Brian Robinson was shot by the British Army in September, 1989, immediately after he had shot and killed a Catholic (Paddy McKenna) walking along Crumlin Road (WP). The mural features Robinson’s portrait in a wreath (“For God and Ulster – 1st Batt. B. Coy”) and the emblems of the UVF and PAF.
Disraeli Street, Woodvale, west Belfast
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 1996 Paddy Duffy
T00234
The writing on the stone reads, “In memory of Lt Col John Bingham, murdered 14th Sept 86” and “In memory of Major Thomas Stewart, murdered 29th Oct 96”. The volunteers in hoods are divided between active service and graveside memorial: two stand behind their downward-pointing rifles, two assume crouching positions with rifles pointed.
D company (Ballysillan), 1st battalion, UVF
Ballysillan Road, north Belfast
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 1996 Paddy Duffy
T00232
“This mural is a memorial to the volunteers of A Coy 1st Batt who served the Shankill community so bravely during the years of conflict. Gone but not forgotten.” The flags being held on either side are of the Shankill Protestant Boys (1st battalion, Ulster Volunteers) and the USSF.
Canmore Street, Shankill, west Belfast. Paddy Duffy’s British Telecom van is parked on the Shankill, to the right of the image.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 1996 Paddy Duffy
T00223
The flag on the left is the UVF flag with “1912” in the corner, referring back to the Ulster Volunteers. The flag on the right lists WWI battles – Somme, Ypres, St Quentin, and Grandcourt are showing, while Arras, Thiepval, Messines, and Fricourt are probably hidden – under the title “Monkstown East Antrim”; men from the area joined the Central Antrim/12th battalion of the RIR.
Cloyne Crescent, Monkstown, Newtownabbey
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 1996 Paddy Duffy (no date given)
T00244
Although currently on ceasefire, hooded gunmen from UVF 1st Battalion/West Belfast C Company are armed ready to defend the Shankill.
Carnan Street, west Belfast
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 1996 Paddy Duffy (no date given)
T00242
“Still defending Ulster – we will always be ready. 1912 – 1969. To the politicians: words are not enough for the peace and freedom of the children and the people of Ulster “deeds and actions”. To our volunteers: the supreme sacrifice is to lay down your life for your country. Some have given everything, others have yet to give.”
The modern volunteer, while hooded, is not in an active pose, reflecting the ceasefire. The word “to the politicians” perhaps express frustration with the peace process (and hint at the continued violence of the LVF, created after the dispute in July at Drumcree).
Kenilworth Place, east Belfast
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 1996 Paddy Duffy
T00151
“Their only crime was loyalty – release all loyalist prisoners”. Red Hand Command (UVF) mural in Severn Street, east Belfast.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 1996 Paddy Duffy (no date given)
T00150
“UVF – 1912-1994 – still undefeated”. The UVF joined the ceasefire in October, 1994, and since this image is from 1996 and this mural continued to exist until 2002 (including a repainting in 2000 – see D00981) we can take it as an expression of continued readiness for armed violence, without any mention of “compromise” or of being “prepared for peace“.
The UVF did not continually exist from 1912 onward – see UVF 75th Anniversary.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 1996 Paddy Duffy
T00147
These UVF hooded gunmen are at the entrance to the Mount Vernon estate in north Belfast. The message “prepared for peace, ready for war” expresses a wary skepticism about the ceasefire. The IRA’s ceasefire began in August 1994, and the UVF’s in October.
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 1995 Paddy Duffy
T00138
“In loving memory of Stevie McCrea”. Red Hand Commando volunteer Stevie McCrea was sentenced to 16 years for the murder of James Kerr in 1972 (Behind The Mask) and was subsequently “murdered by the enemies of Ulster” on February 18th, 1989 in an IPLO attack on the Orange Cross (WP). (The door of the club can be seen next to the mural in M00560.)
On the side-wall, Binyon’s ‘For The Fallen‘ is modified for the singular “he”: “For he shall not grow old as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary him nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember him.”
Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 1995 Paddy Duffy
T00237 T00152
Paddy Duffy Collection 