cultural – Page 14 – Paddy Duffy Collection

Ignite Tradition

2023-11-262025-12-12Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“A taste of tradition: Whiterock flute band. Est. 1962. West Belfast, Northern Ireland. New Barnsley, Moyard, Springmartin, Woodvale, Whiterock, Springfield, Highfield, Shankill.” The Whiterock Flute Band board at the top of the Shankill has been updated to reflect the changing of the monarch – the passing of Queen Elizabeth II and the accession of Charles III – and also to mark the band’s 60th anniversary in 2022.

The memorial to Elizabeth on the left-hand side replaces the memorial to Alex Thompson (seen in 2021) which had been appended to the 50th anniversary board (A Taste Of Tradition). Thompson is included at the top of the next column, “recognition of loyal service”. The columns on either side of the emblem show photographs from the various deacdes, including the 50th anniversary celebrations. Above the doorways are the names of “members past and present” above drawings by local children of “my favourite image” and a link for the band’s music.

“Embrace the past. Ignite tradition. Inspire the future.” Whiterock Flute Band appear to have fallen under the influence of a public-relations consultant.

November 21st:

September 18th, 2022:

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community cohesion with local children

Defending Our Traditions

2023-11-242024-08-27Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This is the new Vanguard Bears (web) board at the Ulster Rangers Supporters’ Club on the Shankill Road. It replaces the board that celebrated the 55th championships of Rangers and Linfield. In the close-up above of the left-hand side, below King Charles III and formed into the numeral 66, are the names of the fans who were crushed to death as they left Ibrox after the Old Firm derby on January 2nd, 1971 (WP).

There used to be a Vanguard Bears board in Sugarfield Street, on the other side of the Shankill Road – see The Boys In Blue – and another is still in place in Barrington Street (Sandy Row) – see Follow, Follow.

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The Musicians

2023-11-222024-08-27Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Here are images of the ever-growing – so far a dozen strong – band of musicians by Ciaran Gallagher (ig) in the courtyard of the Dark Horse.

Above the doorway are the Rapparees (ig), who play in the Duke Of York on Sundays.

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Nilüfer At cello, Juram dobro, Ursula Burns harp, fiddle, Nicky Larkin accordion
guitar, Ray bodhrán, tin whistle, mandolin, Buzz uileann pipes, singer
piano, maracas, bazouki, ukulele, tin whistle, bongo

Remembrance Sunday

2023-11-102025-11-11Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Remembrance Day, formerly known as Armistice Day, commemorates and celebrates the end of hostilities in the first World War on November 11th, 1918. Many ceremonies in the UK take place on the second Sunday of the month, regardless of the date. This practice began in 1945, changing the WWII practice of marking the occasion on the preceding Sunday, to ensure that the holiday did not fall on a work-day (WP).

This large tarp (above) is at the Shore Road memorial garden to the 10th, 36th, and 16th divisions, shown below, along with the nearby Fifes & Drums/Fairhill flute band (Fb)/Pride Of The Shore (Fb) tribute to QEII. The tarp was also seen last year: Remembrance Day.

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Wall Of Champions

2023-11-092024-08-27Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“You earn your trophies at practice – you just pick them up at competitions.” The largest number among the honours on the left is 56, for the number of times Linfield has won the league.

“Monkstown true blues Linfield supporters club,” (Fb) “Follow your dreams – if you can dream it, you can become it.”

Cloyne Crescent, Monkstown, Newtownabbey.

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Dreams Don’t Work Unless You Do

2023-11-032024-10-06Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This is the new Glen Molloy mural in Carrickfergus, showing a boy practicing his baton-twirling and marching. It’s in the same style as the Little Drummer Boy in the Shankill.

The mural is in Agnes Street, at the far end of Marine Highway, heading towards Eden. The in-progress images below show Glen at work and the mural at different stages of development.

