“NFC – representing our community with pride”. Newington Football Club [Fb], also known as “the swans”, is an NIFL team from north Belfast. The club was “est[ablished] 1979” as Jubilee Olympic FC, and was later Newington Youth Club, before becoming Newington FC c. 2018. A full list of its honours can be found on the club’s WP page.
Atlantic Avenue, Newington, north Belfast
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“The lad from Sandy Row – Lewis (The Croc) Crocker, IBF welterweight champion 2025.”
Sandy Row native (Belfast CC) Lewis Crocker beat Paddy Donovan in a fight for the open IBF welterweight title at Windsor Park in September (BBC).
Donegall Road, south Belfast, at the top of Roden Street.
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Armagh won the All-Ireland Senior football championship in 2024, with a squad that included three players from Crossmaglen: Oısín O’Neill, Cıan McConville, and Rían O’Neill.
In the bottom-left corner, players from Crossmaglen Rangers turn to face the Irish tricolour, flanked by the club flag and the flag of Palestine – the flags fly below the watchtower of a British Army barracks (perhaps based on an image from the 2005 Armagh final – Irish Times).
On the right is an umbrella in pride colours, below which people can pose and take pictures: “Snap & tag us”.
This is a revised version of the mural, which originally bore the Ernesto Cardenal quote, “They tried to bury you/us but they didn’t know you/we were seeds” (ig).
On the side of KIS pizza- and coffee-shop, The Square, Crossmaglen. “The community wall” @kis_pizza_coffee @careforcaolan” [Caolan Finnegan, who died in August, 2024] @Nıamh_Ní_Dhalaıgh_Art July 2024″
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“Loyalist Village, south Belfast – Village team on tour.” This is a new printed board at the eastern edge of the Village in south Belfast. The association with the Northern Ireland soccer team (governed by the Irish Football Association) is perhaps an attempt to rehabilitate the name from the graffiti that appeared in 2015 (Welcome To Hell) and 2016 (Taigs Will Be Dealt With).
There is a “Linfield” version of this board, in red, white, and blue, in Tavanagh Street.
The/An “I am not an Ulsterman …” board was originally in Kilburn Street – see the Seosamh Mac Coılle Collection.
For the Linfield/Northern Ireland mural in better days, see For Club And Country.
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The new Rangers supporters club in Donegall Pass is named after Alex “Doddie” MacDonald, who played midfield for Rangers from 1968 to 1980, which included the team’s victory in the European Cup-Winners’ Cup in 1972. (A full biography can be found on the Rangers web site.)
The new board announces the “Alex MacDonald Loyal RSC (Donegall Pass)” and the photographs show various high-points in MacDonald’s career: “Signed for Rangers 19 November 1968”, “Hampden Park on 25 October 1975 when MacDonald scored the winner in the Old Firm League Cup final”, “Rangers hall of fame”.
Also included beneath the main board are the crests of “Southbank True Blues” and “Kirkintilloch RSC” (Fb).
Pine Street, Donegall Pass, south Belfast. Launched on September 13th – Facebook.
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Here are three pieces (two boards and a statue) celebrating Willie Maley, who was born in Newry barracks in 1868 – his father was a sergeant in the 21st Regiment Of Foot. The following year the family moved to Scotland. Maley played in midfield for Celtic and made two international appearances for Scotland. He became manager in 1897 at the age of 29 and steered the club to sixteen league championships and fourteen Scottish Cups.
The board (above) in Mourne View Park (Mourne View is built on the site of the infantry barracks – the old walls are still standing): “The man who made Celtic – Willie Maley – founder member & player 1888, Celtic manager 1897-1940.” “It’s not the creed nor his nationality that counts. It’s the man himself.” “A man must be a Celt on & off the field, otherwise he is no value to this Club.”
The board is at the bottom of Mourne View Park in Erskine Street, on the south side of the barracks: “The Celtic vision was born here. William Patrick Maley born here 25th April 1868, the military barracks, Newry, died 2nd April, 1958, Glasgow.” “My love for Celtic has been a craze, without it my experience would be empty indeed.”
The statue is at the junction of Camlough Road and Monaghan Row and was launched in 2023 (Newry.ie): “”Mr. Celtic” William Patrick Maley. 43 years as Glasgow Celtic’s first ever manager, winning 19 league titles & over 40 other trophies as player/manager. “It’s not the creed nor his nationality that counts. It’s the man himself.” Born in Newry 25th April 1868. Glasgow Celtic fans will always fondly remember Mr Willie Maley.”
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This board in Donegall Pass mashes together not only Linfield and Rangers, but a Union Flag and Ulster Banner, and soccer with WWI soldiers making their way through barbed wire.
Pine St, south Belfast
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The streets of the West Winds estate in Newtownards are named after RAF aircraft: Lysander, Beaufort, Shackleton, Valetta, Sunderland, Catalina, Auster, Canberra, Lancaster, Dakota, Hampton, Stirling, Blenheim, Anson, and Halifax. (See 50 Years And Counting for a picture of the aircraft.)
The first units built in the estate, in 1970, were Canberra Gardens and Blenheim Drive, just off the Comber Road.
“English Electric Canberra – bomber, photo-reconnaissance, trainer, interdictor, radio countermeasures, drone & target tug … the world’s first jet bomber … first jet aircraft to make a nonstop transatlantic flight … world altitude record”
“Bristol Blenheim – light bomber, night bomber, aerial reconnaissance, heavy fighter, maritime patrol & trainer … the fastest light/medium bomber in the world”
Also celebrated is flautist James Galway, whose parents lived in the estate for a time, and Greenwell Star (Fb) – “Bridging communities through football”. Club members were involved in painting over the UVF mural on the side of the club’s changing-rooms in March (Fb), in preparation for the new board being mounted in April.
West Winds Development Association and Newtownards Cultural Society with support from the Housing Executive (Newtownards Chronicle)
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“Jon Clifford’s Tristar FC, Derry, founded 1974”. Jon “Ugg” Clifford died on September 3rd, 2011, while waiting for a lung transplant (BelTel). In 1974 he had founded a youth soccer club – initially for boys – called “Tristrar” (web) in Creggan. The park where they played – Bull Park – was renamed in his honour, a portrait on boards was mounted in 2013 (which has now been replaced by the larger painting shown here), and a memorial championship was begun in 2014 (Derry Daily).
Update: The mural was officially launched on October 9th, 2025 (BBC).
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The emblem in the top left of this board is the original emblem of the Irish Football Association. The Association was formed in 1880 by seven Belfast clubs but after partition a rival Football Association Of Ireland was formed and the original body eventually represented only Northern Ireland. (WP)
All of the players named and pictured post-date 1950, when the IFA stopped selecting southern players for the IFA’s team. They are … Tommy Jackson, Billy Caskey, Phil Gray, Tom Finney, Norman Whiteside, Danny Griffin, George McCartney, Alf McMichael, Tommy Cassidy, Robbie Garrett, Brodie Spencer, Jordan Owens, Billy Ferguson, George O’Boyle.
“AONISC” (bottom left) is the Amalgamation Of Northern Ireland Supporters’ Clubs (web). There are about 60 clubs in the amalgamation, but seven local clubs are named here: Albert Foundry, Woodvale Loyal, Tavern GAWA, Bootle Street, Wheatfield, 1st Shankill, Ligoniel.
In Battenberg Street on the side of the Stadium Bar and off-sales.
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Paddy Duffy Collection 