banner/tarp

Lest We Forget

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Here is a gallery of images from the wall behind the Shore Road ‘World Wars’ memorial (see Remembrance Sunday) which has a few new additions and re-ordered boards for this year’s commemorations. The main additions are the “Lest we forget” stencil shown above, and a large number of white crosses in the grass and along the fence bearing the emblem of the UDR. The UDR board has been moved from the slanted wall at the far left to what is now the central position on the wall.

For images from Sunday’s ceremonies at City Hall, see BBC.

Frank Pantridge was featured in September. The

November 4th

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07979 T07980 [T07981] T07982 [T07983]
T07988 T07995 [T07996] T08009 [T08010] T07997 T07998
T07999 [T08000]
4th: T07975 [T07976] [T07977] T07978

Inky & Candy

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“25 years from home. In proud and loving memory of Inky & Candy. Gone but not forgotten.”

October 2000 was a violent month in Tiger’s Bay, north Belfast, as the UDA and UVF feuded. David “Candy” Annesley (commonly known as David Greer – BelTel) was shot in Mountcollyer Street on October 28th by the UVF. On the 31st, Bertie Rice, veteran UVF member and canvasser for the PUP, was killed by the UDA at his Canning Street house. Later the same day, Tommy “Inky” English – UDA commander in north Belfast who had previously lived in Tiger’s Bay – was shot death by the UVF at his Ballyduff home. Mark Quail of the UVF was shot in Rathcoole on November 1st. (BBC | BBC | WP) There were fears that the feud would end (An Phoblacht) but it was formally ended on December 15th, with a joint statement by both groups (RTÉ).

This twenty-fifth anniversary tarp is on the multi-use pitch on North Queen Street at Upper Canning Street.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07955 T07956 T07957 [T07958]

Tiger’s Bay Loyal

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Welcome to the homeland of Tiger’s Bay Loyal flute band. “He is our God, and we are the people.”” Tiger’s Bay Loyal [Fb] is a new flute band, formed in 2025.

Ten local streets are named around the central tiger: Robina Street, Edlingham Street, Mervue Street, Upper Mervue Street, Hallidays Road, Mackey Street, Cosgrave Heights, North Queen Street, Canning Street, Hogarth Street.

The banner itself is in Mervue Street. The Tiger’s Bay First Flute mural remains.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07944

Where The Troubles Began

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

A new visitor exhibition will open on Thursday November 6th at Ionad Eileen Howell with images, video, and audio recordings covering the period from the start of the Troubles in 1969 to the Falls Curfew in 1970 (Belfast Media). The new exhibition is hosted by the Falls Community Council (Fb); tickets via Visit Belfast.

The Troubles are generally said to have started in August, 1969, rather than (e.g.) October, 1968, because the Battle Of The Bogside in Derry (beginning on August 12th) and the rioting in Belfast (beginning on the 13th) led to the deployment of British troops (on August 14th and 15th).

The Falls Curfew, in July 1970, was a pivotal event in the souring of relations between the CNR population and the British Army. About 3,000 homes were cordoned off, the area was saturated with CS gas, and thousands of bullets were fired by the Officials and Army soldiers, the latter killing Charles O’Neill, William Burns, Zbigniew Uglik, and Patrick Elliman; there is a plaque commemorating the four a little further up the road – see The Falls Curfew.

St Comgall’s, Divis Street, west Belfast

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07889 T07890 [T07891] [T07892]

Please Wake Up!

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This is a new tarp on Dee Street, east Belfast, in which a child asks a sleeping lion to “wake up”. Both are wrapped in the Union Flag. The (probable) context for the image is the idea that foreigners – and in particular, non-white, non-Christian, foreigners – have been moving to the UK and that over time their numbers have increased, without much notice, to such a level that English (or more broadly, the UK) people need to rouse themselves in order to notice and counter this.

