Category: cultural
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Fıonn Mac Cumhaıll
In Irish mythology, Fıonn Mac Cumhaıll/Finn MacCool became wise (when still a boy) because he sucked on the thumb he burned while cooking the Salmon Of Knowledge for his master Finegas (Laud 610). The salmon, in turn, had gained the knowledge by eating nine hazelnuts that fell from nine trees into Tobar Segaıs/Tobar Chonnlaı (Dındshenchas…
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Older But No Wiser
Steeple Veterans flute band is a part-time band drawing on “veterans” or “old boys” of the Steeple Defenders (which used to have a board nearby). The “older but no wiser” tag-line is exemplified by the fact that they dress up in costume each 12th for the return leg of the day– in 2023 they adopted…
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His Majesty King Charles III By The Grace Of God
September 8th, 2022, is the date of the accession of Charles – then Prince Of Wales – the UK crown, upon the death of his mother Elizabeth at ten past three in the afternoon (as shown on the clock in the bottom left of the wide shot, below). At Balmoral Castle, the Royal Standard (in…
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Four Lads Had A Dream
‘Four Lads Had A Dream’ is the name of Rangers song (youtube) but here the dream is not “to start a team” in Glasgow but to start a flute band in Monkstown, Newtownabbey. The result of the efforts of the four men – John Black, Freddie Maltman, Brian Crothers, Trevor Wilson – was Monkstown YCV…
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The Ulster Fry
Discover Ulster-Scots (web) has added some more boards in north Belfast, joining the recent gallery of famous figures at Mountcollyer Avenue (see The Scots In Ulster). Above, Alexandra Park Ave: “The Ulster Fry – Ulster-Scots put the Ulster into the Ulster Fry with our famous soda and potato farls. Farl is an Ulster-Scots word describing…
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Kai Johansen’s Bar
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…
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Sásta A Bheıth Anseo
The mural on the wall of Madden’s bar in the city centre has been updated. Fiddler Art Lundy and the “decommissioned” ashtray are retained, but much else has changed. (For the previous version, see Madden’s.) Traditional Irish and Irish-language music features in multiple places: — a poster for new group Biird (ig) is in the…
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Turf Lodge Boxing
This is a new mural on boards celebrating boxing in the Turf Lodge area of west Belfast. Belfast Boxers (ig) gives the names as (l-r) Eoin Hamill, Damaen Kelly, John Ireland, Dee Irving, Damien Fryers, Sean/Jim “Spike” McCormack, Sean McComb. Hamill (the youngster on the far left) was knocked down and killed on the Springfield…
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Born For A Storm
The family of “Andrew Jackson 1767-1845”, seventh president of the United States, hailed from Carrickfergus (Discover Ulster-Scots | Carrickfergus History) and there is a period cottage that functions as a museum on the site of the home from which his parents and two older brothers departed (Discover NI). There is a Visual History page on…
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Queen Of Angels
Queen Elizabeth II died, aged 96, on September 8th, 2022, and is now (according to this board) queen of the angels in heaven (Matthew 28:2), which perhaps allows her to send other angels to Earth (Matthew 24:31) to deliver messages to chosen people. Also included (below) from the same street is a memorial tarp to…
Paddy Duffy Collection 