PUL

William & Schomberg

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King Billy crossing the Boyne, with Schomberg dying in the foreground, making this a crude reproduction of Benjamin West’s 1780 painting ‘Battle Of The Boyne’. Second-in-command Schomberg had crossed the Boyne first and met his fate at the hands of Jacobite cavalry. Schomberg’s helper is perhaps George Walker, governor of Derry during the siege, who was shot and killed (reportedly) while attending to Schomberg – see George Walker.

Shankill Parade, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2000 Paddy Duffy (no date given)
T01183

Shankill Rd Supports Drumcree

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“We demand the right to march”, “Portadown District LOL No 1 [Fb]”, “Here we stand – we can do no other”.

This mural in the lower Shankill estate is about the disputed Orange Order parade (WP entry, including a map of the route) to Drumcree Church (in Portadown, shown in the mural) part of which goes along the Catholic Garvaghy Road. After many contentious years (beginning in 1995), the re-routing of the marches in 2000 led to some rioting, but was the last year of notable conflict over the parade (CAIN).

N Boundary Street, lower Shankill, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2000 Paddy Duffy
T00452

4,000 Years Of Ulster Scots

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“4,000 years of Ulster-Scots history and heritage. Ulster & Scotland – shared language, shared literature, shared culture.” 400 years takes us back to the plantation; 4,000 years suggests an even deeper connection.

Ulster-Scots was included in the 1998 Good Friday Agreement (pdf) under the principle of support for “linguistic diversity”. This mural celebrating Ulster-Scots and ties between Northern Ireland and Scotland dates to 1999, with the crests of St Andrew and St Patrick on the left, and an Ulster Banner and Scottish lion rampant on the right.

“Dinnae houl yer wheest, houl yer ain!” [Don’t hold your tongue, hold your own!]

See also the Visual History page about Ulster-Scots murals.

Templemore Street, east Belfast

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Copyright © 2000 Paddy Duffy
T00448 [T00449]

Diana, Queen Of Hearts

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Diana Spencer (“1961-1997”) became Princess Of Wales upon marrying Prince Charles in 1981 but they divorced in 1996, a year before she died in a Paris car-crash. She is presented has an English rose in front of a large Union Flag in the shape of a heart.

This is one of the murals painted in the lower Shankill estate under Johnny Adair.

Hopewell Crescent, lower Shankill, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2000 Paddy Duffy (no date given)
T01182

Ulster’s Defenders

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Ulster’s defenders, past and present, from Cuchulainn “Ancient defender of Ulster from Gael attacks”, via the 1893 UDU and WWI soldiers memorialised in the towers at Messines and Thiepval, to the modern UDA/UFF: “In memory of the officers and volunteers of A. Coy. [“Glencairn, Highfield, Springmartin”] UDA/UFF West Belfast Brigade who unselfishly dedicated their lives in defence of their country.”

High Green, Highfield, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2000 Paddy Duffy
T00267

Ulster Volunteers

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The Ulster Volunteers were formed in response to the Home Rule bill of April 1912 and the Covenant signed in September 1912, first by Edward Carson and then by almost half a million others. Guns were smuggled into Larne on the Clyde Valley in April 1914 but the advent of the World War saw the volunteers instead joining the British Army, specifically the 36th (Ulster) Division, and went over the top at the Somme.

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Copyright © 2000 Paddy Duffy (no date given)
T01189

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
T01197 T00268

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