We have a working principle that the level of investment in a piece’s production is an indicator of the extent to which the producer(s) believes it will be accepted (or at least countenanced) by the community in which it appears. This printed tarp is, as far as we know, the most sophisticated expression of anti-immigrant feeling so far (or at least, the most expensive to produce). Prior to this, there have been placards (One Big Clean-Up | Not A Dumping Ground | If Necessary We Must Shed Blood), a simple stencil (I Was A Stranger), a short-lived printed paste-up (Multiculturalism Is Genocide), and various appearances of “locals only” graffiti (2025 | 2024 | 2014 | 2014). According to a 2023 study from KCL, 32% of UK residents think the “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory is “definitely” or “probably” true, while 22% of Irish people (in 2024) think so (Gript/Electoral Commission).

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07627 T07626

50 Years Defending Ulster

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Ulster Defence Association – 50 years defending Ulster. The UDA was formed in September 1971 for most This time it was a Legal Organisation It’s Declared goal Was to Defend Ulster Protestant Loyalist areas and Combat Irish Republicanism mainly the IRA. The UDA/UFF Declared a ceasefire in 1994 it ended its campaign in 2007.”

This entry updates 2022’s If You Want Peace, Prepare For War, which shows two hooded gunman next to the large “UFF” (as in the image immediately below) rather than a(nother) tarp giving a potted history of the UDA. Two black plaques have also been added in the memorial garden “In memory of 4th Batt – Castlereagh”. The one on the left lists “John (Jackie) McMaster, George Neil, Alex McAllister, Raymond (Bug) Stewart, John Kirker.”

Kenbaan Street, east Belfast

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07632 T07631
T07633 T07634 T07635
T07637 T07636 T07638

The People’s Band

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Shankill Protestant Boys [Fb] “The People’s Band” 45th anniversary, 1980-2025.” The band held a parade on August 1st to commemorate the anniversary, with nearly forty other bands attending (Fb).

For “USSF”, see the Peter Moloney Collection. The band’s club is in Bell Close – see SPB Way.

Shankill Road, west Belfast

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07327 [T07328]

Comóradh Blıantúıl Ar An Staılc Ocraıs

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Michael Devine was the last of the 1981 hunger-strikers to die, on August 20th, 1981, and although the strike was not called off until October 3rd, his death now marks the end of the strike for commemorative purposes. The 44th annual national commemoration of the strike will take place this year on the 24th, “assembling at Dunville Park” in west Belfast.

Beechmount Street, west Belfast. The MLK tarp goes back to 2014.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07308 T07309

Join Your Local Band

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Here are three from Mersey Street, east Belfast.

Above, a recruitment tarp for the Blues And Royals flute band (Fb).

Below, (and on the wall above the flute band’s tarp) a NI Centenary board using the St Patrick’s saltire in the background. The saltire is an Anglo symbol of Ireland and was included in the Union Flag when the union was between Britain and Ireland and thus – like the word “Ulster” – has been reduced to signifying Northern Ireland after partition.

Last, street-art on the bridge over Conn’s Water.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07291 T07293 T07292

Defend The Right To Protest

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“Defend the right to protest”, specifically to protest the treatment of Palestinians in Gazan.

The UK government introduced legislation in 2023 to prevent and tackle protests that might cause “more than minor disruption” to the community (Reuters), in contravention, according to Amnesty International, of Article 11 of the Human Rights Act. The High Court ruled against the government in 2024 and its appeal was rejected by the Appeals Court in May, 2025 (Reuters). The latest (late July 2025) Crime And Policing policy paper can be found at gov.uk.

Specifically related to protests about Gaza, in June the group Palestine Action was declared a terrorist organisation by UK government, because of the group’s “criminal damage in support of a cause” – specifically, its attacks on the facilities of the RAF and various weapons’ manufacturers; the group’s initial appeal was heard in the High Court last week (BBC) and the judge yesterday (July 30th) ruled that the group could challenge the designation (Independent).

Shown above is a hand-painted cloth sign on the railings of the Waterworks in north Belfast.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07255 [T07254]