Carrickfergus – Paddy Duffy Collection

For King And Empire

The colours of the third (Carrickfergus) battalion of the Central Antrim regiment of the Ulster Volunteers can be seen at Sam’s Flags. They are very similar to the piece shown above, except for the addition of the emblem in the top right corner (close-up immediately below) which shows the Ulster Volunteers drilling with a machine-gun mounted in a car, preparing to resist Home Rule – see this 1988 mural and the photograph in this History Ireland article. (See also UVF Motor Car Corps.) In the Royal Irish Rifles of WWI, however, Central Antrim became the 12th battalion (War Time Memories Project).

Next to the Central Antrim flag is a board marking the “110th anniversary of the Battle Of The Somme 1 July 1916 – 1 July 2026. Honouring their courage, remembering their sacrifice. Lest we forget.”

Hawthorn Avenue/Sandes Court, Sunnylands, Carrickfergus, replacing Remembering Our Fallen.

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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The Making Of America

2026-05-082026-06-05Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“The Ulster-Scots and the making of America” is a new mural in Carrickfergus celebrating the impact of Ulster-Scots (or, Scotch-Irish) emigrants to the colonies that became the United States.

On the left and right of the main gable (above), the arrivals are shown expanding the territories as they travel in a covered wagon and as embodying Appalachian culture in the form of “old time” (fiddle and banjo) music. (For the Ulster-Scots as frontiersmen, see Ulster Sails West in Ballymoney.)

In the centre are images of space travel, the rocket (perhaps the Saturn V) is heading to the moon (shown in the apex of the wall), upon which Buzz Aldrin walked in the 1969 mission on Apollo 11.

(These are the same themes as deployed in the new mural for the 250th anniversary of the United States in the Shankill – see We Lead Across Time And Space.)

The tartan pattern is called “Ulster Scots” (Tartan Register). The emblem combining a thistle and two red hands within a circle of shamrocks appears to be original work. The Great Seal of the United States was designed by Charles Thomson from Maghera; his contribution is commemorated in his home town.

For the UDA mural to the left (in the final image), see None Shall Divide Us.

Woodburn Avenue, Carrickfergus

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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No Illegal Migrants

2026-03-292026-05-20Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The only mentions of the U.C.L./”Ulster Carrickfergus Loyalists” on-line come from a Facebook page of an individual called Dean Martin. The account describes the UCL as “newly-formed” in January, 2026 but the sticker in the third images dates back to October, last year (2025): “U.C.L.-patrolled area – keeping our women and children safe.” This suggests that the group was formed following the anti-immigrant riots last (2025) summer. See also Keep Our Kids Safe | One Big Clean Up | Stop The Boats | Protect Our Children.

The flags are in North Street and the poster was in Marine Gardens, Carrickfergus.

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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Sword Beach, June 6th 1944

2026-03-292026-03-31Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The plaque in the bottom-right corner reads, “Dedicated to Sergeant George Arthur Horner 27/03/1927 Royal Ulster Rifles 14464865 — “Carrickfergus’ Oldest Veteran” and to all other veterans who served in HM Armed Forces.” Horner turned 99 a few days after this mural of D-Day was unveiled (on March 22nd) and he was awarded the freedom of Mid- And East-Antrim Borough (web). He served in the second battalion of the Royal Ulster Rifles, and landed on Sword Beach during the D-Day landings in June 1944 (Fb).

Painted by DanK (web) in Carnhill Walk, Castlemara, Carrickfergus, replacing 100 Years Of The Covenant.

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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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The Earth Compels

2025-12-272026-01-07Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This new mural in Carrickfergus draws on local connections to literary figures Louis MacNeice and Jonathan Swift, as well as the more distantly located CS Lewis.

The MacNeices moved from Belfast to Carrickfergus in 1909 when Freddie (later Louis) was an infant and he grew up in the town until he was sent to Sherbourne Prep in Dorset, England, in 1917. In the mural, a book is opened to the page of his poem Carrickfergus, which was written in 1937 and describes the town in geological, historical, industrial, and sectarian terms, and more real than the “puppet world” of Sherbourne.

