hood/mask/balaclava

None Shall Divide Us

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Audemus jura nostra defendere – We dare to defend our rights”. The UDA/UFF/UYM/LPA mural above shows hooded gunmen standing either side of a view of Carrickfergus castle. The phrase “The price of peace is eternal vigilance” is associated with British politician Leonard Courtney (who also said “Lies – damned lies – and statistics) though it probably goes further back. As can be seen from the second image, the mural watches over Woodlawn primary school. The third image shows the memorial garden off to the right-hand side; the plaque is shown fourth: “This memorial is dedicated to the memory of the officers and members of our organisation who were murdered by the enemies of Ulster and to those who paid the supreme sacrifice whilst on active service during the present conflict. Quis separabit.”

For the previous mural (Ulster’s Call 1893 – Boer War), see Murals Irlande du Nord.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T01281

Progression Requires Inclusion

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The UVF 1st East Antrim Battalion is “Still ready & willing to defend the people of Ulster against all foes” including the British government that – even as Northern Ireland marks its centenary – has “deserted” it over the NI Protocol that involves checks on goods moving between Britain and Ireland (whether north or south) but no (new) checks on goods moving between north and south (gov.uk). The “still” goes all the way back to 1912, when the British government of the day proposed (for a third time) “Home Rule” for Ireland and the Ulster Volunteers were formed – though the original “deserted” postcard and previous murals show the date as 1914.

The PSNI board was seen previously: In The Pocket Of Sinn Féin.

Below: “Progression Requires Inclusion” – a UVF hooded gunman painted in 2013 is still visible in 2022.

Davy’s Street, Carrickfergus

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T01278 T01279 [T01280]

Young Citizen Volunteers

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The Young Citizen Volunteers of 1912 eventually joined the Ulster Volunteers (in 1914) as the 14th battalion of the Royal Irish Rifles and part of the 36th (Ulster) Division (WP). In 1972 the name was resurrected for use as the youth wing of the UVF (WP). In the wide shot, below, this history is presented as a continuous movement from left to right; a modern-day hooded gunman climbs out of a WWI trench with one hand on a YCV flag.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T01276

Alternative Ulster

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The upper flag on the right-hand side of this mural – purple saltire on a blue background with star and red hand – is the proposed flag of Ulster nationalists. The position was espoused by the UDA of the 1970s, under the guise of the political parties the Ulster Loyalist Democratic Party and the Ulster Democratic Party, and for a time by the Red Hand Commandos under the Ulster Loyalist Central Coordinating Committee.

For the previous (identical) version, see UFF Carrickfergus in the Peter Moloney collection.

Castlemara Drive, Carrickfergus

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T01275

We Await In The Shadows

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Ten years after ending its armed campaign, the Red Hand Commando in 2017 applied to be de-proscribed, on the basis that it had given up its arms in 2009 and transformed itself into an ‘old comrades association’ (see the emblem in the bottom left of the wide shot) (BBC | NewsLetter). According to this mural, however, B company is ready to reform in response to those who “play with peace”, fifty years later (or so – the mural claims the group was founded in 1970; other sources give 1972 (WP cites Peter Taylor).

“50 years has passed/We were forced to don our masks/Don’t play with peace/Or attack our land/We await in the shadows/B Coy Red Hand”

Replaces the ‘99.9% need not apply‘ RHC mural.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
[T01316] T01317

Defending Freedom From Hate

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Compared to the UVF, the UDA more strongly detect an existential threat to loyalism and evince a siege mentality that provokes the need for armed resistance. Hence the more frequent presence of armed gunmen in UDA murals (which is also due in part to the UVF being able to “re-image” around the Ulster Volunteers and the Somme). With Brexit and the Protocol, however, armed gunmen have recently been appearing more frequently in UVF murals – see, for example, If Our Shores Are Threatened | Bang Up To Date | Our British Identity.

“Springmartin–Highfield–Glencairn Ulster Defence Association est. 1971. Defending freedom from hate.” As the companion mural (We Will Take Nothing Less) makes clear, the hate is coming from a “fascist republican enemy” (“Sinn Féin/IRA”, presumably) and the government of Ireland. Graphically, this mural is the same as the previous one on this wall: Under The Protection Of The UDA.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
T01245

As Proud Men

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Where so ever, how so ever or whenever we are called upon to make our exit, we will do as proud men.” This is quite a different message from the one produced within the Rathcoole estate for the 50th anniversary of the Red Hand Commandos, which stated that despite its venerable age, the four Rathcoole companies of the RHC “Await In The Shadows“. (That mural also depicted the kneeling men with sticks (on the left of today’s mural) and the linked post also contains the original photograph.)

It’s not clear who or what within loyalism might call upon the RHC to stand down; loyalist rhetoric at the moment is full of anger at the protocol and warnings/threats about of a return to violence (e.g. BelTel | BBC).

For the use of “Lamh Dear Abu” as the slogan, see Ulster Says “Tá”.

O’Neill Road, Newtownabbey.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022 Paddy Duffy
T01234

Rathfern UDA

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This entry updates the Rathfern UDA mural at the entrance to Cloughfern estate, painted in 2015 with only the name of John “The Reaper” Gregg listed on the right. Rab Carson’s name was added last year (2021) after his widow’s bid for compensation – which included the claim that Carson was not in the UDA – was denied (BelTel | BelTel). The pair had equal footing on the previous mural (see Gregg & Carson).

Both were members of South East Antrim brigade. Gregg waged a campaign of terror against Catholics in the area and was reputedly associated with British neo-Nazi groups. He and Carson were killed on February 1st, 2003, while returning from a Rangers match, on orders from Johnny Adair (of the West Belfast brigade) after Gregg and other brigade bosses voted to expel Adair from the UDA in October 2002. (Irish Examiner)

Knockenagh Drive, Newtownabbey

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2022/2025 Paddy Duffy
T01231 [T06774] T06775