This entry updates 2024’s Pride Of Ardoyne, which described the boards added to the long-standing Billy Hanna plaque. Around the corner three images of water-features and candles have been added, behind a small wooden picket fence.
Ardoyne Road, north Belfast
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“The gospel rediscovered. Christ alone. Grace alone, Faith alone. Scripture alone. To God alone by the glory.”
Martin Luther sent his “Ninety-Five Theses” on the practice of selling indulgences (Disputatio Pro Declaratione Virtutis Indulgentiarum), along with a letter, to the archbishop of Mainz on October 31st, 1517. They were subsequently printed by the press at Wittenberg University and distributed in various forms and by various means, including by being attached to the doors of local churches. (WP) Thus began, in retrospect, the reformation. Luther was declared a heretic in May, 1521. (See the old Martin Luther mural in the lower Shankill.)
A bonfire in Rathcoole, Newtownabbey, will be lit on October 31st to commemorate the Protestant Reformation and (perhaps) provide a contrast to the traditions that have come to be associated with Halloween, and to the pagan holiday of Samhaın.
For the RHC mural in the background, see As Proud Men.
O’Neill Road, Rathcoole, Newtownabbey
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1,000 copies of J.P. Beadle’s painting “Battle Of The Somme: Attack Of The Ulster Division” were produced in 1917 in order to raise funds for wounded soldiers and POWs of the First World War. It has been further reproduced in boards and paintings since the re-imaging wave in the mid 2000s (see Visual History 10 | some early instances: 2007 in Londonderry | 2008 in Belfast), including this one in Cookstown. The original painting hangs in Belfast City Hall. (Irish Untold)
Edinburgh Drive, Cookstown
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The County Tyrone men from the Ulster Volunteers joined the 9th battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, which were put into the 109th brigade of the 36th Division. The Cookstown Grenadiers uses a (modern) emblem of the 36th – combining Union Flag, Maid Of Erin harp (symbol of the Royal Irish Rifles), and a red (right) hand on a field of poppies – as part of its band emblem (on the right, and on the board of photos, below); the WWI-era emblem of the 36th is the red (left) hand in the middle of the board.
The photographs on the second panel are labelled as follows: “First Parade 12th 2018. A special occasion for the band on its first outing. Accompanying our good friends in LOL 196 to the 12th demonstration in Stewartstown. A bond still strong to the present day.”; “Tribute to a volunteer. The band paying tribute to Vol. Gary Holdsworth (office commanding) [see also Along With The Brave And The Bold] at the local memorial in Monrush.”; “Remembering the fallen. A member of the band lays a wreath at Cookstown cenotaph.”; “Band on parade at the 12th of July demonstration in Coagh 2025.”; “Band on parade in Londonderry for the relief of Derry celebrations 2025.”
The third board shows shamrock, poppy, thistle, rose, and orange lily around the Mid-Ulster UVF emblem and the words, “In memory of volunteers from the east Tyrone area who took the first to militant republicanism. Their deeds and sacrifices will not be forgotten. For God and Ulster.”
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“In loving memory of Vol. Gary Holdsworth, Officer Commanding, East Tyrone Mid-Ulster Brigade, Ulster Volunteer Force.” Holdsworth died in 2021 and the sources for this information – RBL Football Fb | Mid-Ulster ACT Fb – suggest that the title of “UVF OC” is an honorary or aspirational one. Holdsworth has appeared in the papers in connection with rioting and distrurbing the peace, but nothing involving weapons or drugs. A parade is held in his honour each year (Monrush Social Fb).
Similarly, the lines “Lay him away on the hillside, along with the brave and the bold. Inscribe his name on the roll of fame, in letters of purest gold.” come from a song (‘Lay Him Away On The Hillside’) about James Daly of the Connaught Rangers. He was executed by a British Army firing squad in November, 1920, for leading a mutiny to protest the actions of the Tans and RIC (WP).
The memorial is in the street where Holdsworth lived: Milburn Close, Cookstown
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“Welcome to Titanic People, a celebration of the intelligence, creativity and courage of people who define this legendary Belfast neighbourhood. The spot where you’re standing may seem like a rather unremarkable part of Belfast, but it’s the epicentre of some of the city’s most remarkable citizens and their fascinating life stories. Some famous, other relatively unknown, but each born or employed within the sound of the shipyards’ riveters’ hammers and all with compelling personal histories that continue to reverberate locally and internationally. Westbourne Presbyterian Church whose grounds play host to this exhibition, is known locally as the Shipyard Church due to its proximity to Belfast’s famous docks and the home of the world-famous ship builders, Harland & Wolff. Opened in 1880, many of the workers who helped to build RMS Titanic would have brought their families here each week for Sunday Worship. It still serves a local congregation today and the pews inside haven’t changed. When you’ve finished reading about Titanic People, you are more than welcome to come inside and take the same seats occupied by those shipyard workers more than a century ago.”
