Belfast – Page 101 – Paddy Duffy Collection

We Won’t Have Home Rule

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These three panels are in the courtyard of the Rex Bar in what used to be Moscow Street, celebrating resistance to Home Rule – Covenant Day September 28th 1912; the formation of the Ulster Volunteers, being reviewed at Fernhill House in Glencairn Park by Edward Carson; “Deserted! Well I can stand alone“; and (in post-partition Northern Ireland) “a Protestant farmer’s wife guards her husband against sectarian attack from across the border”.

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1914-2004

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“A UVF roadblock at Donaghadee, April 24/25th 1914, during gunrunning.” The main landing was at Larne, but two small boats transported arms from the Clyde Valley in Larne to Donaghadee. Motor cars were used (for the first time in history) to distribute the rifles and ammunition across the north.

“Preparing to bear arms 1914 – Prepared to bear arms 2004.” The Ulster Volunteers/36th Division and the modern UVF are put in parallel.

The wide shot includes a UVF memorial plaque seen in the Peter Moloney Collection.

Spier’s Place, west Belfast

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UVF Platoon No 4

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“This mural is dedicated to the fallen volunteers of No 4 Pltn A Coy, 1st Belfast Battn, Ulster Volunteer Force who dutifully served this community in the years of conflict. It pays tribute to those who died in active engagement and to the many who passed peacefully from service having fulfilled their duties. Their names and deeds are eternally venerated by their comrades in arms who humbly serve in their honour. They remained staunch to the end against odds uncounted, they fell with their faces to the foe, their name liveth forevermore.“

The plaque reads, “In memory of our fallen comrades No 4 platoon, A coy, 1st battalion, Belfast. Lest we forget”.

Glenwood Street, west Belfast

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Red Hand Commando

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On the left: “It is not for glory or riches we fight but for our people” (from the Declaration Of Arbroath). On the right: “Lamh dearg abu” [= “Lámh dhearg abú”] [= “Red Hand to victory”], “Ulster to victory”.

With the insignia of the Red Hand Commando and a pair of bald-headed eagles.

This is a repaint of the mural seen in 1999.

Glenwood Street, west Belfast

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East Belfast Volunteers

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This mural at the mouth of Canada Street commemorates The main mural features insignia of more than thirty units of types from the 8th Batt. RIR, ranging from machine gunners to vets.

The plaques on the wall to the left celebrate the nine Victoria Crosses won by members of the 36th (Ulster) Division “For valour”: Cather, McFadzean, Bell, Quigg, Emerson, De Wind, Seaman, Knox, and Harvey; the final plaque is McCrae’s In Flanders’ Fields.

Canada Street, east Belfast

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The Untold Story

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“In August 1971 many Protestants fled their homes as the IRA launched a bitter sectarian attack on Protestant communities throughout Belfast. The loyal people of Liverpool held out the hand of friendship in our hour of need up to 2000 terrified women and children escaped from burning homes to live in the safety of Liverpool. That act of friendship by the people of Liverpool will never be forgotten. Liverpool – Belfast a bond never broken. No surrender ” With newspaper reports by the Belfast Telegraph and Liverpool Echo. Sponsored by the East Belfast Historical And Cultural Society.

Canada Street, east Belfast

The People’s Army

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“The arming, the training, and the sacrifice of The People’s Army.” The arming of the Ulster Volunteers (top left) comes from the guns smuggled into Larne on the Clyde Valley. The training of the Ulster Volunteers shown (top right) is probably at Ballywalter. The sacrifice (bottom) is the 36th (Ulster) Division going over the top in James Beadle’s painting ‘Charge of the 36th (Ulster) Division, Somme, 1st July 1916’.

Inverary Drive, east Belfast

The New Lodge Six

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“Time for the truth”. Two of the New Lodge Six (James Sloan, James McCann) were killed by the UDA outside a bar and four (Tony Campbell, Ambrose Hardy, Brendan Maguire, John Loughran) among the crowd that gathered by British Army snipers from their positions on top of the flats, using night-vision sights, February 3rd-4th, 1973.

Donore Court, New Lodge, north Belfast

RIC Murder Gang

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One RIC member was killed and another wounded outside the Beehive Bar in a shoot-out with IRA men in September 1920. In reprisal, County Inspector Harrison and his men killed Vol. Ned Trodden, Vol. Sean Gaynor, and Sean McFadden (Rısteard Ó Murchú). The gang, under Detective Inspector Nixon, would go on to kill more Catholics in 1921 and in 1922 commit the McMahon killings and the Arnon Street killings, in each of which 6 people died.

Northumberland Street, west Belfast