Jonathan Swift was briefly (1694-1696) a Church Of Ireland cleric in Kilroot, near Carrickfergus. In the mural, Carrick-A-Rede rope-bridge is shown strung between the knees of Gulliver as he wakes in Lilliput. The Swift quote on the extreme (viewer’s) right is from Polite Conversation (p. 154): Miss Notable is toasted by both Mr Neverout – “May you live a thousand years”; “Pray, Sir, don’t stint me”, she replies – and Colonel Atwit – “May you live every day of your life”.

Lewisian figures include Aslan the lion and Reepicheep the mouse. The final (right-most) figures would seem to be Katniss and Peeta from The Hunger Games.

Painted by DMC on North Road, Carrickfergus, at the entrance to the Castlemara estate, as a complement and competitor to the PUL boards.

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Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
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Sua Sponte

2025-11-072025-11-19Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The 1st Ranger Battalion was formed in 1942 as the United States Army’s equivalent to the British Army’s Commandos and – after training at a camp in Carrickfergus – it saw action in France (at Dieppe (SOF History), resulting in the first US casualties of the war – WP), Algeria, Tunisia, and Italy. (There are four information panels at the Sunnylands shops about the formation and training of the unit.)

The insignia shown – which is here placed on top of the beret patch – is the insignia of the modern (75th Regiment) Rangers, with the lightning-bolt indicating the unit’s quick-strike abilities (SOF History); these are also alluded to by the motto “sua sponte”, meaning “of its/their own accord”.

This new art is by Dan Kitchener (web) in Victoria Parade, Carrickfergus, just outside the train station, produced in co-operation with Wonder Arts, the Communities In Transition programme from the Executive Office (web) and Carrickfergus Alternatives’ Peace Impact Programme (Fb).

It has been criticized by street-artist Wee Nuls (web) as glorifying conflict (ig), a charge the artist rejects, saying that it was produced in co-operation with locals and has been well received by them (MSN). (See also the reactions on the Let’s Talk Loyalism Fb page.)

The tank might be the M4 Sherman “Fury”. The tank appeared in the 2014 film of the same name (Bovington Tank Museum) used by the 66th Armor Regiment under the command of Brad Pitt; the film is perhaps the inspiration for the image (e.g. the scene in which the town of Kirchohsen is captured – youtube).

“Great love hath no man than this: to lay down his life for his friends – John 15:13”

Thanks And Remembrance

2025-10-232025-12-25Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“This cross of thanks and remembrance was erected by the residents and children of the local area, Sunday 3rd November, 2024.” The small black plaques mounted on the cross commemorate a variety of units and individuals from the World Wars, Operation Banner, and the Iraq War, including the British Armed Forces, Royal Inniskillings, Royal Hussars, Women’s Auxiliary Air Force, Royal Irish Rifles, UDR, B Specials, Parachute Regiment, Royal Irish Regiment. In front are three plaques on stones, one marking QEII’s platinum jubilee, the middle one marking Northern Ireland’s centenary, and one on the right marking KCIII’s coronation.

The cross was officially launched on November 7th (Fb).

Ransevyn Drive, Whitehead

Thank You And God Bless

2025-10-232025-12-25Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“God bless Queen Elizabeth II”, “God save the King” (2022), “Thank you NHS” (2020/2021) on an electrical sub-station in Ransevyn Drive, Whitehead.

h/t Alain Miossec

Generation To Generation

2025-10-232025-11-09Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Here are two new small boards on the fence where Hawthorn Avenue and Sandes Court meet between Woodburn and Sunnylands. Above, “Remembering our fallen everyday [sic]” with images of soldiers from the World Wars and UVF emblems in the corners. Below, an Ulster Grenadiers flute band (Fb) board, similar to the large board mounted last year (2024) in St Bride’s Street – see Never Forget, Always Remember.

The main board, on the gable beyond – “Loyalist Woodburn celebrates 100th anniversary Northern Ireland” – and Captain Sir Tom Moore remain as in 2022’s entry – see Maintain The Union.