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George Walker

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“Mr George Walker, Minister of Dungannon and Gouernour of London Derrie in Ireland when besieged in 1689.” Walker evacuated from Dungannon after Lundy’s troops pulled out and became joint governor of Derry after Lundy’s authority collapsed, first with Henry Baker and later with John Mitchelburne.

Walker put himself at the centre of his own “True Account Of The Siege Of London-Derry” (which can be read at archive.org) and drew criticism for minimising the role of Presbyterians (Walker was Anglican/CoI).

After the siege, Walker went on a victory tour of Scotland and England; while in London, he argued against a Derry trial for Lundy, on the ground that Lundy still had support there. He returned to Ireland in time to greet William III in June 1690 when William travelled from Carrickfergus to Belfast (see June 14th, 1690) and he went south with William to the Boyne, where he was shot and killed. (DIB | DIB | WP)

“The Walker Club was formed in 1844 in Londonderry to perpetuate the memory of siege governor, Rev. George Walker, who was a[n] inspirational great clergyman and soldier. He fought with King William at the Battle of the Boyne, where he was killed on 1st July 1690.”

The image of Walker is a line-engraving by John Savage, viewable at Sinclair Genealogy. “Life, truth, victory” is a translation of Londonderry’s Latin motto “Vita, veritas, victoria”.

These new boards are at the Rangers Supporters’ Club (Fb) in Boyne Square/Greenland, Larne.

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Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
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Welcome To Loyalist Ballymacash

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Here are two boards from Ballymacash celebrating the union with Britain and the centenary of Northern Ireland. The pair mark the western (above) and eastern (below) entrances to the estate (along with Loyalist Ballymacash). The estate is known for its large bonfire (see e.g. these images from 2018).

The centenary board has an unusual emblem between the names of the six counties, putting an Ulster Banner on top of a Union Flag on a shield surrounded by a garland of English roses.

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Copyright © 2025/2023 Paddy Duffy
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Ulster First Flute

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The Ulster First Flute mural in Linfield Road will be twenty-eight years old this year (2025). There is an image in the Collection from 1998 and images in the other collections from 1997, 2009, and 2018. The band formed in 1996, according to its Fb page, though at the bottom the text reads “Est. 1997”.

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Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
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Cuidich’N Righ

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The festive atmosphere depicted along the bottom of the Pride Of Ballybeen flute band’s new mural, with people clapping and waving and doing cartwheels as the parade passes by, is in contrast with the regimental emblems in the upper part of the mural: we see (on the left-hand side; first close-up below) the Highlanders (“Cuidich’n Righ” is Scots Gaelic for “Help the king”) and the Irish Guards (motto “quis separabit”; 1783 is the year the Order Of St Patrick was created), and (right-hand side, second close-up below), the Royal Irish Regiment and the Logistics Corp (motto “Honi soit qui mal y pense“). These are perhaps regiments in which band-members serve or have served; the band does not have a (public) internet presence.

For the previous mural, see Pride Of Ballybeen.

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Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
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1st July 1916

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This is a mural with a twenty-year history, in Watson Street, Portadown.

The mural began with the single panel on the left (2004 D01505) which shows a red hand on top of a St Andrew’s Saltire. Three panels were then added: and Ulster Banner, a Union Flag, and a red hand, along with the title “Battle Of [The] Somme, 1st July 1916” (see C01914 from 2010), though the connection to the Somme is unclear. The whole thing was repainted without the red hand in the fourth panel (perhaps c. 2012 – Street View and M10297 from 2013).

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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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Portadown Defenders Flute Band

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“Portadown Defenders flute band formed in Levaghery Orange Hall, Killycomain, 23rd Sept 1971. From strength to strength, the band remains an institution ingrained in history, that has stood for over 50 years. Simply the best.”

Portadown Defenders flute band (Fb) unveiled this new installation on April 6th (Fb). The band also has a board in Union Street. The the lion and the unicorn (above) are from the UK coat of arms

Princess Way/Gloucester Street, Portadown

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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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Welcome To My Castle

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This entry updates the images seen in Kragfargus Cultural Corner, which now includes a portrait of Catherine (“Kate”) Middleton, Princess Of Wales and Baroness Carrickfergus (no “of”), alongside the tribute to King Charles III. The other person with a castle is Mr Tayto, who appears in the montage of famous faces on one of the NI 100 boards (fourth image).

Taylor’s Avenue, Carrickfergus

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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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I Here Present Unto You Your Undoubted King

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The tribute to the new UK monarch King Charles III at the northeastern corner of Tiger’s Bay has been completed, with Ulster Banner and Union Flag on either side of a circular board showing a crown with the flowers of the “four nations” – thistle, shamrock, daffodil, and rose – both inside (in blue) and out (in red).

There is another piece using the same central board inside the estate – see I Will Plant Them.

The title of this entry comes from Charles’s coronation service, on May 6th, 2023 (pdf).

For ‘Loyalist Tiger’s Bay’ on the front wall, see the Stop The Boats; for the Orange Order symbols on the side wall (in the final image) – including the crown and Bible in the apex of the main wall – see Your Kingdom Will Endure Forever.

Limestone Road, north Belfast

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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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Union Bears

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The “Union Bears” are a Rangers FC “ultras” supporters club whose web page currently features the giant tifo – “sign” or “banner” is too small a word, so the Italian word is used – unveiled at various games. This much smaller display (above) is on an electrical box on the Doagh Road next to the Iceland at the eastern edge of the Rathcoole estate.

For the Sons Of KAI flute band sticker, see Kai Johansen’s Bar | Sons Of KAI | Four Lads Had A Dream.

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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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Preserving Identity

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“Promoting Culture, Preserving Identity”. Here are a pair of new boards Mount Vernon Park, north Belfast, launched on August 11th, 2024, celebrating three Scottish bands and the local Fifes And Drums. Each of the bands’ emblems includes the Roman numeral “III”, which also appears in the bottom corner of the ‘Band Of Brothers’ board. It stands for the 3rd Belfast (i.e. north Belfast) battalion of the UVF, “Tiger’s Bay”. The St George’s Cross in the top-left corner and the purple background (of the ‘Band Of Brothers’ board) come from the UVF flag, which typically also has an orange star in the bottom right, here replaced by a swirling musical staff and Union Flag.

“Band Of Brothers. This artwork is a tribute to the unbreakable bond that we in North Belfast, share along with the following bands: Craigneuk [Scotland] True Defenders flute band, formed 1947 [Fb]; Andrew Murphy Memorial flute band [Scotland], formed 1988 [Fb]; City Of Belfast Fifes And Drums, formed 2003 [Fb]; Bellshill [Scotland] Defenders flute band, formed in 2017 [Fb]. For decades, these bands have remained faithful, and been a credit to the loyalist cause that binds us. When on parade, the honour and dignity displayed by each band, is impeccable. In timeless memory of the Fallen, each band proudly and respectfully bears the Colours and Emblems of: the Ulster Volunteer Force, the Young Citizen Volunteers, the 36th (Ulster) Division. ‘More than friends, comrades’.”

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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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