plaque

To Keep Our Country British

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

This entry updates 2024’s Here Dead We Lie – the plaque to Boyle and Somerville remains as before (it was originally mounted in 2005) but all three of the boards have been updated. The two on the extremes have the same content as before, while the central board marks the “50th anniversary” of the death of “Volunteer Harris Boyle”, “eternally remembered by the officers and volunteers of Mid-Ulster UVF”. Both Boyle and Somerville were members of both the UDR and UVF; they were “killed in action” when the bomb they were planting on the minibus of the Miami Showband went off prematurely. A parade in Boye’s memory took place in Portadown (BBC). Surviving Showband members and their sympathisers also marked the anniversary – on July 31st, 2025 – with a service at the spot of the attack (BBC).

The boards are at the junction of Gloucester Avenue and Princess Way in Portadown – Boyle was from the Killicomaine estate; Somerville is individually commemorated in Moygashel.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
T08274 T08273 T08275 T08276 T08277 T08278

Ian Ogle, Always Remembered

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The seventh anniversary of the murder of Ian Ogle is approaching: “Big O” was killed on the evening of January 27th, 2019. Five people received sentences in March 2025, having been found guilty of murder – see In Memory Of Ian Ogle.

Also included is a small memorial plaque to British forces, which seems to have been generated by AI.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T08191 T08193 T08192

Fulton & Goatley

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

“In loving memory of John Fulton [and] Stephen Goatley, died 15th March 1975. Will always be remembered by their family and friends. Quis separabit.” UDA members John Fulton and were Stephen Goatley were killed together in the Alexandra Bar on York Road (close to the Mervue Street location of this memorial) in revenge for the stabbing of the UVF’s Joe Shaw in the North Star Bar. , by the UVF as part of the UDA-UVF feud in 1975.

The two men named on the other board were also killed in a feud between the UDA and UVF, in 2000 – see Inky & Candy. “In loving memory Thomas (Inky) English & David (Candy) Greer Annesley. Together in the same old way/would be our dearest wish today./Silent memories true and tender/just to show we still remember.”

Mervue Street, Tiger’s Bay, north Belfast

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07938 [T07954] T07940 T07941 T07943
T07939 T07942
“At the going down of the sun and the morning we will remember them – quis separabit”

In The Service Of Our Country

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The upper Woodvale plaque “in memory of all those Protestants and members of the security forces who lost their lives in the greater Shankill area as a result of conflict” has sat unadorned since at least 2008 but now has a pair of boards to accompany it.

On the left, a reproduction of the “Faithful Unto Death” stained-glass window in the Museum of Orange Heritage in Schomberg House on the Cregagh Road (also reproduced in Newbuildings in 2022), along with the emblem of the Country Grand Orange Lodge Of Belfast (Fb).

On the right, a memorial to “all local residents whose lives were cruelly taken by Republican terrorists. Also those who selflessly gave their lives in the service of our country, and those who continue to do so.” (LOL “423” appears to be Banbridge Bible And Crown Defenders.)

Bray Street/Bray Close, Woodvale, west Belfast

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07863 T07864 T07865 T07866 T07867 [T07868]

My Brother Is Not A Criminal

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The brothers in question are Raymond and Brian McCreesh, from Camlough, Co Armagh. Raymond is third in the list of the ten deceased 1981 hunger strikers on the large stone at the top of the slope: “In memory of the volunteers who died on hunger strike in H-Blocks 1981.” The quote along the bottom reads, “H-Block is rock that the British monster shall perish upon for we in H-Block stand upon the unconquerable rock of the Irish socialist republic – Bobby Sands”; the source of the quote in unknown.

The lower stone reads “These men made the supreme sacrifice for their country by dying on hunger strike from 1917 to 1976: 1917 Thomas Ashe; 1920 Michael Fitzgerald, Joseph Murphy, Terence McSwiney; 1923 Joseph Whitty, Denis Barry, Andy Sullivan; 1940 Tony Darcy, Sean McNeela; 1946 Sean McCaughey; 1974 Michael Gaughan; 1976 Frank Stagg. “It is not those who can inflict the most but those that can suffer the most who will conquer” – Terence McSwiney.”

The final image is a call from “Independent Republicans Armagh [Fb]” to commemorate Dessie Grew and Martin McCaughey, who were riddled with bullets fired by the SAS as they moved weapons near Moy, Co Tyrone, in 1990 (RN | youtube).

