upon them.” “Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.”
Michael Faraday, 1791-1867: “All this is a dream, still examine it by a few experiments.” “Nothing is too wonderful to be true, if it be consistant [sic] with the laws of Nature.”
Samuel Morse, 1791-1872: “To God be all the glory. Not what hath man, but what hath God wrought.” “God has permitted me to do something for the help and comfort of my fellows.”
Guglielmo Marconi, 1874-1937: “Every day sees humanity more victorious in the struggle with space and time.” “Have I done the world good, or have I added a menance.” Marconi is well-known in Ballycastle for an 1898 transmission between the town and Rathlin.
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Local landscape and landmarks of Bushmills on the exterior walls of BREF (Fb) at the end of Dundarave Drive, Bushmills, close to the Finn Mac Cool board and Bushmills Remembers.
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The more familiar mythological figure in Northern Irish muraling — both CNR and PUL — is Cú Chulaınn (Visual History) but this Bushmills board features another larger-than-life figure, from slightly later mythology, Fıonn Mac Cumhaıll/Finn MacCool. In legend, Fionn ate the salmon of knowledge and became leader of the Fianna. His connection to the north Antrim coast is that he is the supposed creator of the “Giant’s Causeway”, the basalt columns that stretch out into the Atlantic Ocean, seemingly towards Scotland.
The Causeway and Finn are both used in the board shown above as symbols of the UDA North Antrim & Londonderry brigade’s 5th battalion/Giant’s Causeway Protestant Boys flute band (Fb) in Dundarave Road, Bushmills, which is about three miles from the Causeway. The board is also notable for its use of the flag of the proposed ‘independent Northern Ireland’, for which see (e.g.) We Must Share The Responsibility | One Island, Two Nations | Freedom Corner which features Cú Chulaınn.
The second image is a UDA/UYM emblem at the entrance to the estate. The third is further along. The last is not from Dundarave but from the exterior of a pub on Main Street.
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Paddy Duffy Collection 