UVF/RHC/YCV

Remembering Is Not So Easy

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

On the anniversary of David Ervine’s death, January 8th, a new board was launched in his memory, with images of Ervine “yearning for peace” in the cages of Long Kesh, where he met Gusty Spence (the pair can be seen together in the middle of the first column of photographs).

After his release, Ervine turned to politics, running unsuccessfully as a PUP candidate for Pottinger in the Belfast City Council elections of 1985 (WP); he would eventually be successful in 1997. In 1998 he was returned by Belfast East in the Assembly election (ARK). He helped bring about the loyalist ceasefire in 1994 – which was read aloud by Spence (youtube) – and was pro-Agreement in 1998 (DIB | Guardian | Slugger).

The information about the Memory Chair sculpture makes mention of Ervine’s boots but it seems they have not survived the mothballing of the sculpture which was last seen on site – boots included – in 2014.

Montrose Street South, replacing the various pieces seen in late 2024’s Today, Everyday, And Always.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
T08341 T08342 T08343 T08344
T08349 T08345 T08348 T08346
T08347 T08350

To Keep Our Country British

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This entry updates 2024’s Here Dead We Lie – the plaque to Boyle and Somerville remains as before (it was originally mounted in 2005) but all three of the boards have been updated. The two on the extremes have the same content as before, while the central board marks the “50th anniversary” of the death of “Volunteer Harris Boyle”, “eternally remembered by the officers and volunteers of Mid-Ulster UVF”. Both Boyle and Somerville were members of both the UDR and UVF; they were “killed in action” when the bomb they were planting on the minibus of the Miami Showband went off prematurely. A parade in Boye’s memory took place in Portadown (BBC). Surviving Showband members and their sympathisers also marked the anniversary – on July 31st, 2025 – with a service at the spot of the attack (BBC).

The boards are at the junction of Gloucester Avenue and Princess Way in Portadown – Boyle was from the Killicomaine estate; Somerville is individually commemorated in Moygashel.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
T08274 T08273 T08275 T08276 T08277 T08278

Pass UVF

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This is a freshly-repainted sign for “South Belfast Ulster Volunteer Force, 2nd battalion, A company Donegall Pass” on the back wall of the Hideout bar. The previous version was painted c. 2005.

Also included is a small board added next to the Defenders flute band board across the street, which presents the words of McCrea’s poem In Flanders Fields.

Pine Street, Donegall Pass, south Belfast

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T08067 T08068

John Hanna

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“In loving memory of volunteer John Hanna, murdered by the enemies of Ulster 10th September 1991. Always remembered by the officers and volunteers South Belfast Ulster Volunteer Force. Lest we forget.”

UVF volunteer John Hanna was 19 years old when he was killed by the IRA as he tried to escape over his back-garden wall at his home on Donegall Road in the Village (UPI).

The small board to the left reads, “Volunteer John Hanna, 30th anniversary. Always remembered by the officers and volunteers South Belfast UVF. Sandy Row C Company.” On the side-wall, the poppies and the downcast soldiers come from the first World War but the names are all of modern UVF and RHC volunteers, from 1976 to the present day.

Prince Andrew Park, just off Donegall Road, south Belfast, replacing the printed board seen in He Died That We Might Live.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07967 T07968 T07969 T07970 [T07966]

We Are Here Today

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This is a new version of the board seen in 2022, in which the central emblem was of the 8th battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles, whereas it is now of the “East Belfast & North Down Veterans’ Association”.

Below, a small plaque reading “We were there yesterday, We are here today, We will be here tomorrow” has been added

Albertbridge Road, east Belfast

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07927

Ballyclare Remembers

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Modern UVF volunteers in balaclavas stand with heads bowed on either side of the Ulster Tower in Thiepval, standing among orange lilies and red poppies.

On the left the 10th Scottish Rifles (AWM) commence a raid, below the emblem of the Ulster Volunteer Force, and on the right, the Royal Fusiliers appear to march off to war in a press photograph (Flickr), below the emblem of the 36th (Ulster) Division.

