This is the scene at the Corcrain-Redmanville bonfire (Fb) site, along Drumilly Green, where the hut has been moved to the south side of the Green, to join the Union Flag and Ulster Banner.
The 2025 bonfire topped 100 feet in height (News Letter); collecting for the 2026 pyre has yet to begin.
Westland Road, Portadown
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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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“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.
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Copyright © 2024/2025 Paddy Duffy
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“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”
This is a vintage UDA mural in Moeran Park, in the Rectory area of Portadown, still in reasonable shape after more than a decade – compare this image with the 2011 image in the Peter Moloney collection.
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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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Bonfire builders in the Craigyhill area of Larne (Fb) are once again attempting to build the world’s tallest bonfire, a record held unofficially by their 2022 effort (see Commonwealth Handling Equipment) and officially by an Austrian bonfire in 2019 (Guinness Book Of Records).
This year’s pyre is now finished and was tall enough for a base-jumper to parachute off it on July 9th (BBC). The builders are hoping that the 35′ beacon on top of the 363-pallet base will take the total height over 210 feet and towards 220 when it is measured professionally (Belfast Live). Update: the tower was measured at 205′ (BelTel | News Letter).
The final two images were taken on the 28th when the pyre was 150 feet (280 pallets) in height (BelTel).
See also: Craigyhill Bonfire 2023.
June 28th:
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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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Ulster freedom fries
A mammoth bonfire in Craigyhill (Larne) is again being built this year (for last year’s 202′ effort, see Commonwealth Handling Equipment). 30,000 pounds has already been spent on pallets (Sunday World) but the attempt to build a record bonfire and have the bonfire officially declared the world’s tallest by the Guinness Book Of World Records has now been substituted by a fundraiser for Larne child Pia-Grace who is suffering from cancer (justgiving). (Belfast Live) A two-day festival begins today (July 10th) at noon and the boney will be lit after dark on Eleventh Night.
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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
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“In loving memory of Rev Robert Bradford.” Bradford was killed in 1981 (see To Bathe The Sharp Sword Of My Word In Heaven) and the mural dates back to (at least) 1983. It perhaps shows the Lindsay Street arch, which was first mounted in 1964. On either side of the arch are written “Honour all men, love the brethren” and “Fear God, honour the King”.
The King Billy mural survived until 1988 and was reproduced on the other side of Donegall Pass in 1989 – see the Peter Moloney Collection. King Billy is subtly coloured red-white-and-blue, while the dying Jacobite is in green-white-and-gold.
At the junction of Apsley Street and Howard Street South, at what is now the entrance to Reverend Robert Bradford Memorial Park.
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Copyright © 1988 Paddy Duffy
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Paddy Duffy Collection 