physical force

Stoneyford Somme Association

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Boards have been added to the WWI memorial plaque in Stoneyford. On the right, the 36th Division go over the top in Beadle’s ‘Attack Of The Ulster Division’ (see Over The Top); the board on left more specifically commemorates the 2nd battalion of the South Antrim Ulster Volunteers, flanked by the leaders of the anti-Home Rule movement – Carson, Craig, Crawford, and Bonar Law.

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Sources:
Image from North Antrim Horse of Viscount Masserene and other leaders of the Ulster Volunteers at Antrim Castle

Image from Balmoral Perspective of the gun-running at Donaghadee

Image from the South Antrim Unionist Heritage facebook page

Andrew Mason

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19-year-old Andrew “Macey” Mason was wearing his Hillhall band uniform and a UDA badge while en route to visit his girlfriend on April 19th, 1987, when he was set upon by two men near Carnlough on the Antrim coast. The gruesome details of the beatings and stabbings that followed are given in Lost Lives (#2827).

This is the second (see previously 2010 – M05938) memorial board to Mason in Hillhall. The memorial plaque (below) is a new version of the older plaque to John McMichael, Raymond Smallwood[s], Jim Guiney, and Mason.

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Copyright © 2023 Paddy Duffy
T02320 T02321 T02319 Hillhall Gardens “Sons of Ulster do not be anxious for we will never forget you as long as the sun shines and the wind blows and the rain falls and the rivers of Ulster flow to the sea. Always remembered by volunteers from Hillhall C Company.”

John McMichael

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The South Belfast UDA/UFF commander John McMichael (1948-1987) was killed by an IRA car bomb. In addition to organising a team of assassins in the 70s and 80s, he founded a Political Research Group and wrote two documents proposing an independent Northern Ireland, 1979’s Beyond the Religious Divide and 1987’s Common Sense (available at CAIN), promoting the philosophy of ‘Ulster nationalism’. The quote on the board comes from the end of the Introduction to Common Sense:

“There is no section of this divided Ulster community which is totally innocent or indeed totally guilty, totally right or totally wrong. We all share the responsibility for creating the situation, either by deed or by acquiescence. Therefore we must share the responsibility for finding a settlement and then share the responsibility of maintaining good government.”

Above: “Old Warren A Coy/B Coy”. Right: “One man, one love, one country. Commonsense. In loving memory. Quis separabit.” around a portrait of McMichael. Left: “Common sense” with an Ulster Banner Northern Ireland.

Drumbeg Drive, Lisburn

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Operation Pagoda

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“CR Gas & The Burning Of Long Kesh, 15th-16th October, 1974 in Long Kesh. Operation Pagoda – the British government authorised and sanctioned the use of a chemical weapon against Irish Republican prisoners. Members of the 22nd S.A.S. carried out the attack from a helicopter.”

Operation Pagoda was the name of the SAS’s counter-terrorism programme (WP). Its role in the ‘Battle Of Long Kesh’ in October 1974 and its alleged use of CR (dibenzoxazepine) powder – the successor to CS powder (and before that, CN or “tear” gas) (New Scientist) – remains a classified matter. CR had been authorised for use in 1973 (Guardian).

The original photograph of the central scene (IWM HU 7025, included in this article from An Phoblacht) was in black-and-white and was reproduced as such in the three previous versions of this mural: 2021 Chemical Warfare In Ireland, 2018 The Battle Of Long Kesh, 2014 The Maze Ablaze. This new version adds burning reds and oranges. It replaces the No Profit On Pandemic mural.

International Wall, Divis Street, west Belfast

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Copyright © 2024 Paddy Duffy
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Welcome To New Mossley Play Area

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This hooded gunman from the UVF’s North Belfast/3rd battalion will keep an eye on your wains while they play in the playground across the street. This mural replaces a kids’ mural that read “New Mossley estate recognises the importance of its young people.” (Street View)

Ballyearl Drive, New Mossley, Newtownabbey.

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Ernie Dougan

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“Officer in command Vol. Ernest “Ernie” Dougan (30/04/65-22/03/20) Ballyduff/Glengormley Ulster Volunteer Force 1st East Antrim Battalion.” Dougan died at the beginning of lockdown and so the public commemoration of his passing did not take place until 2022. He was also involved in the Ballyduff Community Redevelopment Group (Fb). According to a Sunday World article, Dougan did not join the UVF until sometime after the Agreement, after he was given a punishment beating by the UDA in north Belfast (see Irish Times | Mirror) and moved out to Ballyduff.

Ernie was the brother of Robert Dougan, who was killed by the IRA in 1998 – see Everyone’s Friend | Gone But Not Forgotten.

The two long sides of the electrical box were seen The Ultimate Sacrifice and If Needed We Shall Rise Again. The Ulster Banner with charging soldier on the other short end replaces Carnmoney Remembers.

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Westwinds UVF

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Here is a gallery of UVF stencils and boards in the Westwinds estate. Despite being in Newtownards, the UVF here is allied with the East Belfast brigade, rather than the North Down brigade – see Belfast Live for background.

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Bloody Sunday Commemoration

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This is a repainted version of the mural in the Bogside to the victims of Bloody, now with a purple background and white oak leaves. The Christian cross in the centre was absent from the original version of the mural, and added to the version painted in 2005.

The mural is part of the Bogside Gallery (Visual History), painted by the Bogside Artists.

Westland Street, Bogside, Derry

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The People’s Monument

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In August (2022), Saoradh Doıre (web) and the Derry IRPWA (web) unveiled a new memorial to the Derry Brigade IRA/Brıogáıd Dhoıre Óglaıgh Na hÉıreann on the green at the Fahan Street turn which it is calling “the people’s monument” (Derry Now) perhaps in parallel with the series of murals by the Bogside Artists called “the people’s gallery” (Visual History page).

In the centre is a Derry Brigade roll of honour with 42 names; on the left is a role of remembrance of naturally-deceased óglaıgh and activists, including Geordie McGilloway who worked on the nearby hunger strike memorial (An Phoblacht); on the right is a list of the deceased twentieth century hunger strikers, beginning with Thomas Ashe.

“This monument is dedicated to the people of Derry City who have resisted & still resist the occupation of our country by Britain. We acknowledge with pride the sacrifices they made throughout every decade. Their names would be too numerous to mention & their deeds of bravery & resistance unequaled in the history of our struggle. The republican movement of Derry City salute you and your families. Your reward will only be a united Ireland.”

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