Sport

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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Windsor Park

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This is a gallery of the boards along the lane to the east of Windsor Park where Linfield and Northern Ireland play their soccer matches. Five describe “historical games” played by Northern Ireland at the ground (from 1958, 1975, 1981, 2005, and 2015) and five describe Linfield FC (the “7 trophy” teams of 1921 and 1961, ‘the blues in Europe’, a history of the club, the 2005-2006 season, and Captains).

To the left and right of these boards are the murals seen in Football For All.

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Football For All

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Greater Village Regeneration Trust (Fb)

‘Football For All’ is a programme from the Irish FA Foundation aimed at stamping out discrimination and encouraging inclusivity among supporters (web). The new mural, above, is in the lane-way that runs down from Donegall Avenue to the footbridge. There are also reproductions of drawings by kids in the spaces below the footbridge.

Between the two are the boards about Linfield and recounting the role the ground has played in the history of the Northern Ireland team – see Windsor Park.

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Ard Mhacha Abú

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The people of Kilwilkie (Lurgan) supported the Armagh team in their (successful – RTÉ video) bid to win the All-Ireland senior football championship, repeating their former and only previous win in 2002 – see also Ard Mhacha (in north Belfast) and Ádh Mór Ard Mhacha (in Armagh) and (from 2023) The Core Of Armagh.

Levin Road, Lurgan

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Red Hand, Red Lion

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The ‘Lion Rampant’ in the crest of (Glasgow) Rangers FC comes from the Royal Banner Of Scotland (where it has a blue tongue and blue claws) (WP); the national flag of Scotland is the St Andrew’s Saltire, which appears in the centre of the trio at the top of this mural, between the red hand of Northern Ireland and the red lion. The “RFC” crest, including the word “Ready”, appeared on players’ shirts between 1990 and 1995 (WP).

There has been a version of this mural in Edgarstown, Portadown, since (at least) 2002, though previously it gave 1873 as the date of formation – see M04154 from 2008 and X00508 from 2011.

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The Man Who Saved Barcelona

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The Don Patricio/Patrick O’Connell mural at the bottom of the Whiterock Road has been refreshed for this year’s Féıle. The major change is in the middle of the mural, where Lionel Messi – who went to Paris Saint-Germain in 2021 and then to Inter Miami in 2023 – has been replaced by current stars Aitana Bonmatí and Lamine Yamal. (A modern soccer-ball replaces the leather ball of the original mural, patches have been added to O’Connell’s jacket, and the FAI trophy and the large Cup Winner’s medal has been removed to make room for Bonmatí.) The new mural was relaunched on August 2nd with an address by the director of the FC Barcelona museum at Camp Nou (Belfast Media).

For more – on O’Connell’s career as a player and manager, the emblems in the stands, and the headlines on the newspaper – see Don Patricio.

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A Fighting Chance

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“Our wee champ.” 21-year-old boxer Liam McGuinness, of Gleann ABC (Fb), died by suicide in October 2010, one of the many people to take their own lives in west Belfast that year among the 313 in all of Northern Ireland (Irish Examiner | Guardian | NI Assembly). A vigil was held in September (in Twinbrook) to commemorate the suicides there (BBC); another was held in the days after McGuinness’s death (BBC); a forum on the topic was held by Sınn Féın. The mural in his memory and in support of suicide awareness is outside the club, off the Glen Road in Hannahstown.

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Andersonstown Apache

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“I’m just a young fella from Andytown who didn’t give up.” In May (2024) Anthony (“Anto”) “The Apache” Cacace (ig) won the IBF super featherweight title with a victory over Joe Cordina in Saudi Arabia (BelTel). To honour this feat, a mural was painted in South Link, Andersonstown, with Cacace holding the both the IBF and IBO belts. Cacace went to Holy Child primary and starting boxing at the age of 10 at Oliver Plunkett’s (Fb). His father Tony is from Naples, Italy – hence the Italian flag on the right.

On September 21st, Cacace will defend his IBF title, fighting against Josh Warrington in Wembley Stadium (BelTel).

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Pat Jennings

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A statue to native son Pat Jennings was unveiled in Newry in November 2023 (Launch images from Belfast Media). The statue was commissioned by the Friends Of Big Pat committee (Newry.ie) and sculpted by Andy Edwards (Visit Mourne Mountains).

“Pat Jennings. Born in Newry 12th June 1945; Newry Town FC 1962; Watford FC 1963; Tottenham Hotspur FC 1954; Arsenal FC 1977; Tottenham Hotspur FC 1985. 2 FA Cup wins, 2 League Cup wins & 1 UEFA Cup win. Football Writers’ Association Footballer of the Year 1976. First player to play 1000 top flight games 1983. 110 international appearances for Northern Ireland 1964-1989. Played in Spain 1982 & Mexico 1986 FIFA World Cups. Captained ‘The Rest Of The World’ team against ‘The Americas’ 1986. Inducted into The English Football Hall of Fame 2003. Chosen by the Irish Football Association as Northern Ireland’s UEFA ‘Golden Player’ of the past 50 years 2003. An inspirational career and legacy.”

Kildare Street, Newry.

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Kai Johansen’s Bar

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Kai Johansen was a Danish international who played for Rangers from 1965-1970, most famously scoring the only goal in the 1966 Scottish Cup final against Celtic (WP). He retired in 1970 and went on to manage two teams in South Africa, as well as owning businesses, including pubs and tanning salons, in Denmark and Scotland (Herald). The pub mentioned in the board above is perhaps “Kai Johansen’s Bar” at 564 Govan Road, Glasgow (images at Follow Follow).

“Every week in Glasgow, to watch the boys in blue/We wanted to form a band, of us there was just a few./We sat in Johansen’s bar, sometimes, he joined us too./He treated us like his sons, and nobody understood why/But through this hospitality, we become adopted sons of Kai./Now we have our name, we will now make it stand./Known as Rathecoole’s finest, the Sons Of Kai flute band.”

See previously: The Famous | Welcome To Our Homeland | We’re From The Coole.

Derrycoole Way, Rathcoole, Newtownabbey

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