Among those profiled are James Ellis, Marie Jones, Rev. John Redmond, St John Greer Ervine, Brian Desmond Hurst, and Henry Pottinger.
The installation surrounds the front entrance of Westbourne Presbyterian, the “Shipyard Church”, which was built in 1877 (Stone Database). To the right is a new WWII memorial (City Council planning application), shown last below.
The German Luftwaffe blitzed Belfast on four occasions in April and May of 1941, targeting especially the industrial yards of east Belfast, including H&W shipbuilding and Short Brothers. Nearby streets were hit in the attacks (see Belfast Blitz), and some suffered very heavy damage, including Thistle, Tower, and Westbourne streets. Westbourne Presbyterian church was hit during the war, but survived.
Newtownards Road, east Belfast
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This is a new version of the Hugh Smyth board in Canmore Street, in the upper Shankill. It is very similar to the previous version (see Third-Class Citizens), with the main difference being the addition of the OBE medal that Smyth was awarded in 1996 for ‘services to the community’. There is also explicit mention of Smyth’s titles, as “The right honourable, alderman, and Lord Mayor of Belfast [city council] 1994-1995”. The small, inset, picture has also changed slightly – it is closer-up and in colour – though from the same photo-shoot by Bobbie Hanvey.
“Historically, Unionist politicians fed their electorate the myth that they were first class citizens… and without question people believed them. Historically, Republican/Nationalist politicians fed their electorate the myth that they were second class citizens… and without question the people believed them. In reality, the truth of the matter was that we all, Protestant and Catholic, were third class citizens, and none of us realised it!”
In-progress images of the board being mounted are included below. The mural that briefly re-appeared is 90 Years Of Resistance. The UVF A company mural to the left has also appears to have been refreshed, though it is not known exactly when. Originally, there was no platoon 3. Platoon 4 has its own board, in the nearby Glenwood Street. “This mural is a memorial to the volunteers of A Coy 1st Batt who served the Shankill community so bravely during the years of conflict. Gone but not forgotten. Here lies a solder.”
September 29th:
September 28th:
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“The world’s best.” A new board has been mounted in Sandy Row to pay tribute to Lewis ‘The Croc’ Crocker, Sandy Row’s very own world champion, who “honed his craft at Cairn Lodge boxing club” on the West Circular and became “IBF world welterweight champion” at “Windsor Park, Belfast, 13th September 2025.” Crocker lost the title in June 2026, to the Australian Liam Paro.
On the right is soccer-player George Best, who grew up in Cregagh and debuted for Manchester United at the age of 17. “George Best at the age of 22 was awarded the prestigious Ballon d’Or on the 24th December 1968.”
The new board was unveiled by Crocker himself on Thursday, September 10th (BBC). There is also a small board to Crocker on Donegall Road.
Blythe Street, Sandy Row, south Belfast, replacing the previous George Best mural. For the Robert Dougan mural, see T01100.
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This is a new board featuring the Portadown True Blues flute band (Fb). The white lines around the second flag from the left in the image above are scratches caused to the board within days of its unveiling on June 20th.
The plaque on the right names “Roger Love, Mark Elliott, Richard Craven, Blake McCaughey”. McCaughey is featured in the board leading the parade in a wheelchair; he suffered from a genetic disorder (BBC) and died in January (2026) at age 18 (NI World).
Union Street, Edgarstown, Portadown
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Here is a small gallery of images from the Redmanville and Corcrain estates in Portadown, specifically Westland Road and the bonfire site. To the trio of boards at the site (seen previously in January, 2026) has been added the board shown above: “In loving memory – from the fathers that shaped it to the son’s [sic] who continue it. It’s our year, every year.” The bonfire, which is lit on the 10th (of July) has its own Facebook page.
Elsewhere in the estates: An elderly woman is drawn spraying graffiti that reads “They’re ashamed of our youth … and that’s the truth” along with “Never give up, never back down. We can turn this place around!”, and an anti-immigrant placard, the same as the one recorded in January.
Westland Road, Corcrain/Redmanville, Portadown
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Copyright © 2026 Paddy Duffy
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