In Grange Drive, Ballyclare, on the same as wall, and using part of the frame from, a previous UDA board: Young Guns.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07241 T07242

Ballysillan UVF

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Six memorial plaques to members of the UVF’s 1st battalion (West Belfast), D company (Ballysillan) have been re-instated and two new one added alongside the 100 Years Of Conflict boards at Carr’s Glen. The plaques to Bingham, Phillips, McEvoy, the “officers and volunteers”, Stewart, and Taylor were on the old UVF mural on this wall (see the Peter Moloney Collection); the two new ones are to Kenny Howie and to Scottish supporters.

Left:
“Lt Col John Dowey Bingham killed by the enemies of Ulster 14th September 1986. Remembered by officers and members of the 1st Batt D Coy Ballysillan. Lest we forget” [(WP)]
“In memory of Major Patrick McEvoy. Lest we forget”
“In memory of Kenny Howie 21.4.1977 – 8.4.2013. Lest we forget”
“In proud memory of the officers and volunteers of D Company 1st Battalion Ulster Volunteer Force. For God and Ulster”.

Right:
“In memory of Major Thomas Stewart. Lest we forget” [d. 1996 in a dispute over money (Irish Times | BelTel)
“In memory of Martin Chin Taylor. Lest we forget” [d. 2000 killed by the LVF (BBC)]
“In proud memory of Volunteer David (Davey) Phillips, taken by cowards Sunday 12th July 1998. Sadly missed by his friends and comrades of ‘D’ Company Ballysillan. Lest we forget” [possibly d. 1998 (BelTel)]
“In memory of fallen volunteers 1st Battalion D. Company Ulster Volunteer Force Scotland”

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07228 T07229 T07230

Loyalist Village

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Loyalist Village, south Belfast.” UVF markings in the Village continue to proliferate with the recently-added board shown above (from the top of Tavanagh Street) alongside a slew of other boards, some of which are included below.

The “Village team” is not Linfield FC but the UVF (the phrase was also used by the Village UDA); “VTOT” (standing for “Village team on tour”) has previously been used as graffiti – see Welcome To Hell!!!

The purple hoarding below gives “1913” as a creation-date for the battalion. The Ulster Unionist Council organised the signing of the Covenant in September, 1912, and in January 1913 voted to bring together the militias that had been formed in various places into an Ulster Volunteer Force. One of these was a South Belfast battalion that had formed in 1912 (History Ireland). Hence, both “1912” and “1913” are given as dates for the creation of the battalion. When the Volunteers were integrated into the Ulster Division for the Great War, the South Belfast Volunteers joined the 10th battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2024/2025 Paddy Duffy
[T07194] T07195
T05879 T05880
T07192 T07193 T07196
“The prevention of the erosion of our identity, our culture and our heritage. We will preserve this no matter the cost. We will not be the generation to fail Ulster. No surrender. 2nd battalion South Belfast” “What we have we hold”

UVF South Antrim Battalion

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The Denver Smith mural in the Steeple, Antrim, has been replaced with the printed board (shown above and immediately below) which retains the same elements of the mural, including the WWI soldiers and the emblem of the 36th (Ulster) Division. (For information about Smith, see Here Lies A Soldier.)

Memorial boards in the same style and palette have also been mounted on adjacent walls to two members of the modern Ulster Volunteer Force. To the left, Mark McCausland, who died in 2024 (Wray’s); the board in his memory replaces a UVF flag (seen in Pass Not This Spot In Sorrow). To the right, Davy Langley, who died in 2018 (Funeral Times); there was previously a mural to his memory in the same spot (see Ulster Volunteer Forces)

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07168 T07169 [T07170]
T07167 [T07166]
T07171 [T07172]
T07173

Property Of East Belfast UVF

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This notice is on the outside of the Belvoir Bar in east Belfast: “Property of east Belfast Ulster Volunteer Force – Not for sale” alongside a plaque to “fallen comrades” Robert Bennett, Roy Walker, Joseph Long, James Cordner, and Robert Seymour. It seems that the bar has been shuttered since 2011 (Belfast Telegraph | Irish Times).

Newtownards Road, east Belfast, next to the WWI VCs memorial.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07117 T07118