This Monkstown mural commemorates four UDA volunteers: Malcolm Fisher, Colin Weir, Jim McClurg and William Hobbs. Hobbs and McClurg were killed when a bomb went off prematurely (CAIN’s Sutton Index 1977) ; there is no mention of the other two. Please leave a comment or send an e-mail if you have any information.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T01226
There are both UDA and UVF murals along Devenish Drive in Monkstown. Here we have a UDA hooded gunman, along with insignia and mottoes of the UFF/UDA/UYM. The UFF/UYM with a red hand closed into a fist, the open palm of the UDA; UFF – Feriens Tego; UYM – Terrae Filius; UDA – Quis Separabit.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T01225
The William McFadzean VC mural in Monkstown is re-emerging many years after being painted over. The original goes back to 2002 (see J1326).
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T01224
Sons Of Kai flute band (ig) re-formed in 2006 (youtube | Coin Talk) but here claims as its origin date “1972”. IWM gives the founding year as 1970, and quotes one of the founders, Bo Kerr, saying that the band was named after Danish soccer player Kai Johansen (WP), who played for Rangers from 1965-1970, and that the “tartan” gang (History Ireland) ‘Rathcoole KAI’ subsequently took its named from the band. Then (BelTel) and now (Irish News | Slugger) “KAI” is understood to stand for “Kill All Irish”. A 1982 image of the Rathcoole KAI “red devils” mural can be seen in the Ciaran McGowan collection at IWM.
See also: Kai Johansen’s Bar.
Abbot’s Cross and Rathmullin Way, Newtownabbey
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T01219 T01315
This pair of UVF boards are on the wall of the Fern in Rathcoole and right next to the UDA markings seen in Rathcoole UDA. Included in the 1st East Antrim are both local areas (Carrickfergus, Ballyduff, Ballyclare, Greenisland, Glengormley, Monkstown, Rathcoole, Larne, Whitehead) and affiliated British units (Drumchapel (Glasgow, Scotland), Blackpool (England), Corby (England), Paisley (Scotland), Liverpool (England), Possilpark (Glasgow), Blairgowrie (Scotland), Falkirk (Scotland), and Springburn (Glasgow)) of the 1st East Antrim Battalion, “The people’s army”.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
[T01216] T01217 T01218
Territorial markings next to the playing fields in the middle of Rathcoole but lacking the assault rifle at the playground – see The Rifles Of The UDA.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T01213 T01214 T01215
South East Antrim UDA, 1st battalion, mural, complete with assault rifle, next to the Youth & Community Centre at the Diamond in Rathcoole. Two men from the area were convicted in December (2018) for attempting to purchase Glock pistols from PSNI officers posing as ‘dark web’ sellers (BelTel). Fears of a feud continue (Belfast Live).
Rathmore Drive, Rathcoole, Newtownabbey
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T01212
“Pretani” is the Brittonic version of the Greek term “Prettanoi”, possibly borrowed from the Gauls (WP), for the inhabitants of the two islands now known as Ireland and Britain, and “Cruthin” the Gaelic term. According to the eponymous web site, Dalaradia was “was a kingdom of the Cruthin in the north-east of Ireland and parts of Scotland in the first millennium” with the Cruthin being (more narrowly than above) a people in Antrim and Down with (in the middle of the mural) “the field of Crewe Hill, with the Ancient Crowning Stone of Ulster Kings” (REACH) in Glenavy (pretani.co.uk).
The WP page on the Cruthin notes, “The name Cruthin survives in the placenames Duncrun (Dún Cruithean, “fort of the Cruthin”) and Drumcroon (Droim Cruithean, “ridge of the Cruthin”) in County Londonderry, and Ballycrune (Bealach Cruithean, “pass of the Cruthin”) and Crown Mound (Áth Cruithean, “ford of the Cruthin”) in County Down. These placenames are believed to mark the edges of Cruthin territory.”
The towers of Rathcoole can be seen underneath the slogan “Respect, heritage, culture.” They also famously appear behind a trio of hooded gunmen in a Rathcoole mural.
Carmeen Drive, Rathcoole, Newtownabbey
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T01210 [T01211]
The UVF mural dedicated to Colin Caldwell on Derry Hill in Rathcoole was repainted in 2016 and a mention added of “Marky” Mark Quail — who has a separate mural a short distance away — added on a (painted) ribbon. The mural shows two hooded volunteers — from the 3rd [north] Belfast battalion and 1st east Antrim battalion – aiming rifles; the previous mural (X00512) showed volunteers mourning beside a memorial stone. “We salute all volunteers at home and on the mainland who served with dignity and pride.”
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T01209
These two boards in Owenreagh Drive, Rathcoole, were mounted to celebrate the seventieth (platinum) jubilee of Queen Elizabeth in June 2022. Similar paintings were produced by schoolchildren in west Belfast – see The People’s Monarch.
“This artwork was designed and created by pupils from Abbots Cross Primary School in partnership with the local children from Rathcoole Community Hub to commemorate the platinum jubilee of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.”
“From Rathcoole to the house of Windsor – happy platinum jubilee 1952-2022. God save the Queen.”
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T01220 T01221
Paddy Duffy Collection 