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X14379 [X14378] courtesy of Seosamh Mac Coille

Kragfargus Cultural Corner

2023-10-152024-08-27Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This is the second (at least) iteration of an installation along Taylor’s Avenue, Carrickfergus, showcasing the Ulster-Scots heritage of Carrickfergus and its later contributions to the United Kingdom.

The wall is 60 metres/200 feet in length and can be divided into about ten distinct panels – notes on the different panels are given below, following the order of presentation of images, which show the entire wall moving from left to right.

The original, as seen on Street View, included boards showing the Pretani Isles/British Isles, QEII, and Tom Moore. As seen here, there are now boards to King Charles III, a vintage postage stamp, ‘The Siege Of Carrickfergus’ in 1689, and ‘The Barn Mills Fallen’ of WWI.

Fair Fa’ Ye (or “fair faa ye”) is an (Ulster-)Scots blessing, “fair fall you”, meaning roughly “good luck” (Bloggin Fae The ‘Burn | r/scots | Nelson McCausland).

The stained-glass is called the Dalaradia Window. For images and explanation, see Picts Exiled From Alba.

For Dalaradia, see Kingdom Of The Pretani and the Visual History page on Cú Chulaınn.

James Orr, the ‘Bard Of Ballycarry’, was a contemporary of Robert Burns and a United Irishman. It does not appear that he wrote a poem with the line “I wish I was in Carrickfergus”.

Daniel Cambridge won his VC for service in the Crimean War (WP) and James Crichton for service in WWI (WP).

CarrickfergusHistory includes “the oldest know map of Carrickfergus” from 1560, employing the spelling “Kragfargus”.

The 2/6 postage stamp featuring Carrickfergus Castle was one of four in a “Castle series” in 1955 (WP).

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We Welcome The Chase

2023-10-152024-08-27Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Let others come after us – we welcome the chase.” The exterior wall of the Carrickfergus Rangers Supporters Club presents a gallery of the club’s managers from 1899 to 2018. In order they are William Wilton, Bill Struth, Scot Symon, David White, William Waddell, Jock Wallace, John Greig, Graeme Souness, Walter Smith, Dick Advocaat, Alex McLeish, Paul Le Guen, Ally McCoist, Stuart McCall, Mark Warburton, Pedro Caixinha, Graeme Murty, Steve Gerrard (and since then, there have been Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Michael Beale, and (currently) Philippe Clement).

Also from the Club: Club: commemorative murals to the 36th Division in A Name That Equals Any In History | to the UDR in Some Gave All | to the Highland Fusiliers.

A Name That Equals Any In History

2023-10-152024-08-27Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“In memory to all who fought and gave their lives.” This is the tribute to the Ulster Division at the Carrickfergus Rangers Supporters’ Club, citing the words of Wilfrid Spender “I am not an Ulsterman but yesterday, the First of July [1916], as I followed their amazing attack, I felt that I would rather be an Ulsterman than anything else in the world.” (For more of Spender’s tribute to the 36th Division, see I Am Not An Ulsterman.)

For the names and information of the nine VC recipients, see Victoria Crosses or Repaying Their Memory.

Also from the Club: Club: a gallery of Rangers’ Managers in We Welcome The Chase | commemorative murals to the UDR in Some Gave All | to the Highland Fusiliers.

Armed And Ready Again

2023-10-042024-08-27Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This is the UVF/RHC memorial garden in Ballybeen, with individual plaques to “East Belfast battalion commander” RJ ‘Mickey’ Wilson (died 2022), Jim ‘Jonty’ Johnston (killed in 2003 BelTel), M. Walker, G. McCartney, David Brown. While most of the plaques and stones are to the modern UVF, there are three pieces to the 36th (Ulster) Division.

“Too many names to mention, but I will certainly try./Tears run down my face as I try not to cry./Their names written in gold of Volunteers gone by./These men they died heroes in battles, fought and won./They may be gone, but in our hearts remain./The Ulster Volunteer Force. The People’s Army./Armed and ready again.”