Ford’s Cross, New Road, Silverbridge

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07803 T07805 T07804
T07802

Ulster’s Brave Young Men

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

The background to the Avenue Road “Memorial to the 36th (Ulster) Division and to other men of Ulster who served in the Great War 1914 – 1918” has been repainted in the purple and orange of the UVF and the wall simplified by the removal of two smaller boards to each side of the main board (above) which shows soldiers looking out over the edge of a WWI trench. (For the the previous boards, see the Peter Moloney Collection.)

The seat is dedicated to “Jack”, an 11-year-old member of the Avenue Road Memorial flute band who died in 2019 (News Letter), with boxing gloves and emblem of the NI soccer association. 2 Timothy 4:7 says, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”

Avenue Road, Lurgan

The final image is of a board in nearby King’s Park Mews to a soldier who died on “the homefront” – Dublin during the 1916 Rising – Second Lieutenant James Howard Calvert of the 6th Royal Irish Rifles. Calvert lived at 41 Avenue Road, Lurgan.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07790 T07791 T07792 T07789
T07793

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

A Forgotten Atrocity

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Wreaths are laid at the Bayardo Bar memorial on the Shankill Road on the fiftieth anniversary of the attack, which involved the shooting of two people at the door and the bomb being left at the entrance, which caused the deaths of a further three people: “In memory of five innocent Protestants slaughtered here by a republican murder gang on 13th August 1975. William John Gracey aged 63, Samuel Gunning aged 55, Joanne McDowell aged 29, Hugh Alexander Harris aged 21, Linda Boyle aged 17. Erected by the Bayardo Somme Association. “A forgotten atrocity”.” Fifty other people were injured in the attack.

Here is an opinion piece in the BelTel claiming that “republican communities … have been far more active not only in memorialising violent events impacting upon them, but also campaigning for the truth about those actions … the lack of balance in how the past is being investigated here has created a one-track, green-tinted narrative”.

See also: the memorial in 2023. Included here are close-ups of two recent plaques, one “In memory of Neily Reid Scotland, true friend of the Bayardo Somme Association, died 4th February 2022. Lest we forget.” and the other “In memory of Billy Boyce, loyal friend of the Bayardo Somme, died 19-12-2018. Lest we forget.”

Shankill Road/Aberdeen Street, west Belfast

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07312 T07314 T07313 T07326 T07315 T07316 T07317 T07318 T07319 T07320 T07321 T07322 T07323 T07324 T07325

Ballysillan UVF

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Six memorial plaques to members of the UVF’s 1st battalion (West Belfast), D company (Ballysillan) have been re-instated and two new one added alongside the 100 Years Of Conflict boards at Carr’s Glen. The plaques to Bingham, Phillips, McEvoy, the “officers and volunteers”, Stewart, and Taylor were on the old UVF mural on this wall (see the Peter Moloney Collection); the two new ones are to Kenny Howie and to Scottish supporters.

Left:
“Lt Col John Dowey Bingham killed by the enemies of Ulster 14th September 1986. Remembered by officers and members of the 1st Batt D Coy Ballysillan. Lest we forget” [(WP)]
“In memory of Major Patrick McEvoy. Lest we forget”
“In memory of Kenny Howie 21.4.1977 – 8.4.2013. Lest we forget”
“In proud memory of the officers and volunteers of D Company 1st Battalion Ulster Volunteer Force. For God and Ulster”.

Right:
“In memory of Major Thomas Stewart. Lest we forget” [d. 1996 in a dispute over money (Irish Times | BelTel)
“In memory of Martin Chin Taylor. Lest we forget” [d. 2000 killed by the LVF (BBC)]
“In proud memory of Volunteer David (Davey) Phillips, taken by cowards Sunday 12th July 1998. Sadly missed by his friends and comrades of ‘D’ Company Ballysillan. Lest we forget” [possibly d. 1998 (BelTel)]
“In memory of fallen volunteers 1st Battalion D. Company Ulster Volunteer Force Scotland”

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07228 T07229 T07230

Ballynafeigh Remembers

Extramural ActivityLeave a comment

Three plaques at the Ballynafeigh Apprentice Boys social club on Blackwood Street:

“In loving memory of Allison Jane Smith – you’re missed so much by so many who knew you in Ballynafeigh”, “Celebrating the 100th anniversary of the foundation of Northern Ireland – Northern Ireland centennial 3rd May 2021”, “In memory of all our past members”.

Click image to enlarge
Copyright © 2025 Paddy Duffy
T07208